Hi! This is Mary! Welcome to my blog. This is where I share my life, travel journals, and thoughts with my family and friends around the world. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Take care! Mary ~ P.S. I would love to hear from other moms around the world, expecting, pregnant, new or experienced :)
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
How to fight bullies in court
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Inspirational Junkies
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Tampa, Florida
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
DIY Travel: Taipei 101 - God of Heaven - Year of Dog
Here is a good brief video about Taipei 101. the observatory to the top is interesting. There are several good restaurants in the Taipei 101 Mall. Within walking distance of Taipei 101, there are Warner Village and department stores like Mitsukoshi. many good yummy food everywhere.
the National Palace Museum is an interesting place to visit with many culture things to look at. even though it's a little bit out of the city, but it's worth it. check out this short video. If you're looking for something closer, the National Concert Hall in the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall may have concerts or events. there's a cafe and gift shop. the grounds are beautifully maintained like a park.
Taipei City Guide
Wiki Forumosa
Taipei Lantern Festival - Year of Dog
Celebrate birth of God of Heaven during the lunar new year. Actually, they look kind of ghostly with dark red face and long black beard, maybe to scare of the evil spirits!

Pizza Pub at Lai Lai with our friends Angela, Leo, Jonathan & Lin family. The wood-fired oven pizza is fabulous and their live entertainment takes requests.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006
DIY Travel: Hawaii 2006
- All your can eat breakfast buffet at Shore Bird Beach Restaurant by the Outrigger Reef Hotel is our favorite, specially if you can find a table by the open window.
- If you want to lay by a famous bay, go to Hanauma Bay. Unless you're willing to swim out there, don't bother with the snorkel gears, and we had to wait in the line forever to rent them. It has a beautiful view from the top of the hill. The walk is easy if you don't need wheel chair or no health problems. Dr Beach named this one of the best beach.
- Best place to shop for souvenir is at Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, but they don't have it daily so check for the hours.
- Hilo Hattie is another fun place to buy souvenirs. Look for coupons in the tourist newsletter.
- Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort has beautiful grounds with exotic birds, African Red-Winged Flamingo, Black Swans, waterfowl, turtles, fishes, and even penguins! Don't miss their Music, Songs & Dance of Polynesia Show. They put on a good show.
- Try the almost authenic Japanese Ramen, go to Ramen Nakamura. The sitting place is crowded and tight just like in Japan.
- We enjoyed Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurant by China town- 100 N. Beretania St., Suite 109, Honolulu, HI 96817. 808-532-8218.
- It's easy to go from one island to another. It's like catching a bus. Compare the price between two airlines: Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airline. Both are comparable, but watch the weight of your suitecase. It's lower than the international flights and they will charge you for the extra weight.
- If you are on route from another island, and need to stay one night by the airport, Honolulu Airport Hotel is our choice, but ONLY stay in the executive room for just a little more. They're nicer and not as far to walk if you have a lot of luggages. Their free 24-hours airport shuttle is good, use courtesy phones in the baggage claim areas.

- When you're on the big island, you getta check out Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Visitor Center. You can tour their factory, free taste test, and they have the best price in town. Bring those freshely made chocolate covered macadamia nuts home for souvenir/gifts.
- If you're by the area, check out Akaka Falls in the Akaka Falls State Park. It's an easy walk to see a 422 feet fall up close.
- There's nothing like it in the world to go see red hot lava! It's adventurous like walking on another planet. Volcano National Park - Prepare to hike through lava rocks. Come prepared! Bring flash light and water. Binocular, video camera. Wear hiking boots and jeans. As you can see in the picture below, you'll have to hike through un-even terrain, for at least 1-2 hours. So you want to start hiking during day light, mid afternoon (depends on when is the sunset). By the time you arrive, it's the best time to view lava, during dusk when you can see glowing red lava without the water vapor smokes. If there's no cloud or moon light, you might even see millions of stars and milky way! It's simply amazing!
Volcano National Park - See lava flow into the Ocean. The view is better during dusk.

H A W A I I Tropical Reef Fish
When you're on the Kailua Kona side of the big island, we always enjoy our stay at Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort. Room with pool view closer to the ocean is the best. Their breakfast buffet is by far our favorite, both American cuisine and Japanese cuisine with guava and miso soup. They have a beautiful grounds, and a terrace where you can look at all kinds of fishes below in the clear water. They have exotic birds and flowers. The sun might go under the clouds and present the most spectacular sunset you have ever seen!

Kahaluu Bay Beach Park is next door, we love to snorkel there (bring your gears or there might be vendors in the parking lot). They had a group of local girls learning hula dance. It's so convenient to be next to the snorkel spot and change in the hotel. Pool towls are by the tour info desk, but they run out fast. We saw turtles and swam next to them. Also bring your underwater camera, we found the digital kind is the best since few shots came out okay. The sunset there is absolutely amazing. It's just a paradise! we wished we stayed there at least two nights...
Orangespine Unicornfish Umaumalei
Octopus with Convict Tang Manini

If you're coffee lover, when you're in Kona, go check out the coffee farm and see the coffee trees. The coffee in Kona is the best.
If you would like to know a little about the Hawaii culture, go to Pu`uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, A Place of Refuge.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Swanson's UnWritten Rules of Management
No. 4: "Look for what is missing. Many know how to improve what's there; few can see what isn't there."
No. 13: "Those who speak knowingly and confidently often wind up with the assignment to get the job done."
No. 14: "Strive for brevity and clarity in oral and written reports."
"A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person."
No. 23 says to fill the boss in on all the potential risks, not just opportunities.
No. 28 says that we remember one-third of what we read, half of what people tell us, but 100% of what we feel.
Rule 31 advises us to put yourself in your boss' shoes.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Good advices in life
- Keep Your Feet on the Ground and Keep Reaching for the Stars
- Luck is where opportunity meets preparation
- Tips on building a successful and fulfilling career from Walter Robb, founder of Whole Foods Market. First is passion. Mr. Robb opined that nothing great will happen without passion, and urged the students not to do something if they do not feel passionate about it. Second is compassion. Mr. Robb shared that as a retailer, his natural instinct is to want to compete and win. But as a single father of three kids, he has been trying to develop a more loving side of himself. The challenge lies in bringing love and respect together with the desire to compete and create value.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Beautiful Hualien, Formosa Taiwan
Rocks are natural spa therapy for the foot
My parents taking a stroll in this majestic Taroko marble canyon!

DIY Travel: Taipei, Formosa Taiwan
People, cars, billboards and shopping everywhere you go.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial HallThey have a nice concert hall and beautiful gardens
My lovely parents!
Monday, September 19, 2005
Almost going away party
Our Wang family here is getting bigger!
Wei Family Time
DIY Travel - Tampa and Orlando
Overview of St. Petersburg Clearwater in Florida
Caladesi Island State Park - Nation's best beach by Dr. Beach!
1 Causeway Blvd. Dunedin, FL 34698(727) 469-5918 Turn left soon after you pay the park fee! The 15 minutes ferry ride. Boat departs on the hour, make sure you catch the last boat at 4 PM. If you want to walk around the beach, make sure you have at least 4 hours on the island. You can find seashells and sand dollars. Bathroom and outdoor shower is available. Don't miss the last boat out of the island, or you'll be on a survivor's island!
Fred Howard Park (palm trees) 1700 Sunset Dr., Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 Phone 727.943.4081 
Gulf of Mexico, Florida

Fort DeSoto Park -- "Dr. Beach" named Fort De Soto Park the North America's Best 2005 Beach (white sand) 3500 Pinellas Bayway S.,Tierra Verde, FL 33715 Park Office- 727.582.2267

Tampa International Airport = TPA
Southwest Airline is our favorite airline. No penalty for itinerary change.
Waterfront restaurants to see the sunset!
A true Red Sox fan with his favorite players in the Red Devil's Tropicana Stadium.

Busch Gardens, Tampa * Edge of Africa* Serengeti Express Railway* Rhino Rally* Daily Shows* Kids rides
Grocery Stores
Oriental Market 1106 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612(813) 868-1688
Restaurants
Sukho Thai
Crazy Buffet 2702 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL
China Yuan Restaurant 8502 N Armenia Ave Ste 1A, Tampa, FL
Pho Bien Vietnamese Restaurant 4505 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL
Affordable America: Best budget restaurants in Tampa
Tampa landmarks restaurants - Bern's. the Columbia.
upscale Mexican - Red Mesa in St. Petersburg.
cozy casual Euro eats - NoHo Bistro on Armenia Ave. Tampa
burrito El Taconazo on Hillsborough Ave. Tampa
Shopping Mall at Tampa
International Mall (closer to TPA airport). University Mall (closer to Busch Gardens).
Orlando:
Outlet Shopping at Orlando
8200 Vineland Avenue, Orlando, FL 32821(407) 238-7787Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-9pm Open Sun, Apr 16: 10am-9pm
DISNEY and EPCOT, Orlando
Tip: Get free advance pass, so you don't have to wait in line too long!
1) Best ride -- "Soaring!"
2) "Mission: SPACE" (ONLY for HEALTHY ADULTS, PAY ATTENTION TO WARNINGS) They using G force, so it'll be like going up to the space.
Sea World and Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios
as soon as the park opens, go to the spider-man ride. It's a lot of fun. We went around and rode it twice. It's not a roller coaster, but the ilusion makes it look like you're falling.
Priceline has a good bargain to bid on theme park hotels.
Vietnamese Town - Colonial Drive, Orlando
Saigon Market 1232 E. Colonial Dr. Orlando, FL 32803 Tel (407) 898-6899 sometimes they have guava or lychee
Chinatown, 1st Oriental Supermarket, Westside Crossing Plaza, 5132 West Colonial Dr. Orlando, FL 32808. 8:30AM-9PM daily. (407)292-3668
Swim, snorkel, or canoe in the clear Wekiwa Springs.




















Mr. Walt Disney and Mickey




