We were too early for one meeting and didn’t want to loiter around the lobby while waiting. So me and my colleague popped into the rug shop across the road, not so much to browse but to get away the scotching heat of India. Mumbai was so hot that I honestly believed you could fry an egg on the road. The Indian proprietor gave us a cursory glance and went back to his books. Surprisingly, this place was very well stocked and even more surprisingly, well labeled. There are many sign boards explaining the origins of the rugs in English! It was there I saw the difference between Persian rugs and Oriental rugs. I was so impressed thatI bought my very first oriental hand made area rug, a small 4′ by 6′ woolen piece. After all, I was in the Orient. While negotiating the price, (yes, you absolutely must bargain in India. They charge foreigners a tourist price because they assumed we got more money than the locals), the glum looking proprietor brightened up and started giving us a mini lecture on India rugs. According to him, India is on of the largest producers of hand-made oriental area rugs. Most of India’s rugs are modern except for the decorative, collectible and sometimes very expensive Antique Agra and Laristan. India produced a tremendous amount of Aubusson & Chinese Ming designs from 1960-1980, but the most popular rugs woven throughout the country today are Persian designs.

It was when I returned home and did my research that I realized that I should have bought a dozen or more back. The choices in India were mind boggling and the price was a steal. However, all is not lost as I recently discovered that I can get cheap rugs online. Online shopping may not be as fun as physically touching and feeling the rugs but I am not complaining because I save on airfare, hotel and food. If you have a similar experience of being to the treasure island and was so dumb as o bring out only one piece of gem, you might want to check out online for treasure coves.

Actually the benefits of shopping online is the information the sites provided. Though I got a mini lecture from the Indian boss, I must admit that I was totally at sea during parts of the conversation. Indian accent can be thick and make it tough to decipher and comprehend. So the following area rug selection tips I found at SuperiorRugs.com definitely helps. I’m extracting some important bits and pieces and put it here to serve as my external memory bank:

Selection Tips for Area Rugs
- Choose a rug that will perform well, with the right combination of density and fiber. The denser the pile, (with closer tufts or stitches), the better your rug will wear. Synthetic yarns – nylon, polyester, acrylic, and polypropylene “olefin” – and the naturals – wool and cotton – are durable, soft, and easy to clean.

- Machine-made rugs often look strikingly similar to the hand made kind, but they’re usually much less expensive. And as a reminder, you should consider the fringe. If the rug you like has fringe be careful when using the vacuum cleaner.

- If you have the opportunity, you may want to start with a totally empty room, choose a rug first, then paint or paper the walls in colors found in the rug. Choose furniture that will enhance the colors or patterns found in the rug.

- If you already have your furniture, choose a rug that picks up the colors used in your furnishing patterns. Patterns can be mixed if they are coordinated by color. Elements of a rug design can be further incorporated into the overall design scheme.

- Don’t underestimate the value of an underlay or pad. Protect your new area rug with a proper padding. Not only will the pad absorb the impact of feet and noise, it will reduce wear and tear on the rug and make vacuuming easier. A proper rug pad will also prevent the rug from sliding on hardwood or laminate flooring.

I was also pleasantly surprise that SuperiorRugs has a section on “Clearance Rugs” and “Final Area Rug Clearance”. Don’t call me cheapskate but I was already thinking these 2 sections will be good avenues to source for a nice Christmas present for the old lady. I mean a 81% discount from the list price is a big saving, and I have got another 21 people on my Christmas list! Honestly, I’m running out of out-of-the-box gifts to surprise mom. She always has this impression that I will surprise her every year with a gift from overseas. Well, I hope she will be surprised when Fedex knocked on her door with a bigger box than usual.

The boss may be sending me to Madrid in 2 months time and that’s cool even though I cannot take extensive leave to explore the place. However, I know I can squeeze in one or two days to tour around. I was so excited that I searched the internet until wee hours this morning. The search made me speechless, there are simply so many places I can visit within, and surrounding, Madrid. The only problem is I don’t have enough time! These places caught my attention:

• Toledo The former capital of Spain, Toledo has retained its medieval charm, with its city walls and winding streets.
• Segovia The twin charms of Segovia’s fairytale castle and Roman aqueduct make Segovia an essential day trip from Madrid.
• Avila Often overlooked city between Madrid and Salamanca, with some of the best preserved medieval city walls in Europe.
• El Escorial El Escorial’s monastery and kings’ crypt (where the majority of Spain’s kings for the past 400 years are buried) are a nice alternative to tourist-heavy Segovia and Toledo.
• El Valle de los Caidos Controversial burial ground for former dictator, General Franco, complete with magnificent stone cross and basilica, built by Franco’s prisoners of war from the Spanish Civil War. Close to El Escorial to make a perfect combined day trip.

Besides planning for the day-trip, what concerns me most is where to stay amongst all the Madrid hotels. I got to check with the finance lady on the traveling budget, but in the meantime, I had subscribed to some blogs and online newsletters to get the latest hotel updates in Europe. Hopefully, that should clue me in to make an informed decision when the time comes.

I’m just crossing my fingers and toes that there is no change of plan from the boss. I want to go to Madrid for real, and get to drool at the Real Madrid guys …

Technorati Tags: Madrid

Business trips are a pain, although you have fun topping up your airline mileage & enjoying 5-star hotel stay at the company’s expense. I’ve never ventured far during my frequent Taipei business trips (yeah, it’s like a visit every 1-2 months). I’d rather cozy up in my hotel room. But, I don’t usually do room service (unless I’m sick!). There are many nice, decent and inexpensive restaurants in Taipei.. have a few of them in my must-go list when I’m in Taipei.

1. DOZO

Address: 102, Guangfu S Rd, Taipei (www.dozo.com.tw)
Telephone: (02) 2778 1135
Open: Daily 6pm to 3am (last food order at 2am)
Details: English and Chinese Menu. Credit cards accepted

I brand Dozo “Japanese fusion” – the Japanese dishes are prepared with an updated touch, and are definitely a good complement of the “tall beer” (the 2-/4-litre beer is their specialty). My ex-colleague first brought me to this restaurant end May, telling me I’d love this place. And wow! Nice ambience, cool music and good food. Inexpensive too. But first, try locating the entrance (thick wooden doors) to the 2-storey, spacious setup with a mix of Japanese and Oriental decoratives. And sure enough, I went back there with another colleague during my most recent trip.

Muz try: the very thinly-sliced charcoal-grilled beef with garlic sauce, rare salmon & avocado sushi, the skewers, grilled squid, shrimp tempura, stewed dice beef, … And remember to down the dishes with the tall beer!

2. Xin1 Ye4 Tai2 Cai4

Address: Shuangcheng Jie No. 34-1-2

Tel: 25963255-8

If you want to try the authentic taiwanese porridge & taiwanese dishes, this is the place to go.. There are a few branches in Taipei. My Taiwanese friends said not all branches are good. The one we went is supposedly the original restaurant and has maintained its quality. Simple, delicate dishes that reminds you of home & free home-made dessert & chinese tea to finish off the night. Remember to make reservation if you are going…

Muz try/Recommended dishes: scrambled eggs with caipo (wow.. looks like a personal pizza), fried pig liver, fried vege with oyster, …

3. Li3 Ji4 (www.taipeileechi.com.tw/)

Address: No. 73, Section 2, Chang An-East Road

Honestly, this is NOT a restaurant. It’s a cake shop that sells traditional oriental cakes. I go there to top up supplies for my dad whenever I’m in Taipei. I have to admit – their traditional cakes are fresh, soft and tasty, so much so that I would look forward to having them for breakfast or tea.

Muz try: Sun cake (Tai4 Yang2 Bin3), Pineapple cake (Wealth in-house), Bean paste cake, Almond milk flossy candy, …