The Loft Hotel and Arcade

The Loft Hotel and Arcade is the latest destination for both locals and tourists in Iligan City. Although the hotel is still in the works, this commercial complex has already opened their doors on December 15, 2018 in the vibrant dining and entertainment district of Iligan. They offer a diverse mix of places where everyone can go and enjoy themselves. 

MOM’S PIG OUT

MOM’S PIG OUT
Boneless Lechon Belly

Mom’s Pig Out is a family-style restaurant that first popped up in Cagayan de Oro City. They are known for their crispy boneless lechon belly and native Filipino dishes.

BINGSOO CORNER

BINGSOO CORNER
Injeolmi, Matcha, Coffee Crumble

Bingsoo Corner brings Korea’s halo-halo to Iligan. With a variety of flavors to choose from, you’re bound to keep coming back for more of this shaved ice dessert. My personal favorites are Coffee Crumble and Peach Mango.

BO’S COFFEE

BO’S COFFEE

After a long wait, Bo’s Coffee has finally found its way here in Iligan. Discover the best local coffee brews at this Cebuano coffee chain. They proudly showcase high quality roasted coffee beans coming from Benguet, Sagada, Mt. Matutum and Mt. Katinglad. They also serve delicious breakfast meals, pasta, sandwiches, pastries, tea, and other blended drinks.

WATEVER FAMILY KTV

WATEVER FAMILY KTV

Watever Family KTV, the newest karaoke lounge in Iligan, features 18 airconditioned private karaoke rooms where you can unleash your inner diva. Each room is fully equipped with a powerful karaoke system and can accommodate up to 10 people. Sing along to a plethora of song choices with family and friends. You’re bound to have a great time with their budget-friendly rates. 

THAI ROYALE SPA

THAI ROYALE SPA

Thai Royale Spa is a multi-award winning spa chain that offers body massages and other relaxing treatments. With rates for as low as 200 PHP, everyone can devote a day here to pamper and rejuvenate. They also offer sparty packages starting at 5000 PHP.

LOKAL GRILL AND SEAFOOD *soon to open*

The Loft Hotel and Arcade is located at Gen. Aguinaldo, Pala-o, Iligan City.  It is right behind The Strip.

Sponsored Post

Ice Skating at SM Cagayan de Oro Downtown Premier

SM CDO Downtown Premier just launched Cagayan de Oro’s first ever mobile indoor ice skating rink!

sm cdo ice rink
Photo courtesy of Stefanie Laya Uy

This state-of-the-art installation is situated on the ground floor of the city’s premier urban shopping location so more Filipinos can now enjoy this winter sport in our tropical island nation.

leia khu fitting ice skates

Before you step onto the ice, the skating rink staff will assist you in fitting on a pair of ice skates and walking your way to the rink.

leia khu ice skating polar bear leia khu ice skating polar bear

Ice skating is an exciting sport but it can be a little intimidating, especially for first-timers. Fortunately, there are cute penguin and polar bear skating aids to help with balance so skaters, with little to no experience, can gain confidence inside the rink.

With a little patience and practice, you can slide and glide with ease in no time.

leia khu ice skating

Experience the magic on ice for only 180 PHP per hour on weekdays or 200 PHP per hour on weekends and holidays. Skating aids cost an additional 60 PHP for every 30 minutes. You must be at least 4 feet tall to be able to skate. Please refer to the image below for rules and code of conduct.

sm cdo downtown ice rink rules

Adventures on Ice: Ice Rink Experience is only available for a limited time. Make sure to mark your calendars and create a fun, memorable experience with your friends and family. It’s open from July 25 to September 30, 2018 from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. only at the coolest place in town – SM CDO Downtown Premier.

adventure on ice tickets giveaway

I had a spectacular time yesterday during their press launch and now it’s your turn. I’m giving away two Adventures on Ice tickets to one lucky winner!

Simply…

Like me on Facebook.
Follow me on Instagram.
Tell me your Facebook and Instagram handles plus why you want to win the tickets in the comment section below.

This giveaway contest runs till the 10th of August. The winner will be announced here on the 11th of August. Open to Iligan and Cagayan de Oro residents only.

Upside Down World Cebu

Other than rebounding on trampolines, another fun thing to do indoors when in Cebu is taking gravity-defying photos at Upside Down World in City Time Square.

Upside Down World Cebu

As its name suggests, this whimsical photo studio has everything the wrong way up. Their topsy-turvy themed rooms are filled with furniture and decor fixed on the ceiling that you can interact with. A little imagination and creativity are all you need to have fun here.

Do note that all kinds of footwear (socks exempted) are strictly prohibited inside their sets to maintain cleanliness. Footwear and other belongings can be stored in their lockers for no extra charge.

As someone who is spatially-challenged, I’m glad they have cordial staff who guided us all the way on how to position ourselves in front of the camera so they can help us get perfect shots! Be warned though. You may need to do a little stretching for all the back-breaking stunts you may not be prepared to do. Enjoy the photo dump 😉

KITCHEN

Upside Down World Cebu - Kitchen

DINING ROOM

Upside Down World Cebu - Dining Room

LAVATORY/LAUNDRY ROOM

Upside Down World Cebu - Laundry Room

Upside Down World Cebu - Lavatory

MARKET

LIBRARY

Upside Down World Cebu - Library

CASINO

MAGIC ROOM

Upside Down World Cebu - Magic Room

LIVING ROOM

Upside Down World Cebu - Living Room

BEDROOM/PLAYROOM

Upside Down World Cebu - Bedroom

If you enjoy taking wacky photos, do make a quick stop at Upside Down World. It’s a fun and memorable place to bond with family and friends. Kids of all ages (ahem) will surely enjoy. They’re open daily from 10 AM to 9 PM. City Time Square is located at Phase 2 Mantawi International Drive, Mandaue City.

Tickets are priced as follows:
Adults – 350 PHP
Kids (ages 4-12) – 250 PHP
Kids (ages 0-3 years old) – Free Admission

Extreme AeroPark

Five months ago, I went to Extreme Aeropark with my best friend’s sister, Alyssa and her cousin, Breanna. It is the first indoor trampoline park in Cebu City and it is conveniently located on the second floor of Parkmall.

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To get started, we went to the information desk and signed a waiver form. We then proceeded to the cashier to pay and claimed our wristbands for entry. After that, we went to the briefing area to watch a safety video.

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Before we proceeded to the jump area, the marshall made us do some stretching exercises to warm up the body.

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We were required to wear these special reusable grip socks that have a sticky sole. Not only do these socks reduce the risk of injury by keeping us from slipping when jumping, they also help control the spreading of germs and bacteria.

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With 1700 square meter of fun and excitement, it’s a spot where kids (and kids at heart) ages 6 and up can come and play.

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Jumping on a trampoline is actually considered to be a great form of exercise! Did you know that just one hour on a trampoline will burn you more calories than jogging for an hour? Its health and fitness benefits include (but not limited to):

  • increases bone density
  • increases muscular strength and flexibility
  • improves posture, balance, and coordination
  • helps detoxify the body
  • boosts the immune system
  • improves cardiovascular system and lymphatic function

Other fun activities that you can enjoy in Extreme Aeropark are Wall Climbing, Dodgeball, Parkour, Foam Pit, Slam Ball, Ninja Arena and Laser Tag.

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If hitting the gym ain’t yo thang, definitely give Extreme Aeropark a go. They’re open daily from 10AM to 9PM. Parkmall is located at Ouano Avenue, Mandaue Reclamation Area, Mandaue City.

For rates, please refer to the photo below:

Grapes Picking at Zheng Hsiung Organic Grape Farm in Miaoli, Taiwan

On my fourth day in Taiwan, we were off to pick grapes at Zheng Hsiung Organic Grape Farm in Miaoli County.

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Started around 1950′s, viticulture is relatively new in Taiwan. Vineyards are scattered around Taiwan but about one-third of the grape production comes from Miaoli County.

Just like the pears in Dong Rong Farm, the grapes are sealed with waxed bags to protect them from the elements.

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Picking grapes is easy peasy. Just open the bag to check if the grapes are ready for harvest. Once they are, just snip the bunch off the vine.

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The grape variety grown in Zheng Hsiung Organic Grape Farm is known as Kyoho. It was first cultivated in Japan and was later on brought in Taiwan during the 1960′s.

Kyoho, literally meaning giant mountain grapes, was named after Mount Fuji because of its size.

It is a crossbreed of two grape species namely the American Ishiharawase (Vitis labrusca) and European Centennial (Vitis vinifera). The Taiwanese farmers retained its Japanese name in Chinese characters and pronounce it as Chufeng. 

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Zheng Hsiung Organic Grape Farm has garnered awards for having the best grapes in Miaoli County for 3 consecutive years. These are hands down the best grapes I’ve had in my life! They have a thick, smooth, blackish-purple peel with a soft, sweet, succulent pulp.

These enormous grapes are known to have great health benefits.

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They are rich in iron, vitamin C, thiamine, potassium, dietary fiber, resveratrol and many more. Consuming this fruit is good for the kidneys, heart, brain and overall digestion. They can be eaten as is or blended into a delicious, refreshing smoothie – no need to add sugar because grapes are already sweet!

Thanks Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association and Ma’am Jane Syjuco of Everbright Travel Agency for this fun and educational experience!

Read about my Taiwan Travel Guide here
What to Eat and Drink in Taiwan
Rice puff making at Tea and Rice Resort
Rice harvesting at Fairy Story Village Organic Farm
Mosquito repellent making at Forest 18 Farm
Dragon fruit picking at Xing Ke Dragon Fruit Farm
Pear picking at Dong Rong Farm

Pear Picking at Dong Rong Farm

Situated in the cool mountains of Dongshi District in Taichung, Dong Rong Farm is known for their mouthwatering organic pears.

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Pear trees can produce fruit for up to 100 years. Did you know that pears have been cultivated for over 4000 years and they are actually related to apples, strawberries, apricots and peaches? Amazing, isn’t it?

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For our D.I.Y. activity in this Taiwanese pear farm, we harvested grafted pears. 

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In Dong Rong Farm, pear fruits are carefully wrapped in waxed paper bags which acts as a natural barrier to protect them pests and diseases – a labor-intensive yet cost-effective solution that keeps the fruits free from chemicals.

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To harvest these grafted pears, bags are simply untied to reveal the fruits inside. You know these pears are of the highest quality because they are smooth, vibrant in color, have no sunburn injury and are in perfect condition.

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A perfect day starter, it is said that “a pear a day keeps the pounds away”. 

Pears are a good source of dietary fiber and contain vital vitamins and minerals.

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These fresh organic pears are the most luscious pears I’ve had in my life! These sweet, crunchy and juicy pears are best eaten when chilled. As the Greek poet Homer called it, indeed, pears are “a gift from the gods”. 

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Thanks Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association and Ma’am Jane Syjuco of Everbright Travel Agency for this fun and educational experience!

Read about my Taiwan Travel Guide here
What to Eat and Drink in Taiwan
Rice puff making at Tea and Rice Resort
Rice harvesting at Fairy Story Village Organic Farm
Mosquito repellent making at Forest 18 Farm
Dragon fruit picking at Xing Ke Dragon Fruit Farm

Making Mosquito Repellent at Forest 18

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Forest 18 is home to over 800 eucalyptus trees in 4000 hectares of land – making it the largest eucalyptus forest park in Taiwan.

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Situated 400 meters above sea level, it lies somewhere in the mountains of Nantou County and has a stunning view of the Baguashan Drought Irrigation Reservoir which locals fondly call “Mingjian Shangri-La” or “Little Sun Moon Lake”.   

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Nature lovers will surely enjoy here just by walking around and basking in the greenery of the forest. The subtle sound and refreshing scent of the cool air will leave you feeling relaxed and invigorated.

Shinrin-yoku
  is a Japanese practice which means

walking in the woods and immersing oneself in nature or simply “forest bathing”. Benefits of forest bathing include reduced stress, improved mood, increased energy level, improved sleep, boosted immune system and more.

And in case you’re wondering what’s behind the name of Forest 18, the Chinese word for “eighteen” is 十八 (shí bā) which sounds like spa. So Forest 18 just means Forest Spa which, if you ask me, is a very fitting name.

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Koalas typically live in eucalyptus woodlands so it should be no surprise to find the place decorated with these cuddly, tree-hugging marsupials.

Forest 18 has a restaurant that serves delicious Muslim-friendly dishes using the freshest organic ingredients cooked with no oil and little to no salt. 

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Hot Pot

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Steamed Fish

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Fruit Salad

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Sweet Potato Casserole 

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Forest 18 also offers fun D.I.Y. activities for all ages. When we were there, we made mosquito repellent!

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Each of us was handed with an empty pump bottle, a Popsicle stick, 4 bottles of essential oils, stickers and

measuring cups filled with water and emulsifier.

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Here’s their very own recipe for mosquito repellent:

6 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
6 drops of mint essential oil
6 drops of lemon grass essential oil
2 drops of tea tree oil
10 ml of sweet almond oil as emulsifier
80ml of water

First, add 30ml of water to the emulsifier. Stir while gradually adding another 30ml and then 20ml of water. Just keep stirring until its color turns opaque white and its texture becomes

thick and smooth like that of a lotion. Once the desired consistency is achieved, add all the essential oils and stir once again until everything is well-combined. Transfer the mosquito repellent lotion to the empty pump bottle and place the stickers.

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This all-natural, non-toxic mosquito repellent moisturizes your skin while keeping you protected from those nasty bites which can lead to life-threatening diseases such as dengue. Reapply as needed.

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Thanks Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association and Ma’am Jane Syjuco of Everbright Travel Agency for this fun and educational experience!

Read about my Taiwan Travel Guide here
What to Eat and Drink in Taiwan
Rice puff making at Tea and Rice Resort
Rice harvesting at Fairy Story Village Organic Farm
Dragon fruit picking at Xing Ke Dragon Fruit Farm

Dragon Fruit Picking in Taiwan

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On the second day of my leisure farm tour, we traveled all the way to the fourth smallest county in Taiwan to visit Xing Ke Dragon Fruit Farm.

Just located alongside of Douyuan Road, Erlin Township in

Changhua County

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Xing Ke Dragon Fruit Farm is probably the smallest one in size among the organic farms that I’ve visited in Taiwan. With only about half a hectare to work with, it’s incredible how they managed to fully utilized every square foot of this land to produce different dragon fruit varieties.

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Did you know that dragon fruit is actually a fruit of a climbing cactus plant that is native to Central America? Dragon fruit plants have fleshy stems which can grow up to 20 feet long. Since its discovery it has made its way to Asia and other parts of the world.

 
Harvesting them is very easy. Once they’re ripe and ready for harvest, they can be removed from the plant by cutting them off with the use of garden shears or by just simply twisting them off.

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This beautiful exotic fruit got its name after its outer skin which resembles dragon scales.

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Dragon fruit is a tropical superfood that is rich in phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. It is said to boost the immune system, lower blood glucose levels, prevent cancer and among others.

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The flesh of the dragon fruit comes in a spectrum of colors that ranges from white, pink, bright magenta to dark purple.

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Dragon fruit is quite bland actually but it does have a hint of sweetness.

Its texture is quite similar to that of a kiwi. I love the crunch that comes from the seeds and it is really good to eat when chilled.

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Thanks Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association for this fun and educational experience!

Thanks Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association and Ma’am Jane Syjuco of Everbright Travel Agency for this fun and educational experience!

Read about my Taiwan Travel Guide here
What to Eat and Drink in Taiwan
Rice puff making at Tea and Rice Resort
Rice harvesting at Fairy Story Village Organic Farm
Dragon fruit picking at Xing Ke Dragon Fruit Farm

Rice Harvesting at Fairy Story Village Organic Farm

Fairy Story Village Organic Farm is a

certified organic farm-stay bed and breakfast

surrounded by pastoral landscape

in Yilan County. 

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Photo courtesy of http://nickhow.pixnet.net/

They offer a rejuvenating escape in a bucolic setting and is an ideal getaway spot for families, health conscious travelers and for all those who just want to experience a rural lifestyle.

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Photo courtesy of

http://www.camemberu.com/

Fairy Story Village Organic Farm

is run and managed by the warm and hospitable owners, Wu Li Chu and her daughter Shandy. This mother-daughter pair grow rice, mulberry, roselle, various seasonal fruits and vegetables in their 5-hectare farm located

near Meihua Lake Scenic Area and is only a 10-minute drive from Luodung Night Market.

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Photo courtesy of http://taiwan.zizaike.com/h/1600

Guests who want a taste of organic food can enjoy a farm-to-table dining experience at their restaurant which features a relaxing view of the garden. 

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Their specialties include handmade mulberry pasta and hot pot all made with fresh ingredients handpicked from the farm.

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Photo courtesy of http://taiwan.zizaike.com/h/1600

They have 6 charming wooden cabins surrounded by trees that help you connect with nature and enjoy the fresh air at the shared courtyard. 

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Photo courtesy of Jude Bacalso

Accommodating up to 4 people, each cabin is fully air-conditioned, has WiFi access and comes with a 32-inch LCD TV, bath tub and small fridge. 

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The place is clean and cozy.

I am particularly in love with the loft bed! #iwokeuplikethis LOL

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Photos courtesy of Jude Bacalso

They have fun D.I.Y. activities such as scallion pancake making, fish feeding and rice harvesting. But in order to appreciate and experience the beauty of harvest, we tried the traditional method of harvesting rice. Each of us was handed a conical hat for sun protection and a small scythe to cut the ripe rice.

I was immediately reminded of a traditional Filipino song entitled “Magtanim ay Di Biro" that describes the

difficulties of the life of a farmer. In case you want to listen to the English version, watch this video:

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And just before we left Fairy Story Village Organic Farm each of us came home with a box of organic rice!

Thanks Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association and Ma’am Jane Syjuco of Everbright Travel Agency for this fun and educational experience!

Read about my Taiwan Travel Guide here
What to Eat and Drink in Taiwan
Rice puff making at Tea and Rice Resort

Mosquito repellent making at Forest 18 Farm
Dragon fruit picking at Xing Ke Dragon Fruit Farm

Rice Puff Making at Tea and Rice Resort – Yilan, Taiwan

During my 5-day tour in Taiwan, I was able to visit three leisure farms in Yilan County and one of them is Tea and Rice Resort.

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Photo courtesy of http://young100.ilc.edu.tw/

Located at No. 48, Section 2, Yongxing Road in Dongshan Township, Tea and Rice Resort was once a warehouse that has been partly converted into a museum that serves as a learning center for kids and even for adults! 

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Tea and Rice Resort offers fun interactive activities such as mushroom planting, bento making and rice puff making to promote agricultural awareness and to achieve a better understanding about the importance of agriculture in the community.

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They also offer a farm-to-table organic dining experience at their restaurant to showcase their farm fresh produce.   

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They have a wide range

of tea, rice and other agricultural products available at their shopping center. 

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We were given a brief tour of their museum and had an introductory course on rice processing before we proceeded to making our very own rice puffs.

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The first step of processing rice is to feed the grains of unhusked rice into a rice huller to remove the chaff. Here, Jaison Yang of Travel Warehouse volunteered to load the rough rice into the rice huller. Once turned on, the two

abrasive rollers turn at different speeds to remove the chaff before it passes through the machine as brown rice.

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The brown rice is later fed into a rice miller to remove the bran layer turning it into white rice. The whole process surprisingly took little time. 

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Jude Bacalso, Cebu Daily News editor, placed a kilo of white rice into the rice puffing machine which was then sealed

tightly

so pressure can build up inside. As the machine was heating up to puff up the rice, we were all asked to stand back and cover our ears. Just right before the machine released all the pressure, the guides shouted “BE PO NGA!” which is a warning that something will explode. Sure enough, we heard a loud bang that sounded like a gunshot. 

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The rice puffs were gathered and transferred into a ginormous mixing bowl… 

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and brown sugar syrup was added to make it sweet and sticky.

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Photo Courtesy of Jude Bacalso

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We then popped them into heart-shaped pans and let them sit for a couple of minutes to cool and…

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Ta-dah! This crunchy snack reminded me so much of a Cebuano treat called ampao that I wanted to take it home with me to show family and friends. But alas, I wasn’t able to because I devoured it immediately. It was irresistibly good. 

Thanks Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association and Ma’am Jane Syjuco of Everbright Travel Agency for this fun and educational experience!

Read about my Taiwan Travel Guide here
What to Eat and Drink in Taiwan
Rice harvesting at Fairy Story Village Organic Farm
Mosquito repellent making at Forest 18 Farm
Dragon fruit picking at Xing Ke Dragon Fruit Farm