Smart Green Energy Waiting Room @ Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan

As a true blood Singaporean, I have always been proud of our award-winning, world renowned Changi Airport, but there's one thing Taoyuan International Airport absolutely won over Singapore's crown jewel. 

Their numerous, numbering over 30, themed waiting rooms! 

And today, let's check out Smart Green Energy Waiting Room.

We all know the benefits of green energy, especially toward the environment and sources include geothermal (which Singapore is exploring), solar (we have always embarked on it), hydraulic power generation (sadly, not for Singapore).

Another untapped resource would be the fitness green power, given the global population of more than seven billion people! According to the above chart, a 30-minute exercise on the r-rider fitness machine by over 3.5 billion people can reduce seven nuclear power plants! 

Looking like the typical cross trainer fitness machine in your gym, you can give it a try to determine how much power and energy you can regenerate! Those looking for a short exercise can definitely check this out. 

Honestly, I wasn't that drawn to all the explanations. It's the seats that captivated me in this themed waiting room; they were in the design of the blades of a windmill! So reminded me of the Gaomei Turbine Avenue (高美風車大道) we went to just a day earlier. 

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Location

Near Gate D6,

Taoyuan International Airport

Click HERE for 11 Days, 10 Nights Taiwan Trip: Summarised Itinerary for Chiayi Alishan (嘉义阿里山) - Kaohsiung (高雄) - Tainan (台南) - Taichung (臺中)

Casa Vostra - Handcrafted Italian Pizza and Pasta @ Jem Shopping Mall (next to Jurong East MRT Station) in Singapore

When there were so much hype about a pizza place, I got curious and despite attempts to visit, the queue at the original Raffles Place branch was just too long for me to wait. 

Hence, when a branch of Casa Vostra opened at JEM (do you know it stands for Jurong East Mall); we arranged to meet up with the Greatest Kon for a meal at about 3pm on a Saturday! Heng no long line of humans outside the restaurant! 

Located on the ground floor of JEM, you really can't miss the full fledge orange color theme of Casa Vostra! Unlike some eateries, the seating arrangement was optimal, leaving sufficient spacing between tables.

Ordering via the QR code; sometimes, I really prefer a physical menu, especially when the words and pictures on the phone were too small for my presbyopic eyes. So, let's start with the full review on the dishes the three of us had! 

Healthy living? Want to save money? 

Help yourself to the water dispenser! 

Calamari Fritti - a classic favorite for any reputable pizza parlours; breaded batter sprinkled with paprika, with slices of calamari that weren't rubbery, this was okay tasting in my opinion.

Polpette -  literally beef meatballs with tomato puree and shavings of parmesan cheese, this small serving cost S$15.00! 

Soft and tender for the palate, each meatball had a full body of tasty flavour that was nice in the beginning, until the taste got heavy and cloying towards the tail-end. Best to have this with pasta I feel, to balance out. 

Baked Scamorza - priced at S$8.00, I was wondering why this thin layer of what appeared to be cheese could have cost so much. Now, I am absolutely no cheese connoisseur and happy to let my taste buds do the talking. 

Turned out to be the best dish I had at Casa Vostra; though plain and labelled as vegetarian, there were hints of ham mixed in with baked cheese and herbs! There's also a honey sweetness that totally upped the flavor! I would gladly pay S$8 for another serving!

Peposo - braised beef cheeks,rosemary roasted potato and black pepper, this was beautifully plated in an almost elegant way. I don't really eat potatoes so I shall only target the beef cheeks.

Bloody tender they were, using the language I am more accustomed too, but like most beef cheeks I had so far in my life, there was a gamey taste that I personally find off-putting.

Funghi, Tagliolini - "mushroom duxelle, parmigiano reggiano, pecorino romano, sauteed mushrooms"; I only recognized three rooms from the above description. Oh well, at least I know it is mushroom pasta! 

Tagliolini is actually a ribbon paste that's mee-pok alike, and I love both the taste and texture! Not to mention as well that the mushrooms had the rich, wholesome, earthy flavour that I absolutely digged, with pepper that tantalized the taste buds! Yummy. 

Prosciutto e Rucola - how to visit a pizza place without ordering a pizza? Anyway, description as follows "Parma Ham, Rocket, San Marzano Tomatoes DOP, Fiordilatte di Agerola, Parmigiano Reggiano". 

Again, I had to declare first that I am not sold on authenticity and happy with cheap pizzas! Having said that, I did enjoy the light fluffiness of this pizza. Taste was alright as a whole; parma ham looked like thin slices of raw pork (well, they were cured), and expectedly salty. 

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Should the line be manageable, I am sure I will be back to Casa Vostra and the next time; I am going to check out their signature pizzas like gamberi, carnivora! And of course, reorder the baked scamorza! 

Address

50 Jurong Gateway Rd, 

#01-03, Jem Shopping Mall,

Singapore 608549

Map

As above.

Website

https://www.casavostra.sg/

Pricing

Calamari Fritti - S$12.00

Polpette - S$15.00

Baked Scamorza - S$8.00

Peposo - S$30.00

Funghi, Tagliolini - S$18.00

Prosciutto e Rucola - S$25.00

(Subject to Service Charge and GST)

Relaxing by The Beach @ Da Nang City in Vietnam

I first encountered the beautiful beaches at Da Nang back in 2024 and I told myself I will definitely be back, and shall make it a point to stay at the beachside so that I can be closer to pure bliss and relaxation! 

While I did eventually stay at Minh Toan SAFI Ocean Hotel, our premier deluxe triple room didn't face the beach. Good thing is that we were just a short throw away from the beach, where the tiny specks of sand didn't fail to run through my wriggly toes. 

Look at the spectacular side on my right; the long, expansive beach that stretched for miles and miles; almost as if there's no end to the beach. FYI, Vietnam has a coastline that's over 3,260 kilometers long! 

Those looking forward to spacing out can consider using the beach chairs. Renting wasn't required but it's a necessity to purchase something from the operator. Rest assured that the pricing wasn't exorbitant; you can get a dasani bottled water for 10,000 dong (about S$0.60).

Looking for adventures? Take your pick from the above! Jetski (650,000 dong for 15 minutes), parasailing (650,000 dong per person), banana boat for a million dong. At my age, I am happy staying put, by the beach. 

Chùa Linh Ứng Buddhist Temple, with the 67-meter tall lady buddha in front of us! Is it walkable? According to Google Maps, distance would be about 6.4 kilometers, and walking will take 90 minutes. Honestly, I should have attempted a jog in the morning. 

Opening hours for the swimmers, and don't be surprised; the water was indeed filled with people early in the morning! It's so ridiculous I wonder if people in Danang City can survive with so little sleep!

Timing was about 10.00 am and the sun was glaring at us.

So, we decided to seek refuge, under the brollies.

Ahhhh..... relaxing.... 

Stupid me should have gotten a beer.

But, who would drink cold beer in the morning!? 

Watching the world go by as I lazed on the beach chair. 

Sadly, I am hyperactive. 

After a while, my sharp butt faced me to stand up and walk around. The sound of waves hitting the shore was just too therapeutic! Pity the sun was too hot, there's hardly a breeze, and I didn't have a bed. 

A picture of Alex's sexy back! Haha! 

Not forgetting photographs of my mom relaxing as well. For a person who dislikes the sun, she seemed totally at ease that day. Maybe because she was also anticipating a great massage at Golden Lotus Oriental Organic Spa scheduled an hour later. 

Menu for your reference! 

Oh, you can rent the beach chair for 40,000 dong too! 

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Location

Along the Coastline 

of Da Nang City,

Vietnam