Our Favourite Things From Our Trip to Asia

May 12, 2016

As some of our followers may know, the TruBlue team recently embarked on a trip to Asia together! Rob, our President from Toronto, Ann, our Operations Manager from Toronto, Joe, our Creative Director from Taipei, and Brittany (me), our Marketing Manager from Reno all met in Taipei, Taiwan.

After a few days there, we then flew to Hong Kong, then drove to Shenzhen, China to visit our factory and fabric suppliers, then back to Taipei. It was a long trip full of backpacks, canvas, factories, food, and travel, and it was a great way for us all to meet up and have a good time!

Here are some of our favourite things about Asia from this trip:

 

1. The Food

We are all slightly obsessed with food, who isn't? And most of the food on our trip was phenomenal. The smells of different delicacies float in the air as you walk the streets at night. We all had our favourites:

• Rob loved the Gua Bao. This is a fluffy steamed bun filled with tenderly braised pork belly and pickled greens.
• Ann loved the fried chicken. From popcorn chicken to giant fried chicken breasts, she was all over it!
• Joe loved the cheese. Cheese you say? In Hong Kong and China, our hotels had unlimited amounts of brie, emmental, swiss, and camambert cheese, and Joe was in heaven.
• Mine was this wonderfully fantastical dish that was basically a burrito filled with taro ice cream, freshly shaved peanut brittle, and cilantro. SO GOOD. I could talk all day about the food...

2. The Temples

Taiwan and Hong Kong had some beautiful temples that we got to explore. From a Buddhist temple in the mountains of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to Zi-Nan Temple where you rub a golden chicken's butt to bring you wealth, to Man Mo Temple filled with incense in Hong Kong. The intricacy, spirituality, and deep seeded traditions were interesting and humbling.

3. The Night Markets

Brimming with people, shops, food carts, fortune tellers, carnival games and music, night markets are a full-blown sensory experience. Our favourite was Shilin, the food was yummy, the people were entertaining, and there was plenty of clothing, accessories, and trinkets to look at and buy. Just watch out for the wafts of stinky tofu!

 4. The Antique Markets

We went to quite a few markets that specialized in antiques, jade, handicrafts and art, and they were all interesting and fun! Walking around the stalls, tables, and stores, you get a real taste of the cultural richness of Asia. Ancient coins, beautifully carved jade, antique combination locks, intricately carved wooden objects, religious artefacts, paintings and items for good feng shui, are among the treasures you will find at these markets. 

 Asia is a special place with a rich history, unique culture, and so much to explore. We are grateful we had the chance to explore some of it together and look forward to next time!

What are your must-see's in Asia?

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