Once Upon a Time in Taiwan

Zai jien

2008-06-26T05:18:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting at my place after finishing the last of my work and teaching. Last night I rushed to finish all errands, while I spent the morning walking around in the hot humid heat to get to the post office and grocery store. Naturally, they are in the opposite direction.

This has been a year of so many highs and lows. I have so many good memories from my time here. A few photos too.

What a weird feeling it is to pack up, leave, and say goodbye. I'm still cramming some unexpected gifts into my baggage.

In less than an hour I'll head out to the airport for my late night flight. I guess this is the close of my Taiwan story.

In September I may be starting a new story, and possibly even creating a blog. Time will tell.

Pizza & movie day

2008-06-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

Since we are finished exams we held a pizza-making, movie-watching day.

The ingredients:
-bread
-cheese
-carrots, soy beans, and corn
-pineapple
-ketchup

Ready to go into the toaster over. Their time has come.

I 'watched' Alvin and the Chipmunks three times without going insane.

Today is my last full day at work. The last month goes by so quickly. Tomorrow I will be there most of the day, but I won't teach my last class entirely. I'm glad my flight was changed to a later time so that I can do extra things before I leave.

The unexpected lunch

2008-06-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

So I had to file my taxes again, but this time in advance for my earnings during 2008 because I won't be here next year. We got to the office, but for various reasons we weren't able to finish before the staff took their lunch break. The tough decision was made and we went to Libra for lunch (I've had drinks there before).

At the tax office, my taxes were filed. I scoped out the Free Materials of Aliens. They are in Chinese, though.

Back at school at the end of the day, one student was by my desk and looking through my things. He saw a clear folder I have that is covered in 7-11 and other stickers. That's "so infantile" he said. Absolutely hilarious! He was a student in my summer camp class, and over the past year he has grown and changed a lot. He's a teenager alright. He's so cool. (I'm getting old.)

Typhoon Fengshen

2008-06-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

Typhoon Fengshen survives - for the time being.

Crispy munchy air

2008-06-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Goodbye party

2008-06-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

It never crossed my mind to hold a goodbye party for me, but I got one. After work we drove to Longtan to see the night view. We sat outdoors and drank, lit sparklers, and played zang gui (dirty ghost a.k.a. tag).

At midnight we went for KTV. Earlier I was told that we'd go to a KTV place from 12-5 am and I couldn't tell if she was joking. She wasn't.

Buffet:

In the end we didn't stay till 5 am because we were all tired. We left a little past 3 am. It was either 3 or 5, but I favoured 3.

I sang less than I wanted, but enjoyed the songs I did sing.

I was surprised when I was given a tea pot and charm by one of the staff. How nice and truly unexpected. Packing is now more interesting.

Jackie Chan and the enterovirus

2008-06-19T09:32:00.000-07:00

Two things recently present in Taiwan:

Jackie Chan

the enterovirus

At school toys were cleaned, posters promoting hand-washing made.

That's so lizard

2008-06-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

I followed (or chased, from its p.o.v.) the lizard and it ran up the wall. You'll need to look verrrry closely.

Snack

2008-06-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

Foray into the world of betelnut

2008-06-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

My friend helped me get some betelnut from a vendor. The woman kindly gave me them free of charge. She has been selling betelnut for 23 years.

It's juicy, fibrous, tart ... not good, but not bad either. I was expecting my mouth to be covered in red after chewing it, but apparently it only stains your teeth and mouth after you've made it a habit.

Mars

2008-06-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

Train to Taipei, bus to Yeliou.

Baoan Temple by the sea:

Mars on Earth:

Not only is there water on Mars, but lifeforms as well.

Nasty quick-moving insects were crawling all over the rocks and pathways. Luckily they ran away when people approached.

So, this is actualy at the Yeliou Geopark.

Bean Curd Rock:

Over 200 million years of erosion is a neat thing.

How do they always know?

2008-06-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

When I order tea I'm often given a purple straw. No telepathic message is sent. They just know.

Insectia

2008-06-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

Jumpping

2008-06-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

Every time I write 'jump' on the board and talk about adding -ing, one of the students in my class puts on a serious face and assuredly tells me that there are two p's. Each time I tell him that it's not the case, but I know that he won't be convinced.

Triangular

2008-06-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

Red bean zongzi.

Hualien and Taroko Gorge

2008-06-09T18:55:00.000-07:00

Early on Saturday morning a van full of children and adults set out on a journey to the east. Four hours later and frequent bathroom stops later they arrived at:

They looked around the visitor centre, and read up on the Gorge and surrounding area.

Taroko Gorge and its massive towering cliffs were created when the Philippine Oceanic Plate and Eurasian Continental Plate collided. They continue to do so today at a rate of 0.5 cm a year. In the process, high pressure and temperature caused some of the rock to change into marble.

They set out on their first trail. Shakadang Trail, to be exact. "This could be good," said one.

While playing in the water, they spotted a Formosan Macaque on a line. You'll have to look very closely to see it.

The trail was long and the travelers grew weary. Stomachs growled. Once more they piled into the van and drove to the visitor centre. They ate lunch and then headed out.

Each gazed in awe upon the tunnels, twists, turns, and rocks of the Su Hua highway.

Like rodents, they passed through the Tunnel of Nine Turns.

The hikers set out on the next trail: Baiyang Trail. Waterfalls and dark tunnels with no artificial lighting.

At the end of the trail they reached the Water Curtain Cave. It is "forbidden" to enter the cave, which has spring water gushing from the roof and a stream running through it. The trail at the end of the cave-tunnel was closed off.

The participants got very wet. One fell into the stream. Another even cut her toe and bled into the stream.

On the walk back to the van, it began to rain. Time was passing too quickly, and the hikers didn't have enough of it for more than a handful of glances at Tiansiang. Maybe it wasn't their destiny to go there.

A brief viewing of the Eternal Spring Shrine led one hopeful to the gloomy realization that the trail to access it was closed for repair. Passed deadline! No wrists were slit.

The shrine commemorates the 212 military personnel who died during construction of the highway. There are waterfalls, a cave, two towers, and a suspension bridge - all, mostly, unseen.

Then there was the unavoidable drive to Hualien - where else would they find a hotel to sleep in? Five-star isn't an option.

The travelers checked into their Japanese style hotel, ate dinner, then went to Hulien's slowly buzzing night market.

Games, food, gambling - each at their fingertips.

Separately, they came back to the hotel and slept their minds and bodies to rest.

Day two. No casualties. Two known injuries (minor).

Seeing that the weekend marked the celebration of Dragon Boat Festival, the group went to a lake to watch a race.

In the blistering heat they watched drummers drumming,

lions dance,

and even a toad with a grasshopper on its head.

Glad to leave the unforgiving heat, they went on the road again. They stopped by Chihsingtan scenic area. To the left, misty stormy skies.

To the right, clear conscious blue skies.

The island you imagined when you read that novel.

Drive, they drove on. More bathroom stops and a coffee stop.

They arrived in Keelung for the sole intention of enjoying themselves at the night market.

Wrapped runners, as common as ever.

Late on Sunday night, the groups of people were dropped off at their homes. They went on to lead their lives.

The photographs to come

2008-06-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow in the early morn I will join a group of co-workers and head to Hualien. We will be hiking, exploring Taroko Gorge and the surrounding area. An overnighter, and I may take a few photos. I should probably get to sleep soon since it's 11:35 pm now, and we are meeting at 5:00 am tomorrow.

On a side note, I've been seeing the stray kitten regularly in my neighbourhood. It's favourite thing to say is "meooooow!"

Leisurely mornings

2008-06-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

I don't have to be at work until 11:30. So, basically I'm spoiled being able to sleep in late (even though I don't usually!). I do work into the night, however I live so close by that my commute is nonexistent.

Meow!

2008-06-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

Sometime, several weeks ago I heard a cat meowing from under a car in front of my apartment. Tonight I saw (likely the same) cat, meowing at the top of its lungs once again. When I came around the corner the scruffy white thing dashed under a car, still meowing. I tried to coax it out, however unsuccessful. Probably a good thing. It being that close to my house, it may have accidentally walked into my building, gone up the first flight of stairs, and into my place.

Night market dinner

2008-06-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

Cooked fresh before my eyes. I may be going into salt overload.

About the city

2008-05-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

In rainy Taipei, the Presidential Building:

Red Pavilion Theatre:

Further depths of Ximen:

I felt like I was back in Tokyo.

Snake Alley Night Market:

I wasn't supposed to take a picture of the snakes. When I took out my camera to take a picture of an ointment that claimed to cure of some type of bodily infection (photos to prove it), the elderly woman started grumbling and got out of her chair to block her display. That's when I took out my handy 2 x .... I mean, that's when I put my camera away.

Longshan Temple:

Shihlin Night Market:

Speaking Contest

2008-05-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

The final Speaking Contest was held today (we had a practice round last week). Each student had to read and perform a short poem. This week they read much better. Last week some students didn't want to go on stage, and some forgot large portions of their poem.

One month

2008-05-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

One month till my flight back to Canada. I'm looking forward to it because I miss my people! That being said, it's sad and strange to think about leaving after being here for this long. Only four weekends left, so I need to chose my outings wisely. I'll have to brace myself for culture shock once more.

Lunch inTaipei

2008-05-25T07:39:00.001-07:00

I had lunch with friends in Taipei today. I planned on visiting a few other places, but a tropical downpour helped me change my mind. Unusually, I was without umbrella or raincoat.

Neighbourhood KTV, birds

2008-05-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

Games we play

2008-05-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

Kindy placement tests

2008-05-20T08:41:00.001-07:00

Today I gave kindergarten students the oral component of an English placement test to see what level English class they are eligible to enroll in. Some did well; they knew their colours, numbers, and were able to answer basic questions.

One student didn't answer any oral questions posed to him, he simply repeated the question I asked him.

More than a few students can fly.

I don't think one boy blinked throughout the entire oral exam.

What happened to your face?

2008-05-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

Perhaps one of the best ways to be greeted.

Well, if you must know, a mosquito kissed me on the cheek the other night.

How many times have I said "This is the last time I open my window"? Yet, time and time again I feel like letting some 'fresh' air in. Occasionally, mosquitoes make their way in. (This never happens to my co-worker who lives in the same building as me!) It's not a good night sleep when you hear the bastard buzzing by your hear, and, unable to locate and destroy it, you know you'll begin your day with 2-3 bites.

Bread

2008-05-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

The Land of Furniture

2008-05-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

For lack of moisture

2008-05-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a moisturizer at a drug store. There are officially a zillion types of cleaners available, but the moisturizer selection is mostly catered to older women looking for the tiny potted variety. Climate will do that.

Alien

2008-05-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

Last week I filed my taxes at the Alien Services Counter. Though I'm an alien here, this past year I qualify for the lower resident rate of tax according to the number of days I've been in the country. Things seemed to just squeak by on that one; my Hong Kong trip had the potential to mess up my days-in-Taiwan number.

The good thing is that I get a refund, however global warming or weapons of mass destruction may have eliminated large portions of Earth as we know it by the 2-3 years time it takes to receive the refund. I have this conspiracy theory brewing that hypothesizes (out of unfounded thin air) that the tax officials behind the refund are just hoping that individuals will forget about their refund after those several years.

Locals receive their refunds within approximately a year and a half, which is still quite a while.

Food for white people

2008-05-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

A friend invited me over for dinner. Her friend/co-worker made Italian noodles and everything else seen here. Very good, especially considering that it was her first attempt making this meal. It was made in honour of my foreignness.

In Search of

2008-05-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

At Search nightclub the already low cover charge includes unlimited drinks. I can't imagine this working in Canada. I had several Sex on the Beach and a Blue Hawaii.

Banana green tea

2008-05-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

A repeat of yesterday: rain and perishable-doling. This time it was banana-flavoured iced green tea. At least, I think there was banana flavour in the drink. You never know with translation issues... Who cares - it tasted good!

Strawberry cake for a rainy day

2008-05-05T11:13:00.001-07:00

A co-worker bought a strawberry cake for the office staff today. Why? It's a rainy day. Sounds good to me!

Most people in my apartment building leave their umbrellas in the hallway to dry. In Taiwan that's common. Shoe racks outside your door are also the norm.

Ha ha!

2008-05-04T04:34:00.000-07:00

The guy being spun around was randomly selected from the audience.

Bites tonight

2008-04-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

Not much excitement happening over here. All the usual work things. I seem to popular with mosquitoes these days. Right, that's included in the summer deal.

Maybe summer can help cure my skin problem. Judging by the shade of my arms and legs, I could be two different people.

Hsinchu BBQ & sleepover/Nanjuang and the water slide

2008-04-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

Train ride to Hsinchu on Saturday after work. We are picked up and wait around at the house until the BBQ begins. Walk around a quiet neighbourhood. There are two chicken farms in the area.

Still waiting. How about a motorcycle show? The group of people we were with are primarily from an activity group (the name translates as exploding liver) who partake in hiking, water sports, biking, etc.

Back to the house. Let there be BBQ.

Large sleepover.

The next day we leave early-ish. From Hsinchu there is a two hour drive to Nanjuang. The details about what we'd be doing were unclear, but I knew it would be some sort of "water play."

It's a river/pond type of place. For most of the day we were the only people there. Source of fun: there's a natural slide:

Overgrown cliffs at either side:

BBQ time again:

Sugar cane:

It was on my leg :/

Family Day

2008-04-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning our school held a Family Day.

I made posters for each class to showcase their works.

The activity for the day was DIY dumplings.

Steaming the dumplings:

Time to eat!

Bandless

2008-04-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

In Taiwan wedding bands aren't customarily worn. Had she (and the song writers) been from here, what would Freda Payne have sung about...

Missing you

2008-04-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

That's right my little at-times-inconvenient, limited-space MP3 player, I miss you. Up until this point, I've not regretted leaving you in Canada. Today, a wind of change blew through my life.

The next time I go on an extended trip, I will bring my MP3 player.

P.S. Val's Art Diary on YouTube is a good e-find.

Peanuts by night

2008-04-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

Garden party and training 2

2008-04-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

At a nearby elementary school they were holding a garden party. Toy garage sale, snacks, and games.

In the afternoon we went to Hsinchu for a half day of teacher training.

Afterward we went for dinner and ate near the Chenghuang Temple.

The man in the orange was continually touching the noodles with his hands. Not something you want to see.

I like a fish

2008-04-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

Thunderous times

2008-04-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

Rainy weather all this week. I went to 7-11 after work, which is only a block away, and I was drenched. At least it was tropically warm out; my bare toes didn't go into shock.

Wrists of fire

2008-04-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

Last week my students wrote mid-terms and today I finished my last report card. I was practically lightning, I was that quick. Maybe it helped that I had plenty of material to discuss, what with the recent mid-term and all.

In Vancouver, I never was a text message kind of gal. I've sent a few texts recently though. No, no! Must ... not ... get addicted.

I'm ridiculously behind on my journal. I keep notes about most days, but I hadn't kept the journal itself up to date. The past few days I've been catching up with that, however I've been feeling like my hands may fall off.

Kill Bill Vol. 2

2008-04-13T02:06:00.000-07:00

This morning I was like Beatrix Kiddo/The Bride/Black Mamba after she wakes up from a coma: when I tried to stand and get up out of bed, I collapsed on the floor. This isn't the first time, either. After sleeping for 11-12 hours, my muscles weren't adjusted to walking yet. I should probably try to sit up first, rather than attempting to stand up straight away.

Mt. Datun and Jinshan

2008-04-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

More wildlife in 7-11. This time, a bird.

That's my hand using a plastic bag to catch and hold the bird. (I put it outside.)

Mt. Datun in Yamingshan National Park. Hiking with umbrellas.

It rained off and on. Even through the trees we would have gotten quite wet without umbrellas or raincoats. A misty day...

Squawking bird in the tree. There were two, but they didn't show up well.

There's a frog (or toad) in there somewhere.

For making honey and ginger tea:

Yet another Old Street:

Hiking in the Jinshan area now.

Lots of sea spray and wind. Great views though.

Two candlesticks:

We walked/climbed along the shoreline by way of these smoothed over rocks and boulders. Most areas weren't nearly as level and easily walkable as this. Nobody fell into the ocean though.
This man was making the same trip as us, but with his bike. Craziness.

A narrow natural tunnel we passed through:

After the ocean walk we passed through this small town.

We headed to a set of tunnels. There is no lighting in there so we made use of flashlights. A family of bats were hanging in one room.

Eat, shop, and bus back.

Day 4: Thailand

2008-04-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

In the morning I flew from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

From Bangkok I flew to Taiwan. Both my flights were late.

Upon arrival in Taiwan I took a bus back to my place. I was worried I wouldn't make the last scheduled bus so I didn't bother trying to exchange the rest of my Baht back to NT. In Thailand the exchange businesses were only able to change large NT bills. I was finally able to exchange my RMB though.

Day 3: Thailand

2008-04-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

The scooters here are slimmer.

On my third day (more like my second) I visited some more wats. This time I had the morning advantage, and it wasn't quite as blisteringly hot out yet. I had more time and patience to wander around and find the more famous wats.

Monks aren't allowed to accept anything from the hand of a woman. It's supposed to subdue any potential temptation a destroyer, I mean woman, might cause.

These flowers didn't look real. They reminded me of lamps for sale at Gizmos.

At Wat Chiang Mun; oldest wat in the city. Here, a chedi is supported by stone elephants.

For a fee you may set these birds free.

Thai 7-11:

Wat etiquette:

At Wat Phra Singh there are many signs like this one posted around the grounds.

My tuk tuk ride to the Chiang Mai Zoo. I didn't actually go to the zoo though. Carl recommended I transfer from there to get to my next destination. As you might imagine, people are always honest and wouldn't dream of ripping off a tourist. To avoid being overcharged, I went to the zoo, waited for a songthaew to fill, then journeyed the windy road up Doi Suthep mountain. How I grew nauseous.

Wat Doi Suthep is famous in Chiang Mai and a must-see. You have to take your shoes off before entering a wat, and this place had the largest shoe waiting spot I'd come across. Then again, most of the wats I visited weren't busy at all.

The most famous sight on the grounds:

"Footwear permitted."

In the afternoon I got a manicure and then checked out Sunday Market. What a cool place. It became incredibly crowded there. So much to buy and eat.

The market stretches on and on, possibly into eternity. It's held each Sunday as the name suggests. It was interesting to see the market wrapping and working around the historical grounds of wats.

Massage much?

Gecko at my hostel:

Crunchy snacks I did without:

At night I met with Carl. We walked around Sunday Market for awhile and grabbed a bite to eat.

Later I got to meet Carl's girlfriend. We went to a bar and I met Carl's friend - the owner. I played pool, though I'm pretty terrible.

An elephant was walking down the street. For a fee, you can feed the elephant.

A van bar.

It was late when I went back to my hostel.

Day 2: Thailand

2008-04-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

Morning. I go to my gate and await my flight to Chiang Mai.

An hour later and I arrived in Chiang Mai. At the gate exit people were greeted with leis and dried fruit snack packs.

From the airport I took a taxi to the old city of Chiang Mai where my hostel is. The old city is surrounded by a moat and remains of a wall.

Local transport: songthaew.

After checking in, I wandered around Chiang Mai, mostly checking out wats. I also nearly got a sunburn, and I did suffer from heat exhaustion. I kept wanting to see more, however I wasn't drinking enough and it was bloody hot out. Several hours later I was back at my hostel trying to get the sun out of my body.

Apparently many tourists don't visit now because it's too hot. Most of the sights I saw weren't packed with foreigners, however there were still many farangs when compared to Taiwan. It was really strange to hear (and be involved in) so much English-speaking with strangers. So many of the locals I met knew English and were comfortable making conversation.

If you can get around the flash, this guy looks like Ben Afleck.

One of many golden chedis.

Under construction:

Local transport: tuk tuk.

City moat:

In the afternoon I met with Carl. Can't remember how long it's been since we last saw each other, yet I don't feel the need to calculate. It was good to see him and the city that he lives in. We went for a drink, dinner, and the Night Bazaar. Seemingly endless stalls - however we didn't walk the whole stretch.

How to make any item designer:

Preparation for Songkran begins. That is, Thai new year, which is next week. People celebrate by having water fights and even soaking strangers in the street. That's how the moat comes in handy in modern times.

Day 1: Thailand

2008-04-09T07:52:00.000-07:00

I seem to like vacations.

Friday was Tomb Sweeping Day in Taiwan so I had the day off work. My flight wasn't until the evening, so I tried my best to sleep in as long as possible. In the afternoon I caught a bus to the airport. Several hours later, I was aboard my flight to Bangkok.

I, along with other similar-minded people, spent the night on a bench in the airport. As comfortable as you could imagine. I couldn't sleep much, and it didn't help that I was still feeling the effects of a lingering week long cold. The hacking cough wasn't enjoyable.

Make it Thailand

2008-04-03T21:19:00.001-07:00

I'm flying to Bangkok today. It's an evening flight, so I won't get there until night. The next morning I'll fly to Chiang Mai.

Since, technically, I'll be in Thailand for four days, I decided to splurge and buy the Lonely Planet for Thailand. This edition really has a homemade look and feel to it ;)

Wildlife in Taiwan

2008-04-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

I was walking to a convenience store after work, wondering what I could post about today. As I was leaving I spotted a white butterfly floating around near the register. Convenience stores are becoming even more convenient for one-stop shoppers: pick up a drink, pay your bills, pick up your parcel - view the local wildlife. Just what will they think of next.

Something I don't understand

2008-03-30T06:41:00.001-07:00

funktion

2008-03-30T06:32:00.001-07:00

On Friday night after work, several co-workers and I went to a lounge/club. It was happy hour so we got two drinks for the price of one. The snacks were bought elsewhere. If we did that in Vancouver we might have been shot.

Egg roll

2008-03-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

At school we held several egg rolls in celebration of Easter. The kids used a spoon to roll (still wet with ink) hard boiled eggs over a grassy stretch. Each egg had to be spooned into and out of a hula hoop. After several people in their relay line had rolled an egg, it would inevitably (and hilariously) explode. Luckily, the teachers were on standby for such egg emergencies.

For some strange reason I was camera-less again.

To dye for

2008-03-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

So, Easter. Right. There are two activities planned for the English students at our school: egg colouring and an egg roll. The egg painting took place yesterday, and the egg roll will be held tomorrow.

We tried dying the eggs in dyed water, however the colour wasn't taking well. Other options were considered, but we ended up just having the students use paint brushes to apply dye to the shells of the hard boiled eggs. I really thought four bottles of ink wouldn't be enough. How wrong I was...

Visions of sugar plums and starfruit

2008-03-24T09:37:00.001-07:00

danced through her head...

...only to become a reality.

Night market smells

2008-03-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

Time to wash my hair. I can smell bamboo smoke, fried foods, and cheap goods in my hair.

Not much to relay about my weekend. I should have brought my camera for dinner tonight. There were some strange-looking soy products. Our food was cooked fresh before us, and I had a little spice added. Spice is a welcome change from the often unstimulating Buddhist food I regularly eat.

No swimming (but just in case)

2008-03-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

I've finally gotten around to using my Fisheye camera. It took me half an hour to load the film correctly. When I went to take the first picture I was waiting for a green light, however it never came. Guess the orange-red glow is the signal for takeoff.

Did I mention that it's not easy to find film in Taiwan? At least not in the areas I've looked it seems... Digital is ever popular. When I was in Japan I bought three rolls which will definitely suffice for my remaining time here.

Alishan trip, Taiwan: Day 2

2008-03-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

Wake at 4:20 and walk to an Alishan railway station. We take the train to a sunrise viewing platform with a bunch of other people crazy enough to get up that early.

It's bloody cold out waiting for the sunrise.

Alishan is famous for its sunrise and sunset.

It wasn't anywhere near spectacular, however, that's probably because the clouds weren't cooperating.

Post-sunrise, we walked around the forest.

There are only two other trains in the world like the mountain-venturing Alishan Forest Railway. (The others are in Peru and India.) The train runs from Chiayi at an elevation of 30 metres to Alishan at a maximum of 2216 metres. In one section the track winds around a mountain three times to climb higher. In another section the train track zigzags to permit a climb or descent.

The railway passes through three types of forests: temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical. While riding the train it was odd to see pines on one side and bamboo on the other. There were many cherry and magnolia trees as well.

Happiness from Golden Pig:

Shoujhen (?) Temple:

Wasabi:

After our walk, we took the train back to our hotel area.

Lunch and several hours later we took a train to Fenchihu. The place has "Lake" in its name, however there is no lake there. The area looks like a dust pan, and so the name deceptively goes.

Old street:

We hiked on a few trails by town.

After a long upward climb with the promise of a shrine, we arrived at this. There's not much left to Fenchihu Shrine. It was built by the Japanese during the occupation.

It was unclear and took so long to get to the Divine Tree. We wondered if there really was a tree there at all, or if there would just be a spot marked where the tree used to be.

Bus to Chiayi. Train to Zhongli. Arrived late at night. Pooped.

Alishan trip, Taiwan: Day 1

2008-03-18T07:32:00.001-07:00

Finally, an updated blog post.

So last weekend I went to Alishan for a few days. At 11:47 Friday night we took the train to Kaoshiung. Taiwan may be a small island, but going as far south as Kaoshiung took over five and a half hours. Though I tried, I found it near impossible to sleep. The lights are bright, the seats less than accommodating, and it was noisy at times.

The MRT rapid transit system in Kaoshiung was newly opened, and use is free for the time being. We took the MRT to Lianchih Lake and intended on visiting the cool Dragon and Tiger Pagoda, however it was closed for renovations. There was a Confucius Temple there as well, but it was closed because it was so early in the morning.

Walking back to the MRT, a lively market:

I saw new flowers all over the place. The temperature in the south is warmer.

MRT to World Games station (the World Games will be held in Kaoshiung in 2009). The building is still under construction, so we only took a peek from the station.

From another station we caught a cab to Chengcing Lake.

The Nine-Cornered Bridge:

Pavilion off Fu Guo Isle:

I took pictures from the second and top floors, however the top floor photos weren't on my camera when I uploaded my photos.

MRT to the Sugar Refinery station. All kinds of vendors in sight, a ceremony, people bustling about.

Here, ball frenzy as people line up in an orderly fashion to get a free baseball.

In the early afternoon we left Kaoshiung and took a train to Chiayi. A couple hours later we eventually were on a bus to Alishan. I say eventually because there were scheduling problems and we ended up accepting a van-ride offer by a local woman (busiest woman in the world, as I call her). We were delayed over an hour, but I liked the van because I was able to get a bit of sleep.

A whip lash, curvy road ride it was. At least, I noticed that much between nods. The road is narrow and people like to speed along the winding road like they're in dire need of a rest stop.

Way up high in the mountains of Taiwan, we checked into our hotel. Dinner, then rest. The plan was to check out the stars, however the weather was cloudified. Sleep is a good thing though.

Crafty

2008-03-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

This open air bar is at the edge of one of Zhongli's night markets. Cool decor, but I've yet to see a single customer in the joint. Then again, when I drop by the area its usually a Sunday night. Guess nobody wants to get plastered when they have to work the next day.

Glow by night

2008-03-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

Thailand

2008-03-09T07:27:00.000-07:00

I'm going to Thailand in early April. I bought my ticket last week, but wanted confirmation from Carl that my timing was convenient. So, more planning to do. I'm flying to Bangkok, but need to get to Chiang Mai.

Day 4: Japan

2008-03-07T19:05:00.001-08:00

My flight was in the early afternoon, but I needed to get to the airport in Osaka. Needless to say, there wasn't time to see anything else today.

Shin-Yokohama to Shin-Osaka. Mt. Fuji!

Double the Shinkansen.

Another train, then I arrived at Kansai Airport. The flight back took an hour longer than flying to Japan did.

And that's my time in Japan in a publicized nutshell.

Day 3: Japan

2008-03-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

My last real day of two limited full days in Japan. An early start. I make my way to the Tsukiji Fish Market. There are other markets in the vicinity as well, but the fish market is the star of the show.

Some shops before the fish market:

The place is huge, and signs in English are limited. There's an auction in the morning, but I couldn't find it in time.

It's a place where a lot of business is done. The walkways are wet, narrow, and crowded. People are carting styrofoam crates around, and they'll run you over if you're not being careful.

Outside I saw this traumatized critter at the side of the street. It was completely out in the open and didn't move as I got close. Something must have really shocked it the way it was shaking.

Post fish market, I went to Ginza - where rich people live. This is a huge shopping street with expensive stores.

An eyeglasses washing station on the street:

In the afternoon I met Cheerio and we went to electronics district Akihabara.

They have Manga cafes that have free drinks when you buy Manga. The staff are garbed in Manga gear, too. This store is five floors of Manga heaven:

Punk pop rock street band:

Next, the Imperial Palace. There's not much to see because the Palace itself is closed off to the public except for two days a year. It's more like strolling through a park. You can see buildings within the wall, the moat, and this bridge, but that's it.

Then we went to Shinjuku's Metropolitan Governement Building. Tokyo at night looks like a circuit board.

We stopped to eat tempura for dinner, then we went to red light district Kabukicho.

There are a lot of ladies clubs in the area as well.

Love Hotel. Stay for a "rest" or the "night."

The guy in front is from a ladies club, and the people in wigs, makeup, and yellow coats are promoters for gay club Bearded Woman.

Rice wrap head made an appearance in other photos.

Back to Chihiro's place. We stopped at a grocery store and tried tofu ice cream. Sounds odd, but it's really good.

Day 2: Japan

2008-03-07T06:22:00.001-08:00

A day of trains/light rail/metro/whathaveyous. It felt like I spent half the day on trains.

Chihiro walked me to the closest train station in the morning. The walk to her apartment is a bit maze-like.

First stop of the day: Sensoji Temple. Shops greet your entrance to the main building.

Hozo-mon Gate:

Purify thyself! Before entering the shrine, purify left hand, right hand, rinse mouth, left hand, and lastly the dipper.

Theee shrine:

Japan, a.k.a. Vending Machine World.

Trains to Harajuku.

Forest pathway that leads toward the Meiji Shrine.

Main building:

Glimpsed a wedding passing through.

Gothic Lolitas out and about Harajuku. I saw other cosplay participants, but I wasn't fast enough with my camera.

Off to Shinjuku. This is the busiest station in Tokyo.

Next, Shibuya, a shopping and entertainment district. This is a crazy mass-movement crosswalk where pedestrians from each direction walk at the same time.

Small map:

Next, Roppongi. I arrived as night descended. Tokyo Tower aglow:

Is that it? It felt like I went to ten more places. After it all, I went back to Chihiro's apartment.

Day 1: Japan

2008-03-04T06:35:00.001-08:00

Morning 2+ hour flight to Osaka, Japan.

What a remarkably clear day to have a window seat. A flight attendant spoke to me in Mandarin, and then in French, asking me if I spoke the language. When I was in Beijing someone spoke to me in French as well.

From the airport in Kansai I took an express train to the Osaka Shinkansen (bullet train) station. I caught the Nozomi Shinkansen to Tokyo, which took over two hours.

Chihiro met me at Shin-Yokohama station and we ate curry at a nearby restaurant.

I had hoped to do something that night, but it didn't happen. Rest may in fact be a good thing though.

Flight time

2008-02-27T14:25:00.001-08:00

Going to Japan today.

Lomography

2008-02-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

I did it. As of yesterday, I'm the owner of a Fisheye 2. I don't have film yet, but I'm excited to try it out.

Several weeks ago I saw a variety of Lomo cameras for sale in two bookstores, and I couldn't erase those images from my mind. And, as a consumer, I consumed. I was thinking about getting a Holga, which means that I could have gotten a fisheye attachment. However, as fate would have it, there were no more Holgas available when I went back.

Taichung revisited

2008-02-24T17:39:00.000-08:00

The train ride to Taichung was about two hours. I went to visit my friend Lynn from Canada. We worked at Blenz for ages and have plenty of memories about our time there.

When I arrived in Taichung, Lynn and her aunt picked me up. We visited a famous tea spot in Taiwan called Rose House. British decor and roses galore. It smells wonderful in there, and the food and drinks are so good.

After that we strolled some quaint street shops nearby. Then we visited the massive Tunghai University. Here's a popular sight, the Luce Memorial Chapel. It was created by the same architect who designed the Louvre Pyramid.

After that we got massages for an hour.

We went to a really good Italian restaurant for dinner. I always have room for milk tea, and so we then headed to a famous bubble tea place. It's very old and filled with BBT history.

Night lights:

Lynn and I went to a lounge with good drinks, chill music, and stylish decor. We tried using a hookah with strawberry flavour. Such fun.

I stayed at the hotel Lynn's family runs. Lynn and her family spoiled me. What a good weekend!

I left Taichung early the next morning because I wanted to take the train to Taipei and arrive at a decent hour. It's a three hour ride, which is considered crazy long by Taiwanese standards.

A few lantern displays in Taipei:

Glorious 19

2008-02-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

My room is 19 degrees. Hooray! What a good way to start the weekend.

A4

2008-02-20T18:27:00.000-08:00

When I first noticed the standard size A4 paper in Taiwan I thought it looked tall and big. Now, standard size paper in North America looks short and small. I've bought several folders with pockets to keep my papers from Taiwan in (my printed blog, etc.). Let's see if the page protectors will help shield the papers from the dampness in the air.

Errands galore

2008-02-19T18:48:00.000-08:00

Recently I've been sorting, planning, and organizing as though it were a hobby of mine. My trip to Japan approaches, and the public transportation maps are giving me a headache. I'm sure that advance research will be the key, so I'm attempting to do as much of that as possible.

"The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley"

Could have

2008-02-17T07:39:00.000-08:00

This could have been a cool picture had I not gotten in too close and caused the flower to appear blurry. Oh greatest of woes.

Here's a dragonfly instead.

Taichung/Miaoli

2008-02-16T07:11:00.000-08:00

Teachers Field trip. Bus to Taichung.

Bathroom break in Sanyi:

We arrive in Taichung and head out on double-seated bikes. The weather was so nice, and most of us were overdressed and despite jacket removal, were too hot. It was so nice to be too hot, and not too cold.

Biked by the Shihgang Dam:

There's an egret in there somewhere.

We ate lunch at a farm.

From there we bused to Miaoli for hot springs. I opted for strawberry picking instead. Several of us ventured to this strawberry farm.

We'd boarded the buses and were ready to set off, but we stopped at a shopping area in Dahu thoroughly devoted to the strawberry. Said berry products abound. I didn't try a strawberry egg tart, but went for the rum egg tart instead. I couldn't taste any rum though.

After Dahu, we drove back to Zhongli.

Taoyuan

2008-02-14T18:02:00.001-08:00

Last week I went to Taoyuan. We just stayed near the train station and went shopping.

The Lantern Festival approaches.

Why don't you have blue eyes?

2008-02-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

So I was asked by a few students today. I think they'd be surprised if they journeyed to the west.

[Miaoli] Tongluo

2008-02-11T07:34:00.000-08:00

I went to a friend's relatives house for the afternoon. Lunch included rice and vegetables grown here:

A creepy-looking swallow nest inside a shrine:

Firecracker remains are a common sight these days.

Then we visited this shrine. It was much busier than this photo makes it look. There was tea, noodles, and candy offered in part of the NY celebrations.

Tree branch, or Guanyin?

Day 5: Beijing

2008-02-11T07:04:00.000-08:00

No digital photos from my last day.

I checked out, and proceeded to take a cab to the Temple of Heaven Park. I went during appropriate hours this time. Nice day for a visit to a sacrificial altar, wouldn't you say?

Visited the main buildings and then left. Took a cab to the airport shuttle station, and then (you guessed it) caught the shuttle to the airport. The ride was very quick which meant that I was even earlier than the early early I had intended on being.

I hung around the airport for several hours before hopping on a plane to Macau. I sat at the very back of the plane and had the row of seats to myself. During my layover in Macau I tried to exchange my RMB to NT, but the teller had run out. As I've been told, there's only one place in Taiwan where I can exchange my money. I guess I'll just wait till I go to Japan.

Fly from Macau --------> to Taiwan. It was night, and I'd missed the last bus to Zhongli by several hours. I ended up taking a cab back to the Zhong. The driver didn't really know where I lived and so, as soon as I was within walking distance of the train station I had him drop me off.

A good trip to an interesting city. I got to practice my Mandarin more than usual. I mean, we're talking extremely basic Mandarin, but it was a lot of fun. A few times I slipped a French word in by accident.

Day 4: Beijing

2008-02-11T06:22:00.000-08:00

Might actually be crazy for getting up so early. Walked to Beihai Park. By the time I got there the park was open, but the white bagoda on Jade Islet wasn't. I waited until it was open and hiked to the top.

The park is beautiful, even on a cold morning. I didn't have enough time to explore the whole park, however.

In Beijing I felt like a vampire because I was planning my outings around daylight hours. (Except, I was more like the opposite of a vampire, since I was avoiding hours without light). Must! have! light! for photo-taking!

Many of my pictures didn't turn out as well as I'd wanted. Maybe the pollution was a contributing factor.

Caught the bus to the Summer Palace. For over an hour bus ride the fare was 2RMB.

The Summer Palace is also huge. I was fast-walking much of the time and still didn't have enough time to cover the grounds. There are endless halls, bridges, stairs, water displays, trails, shops, etc. to explore. Another place where photos do little justice.

Stage:

The Long Corridor:

The lake was frozen and many people went out for a waddle.

Marble Boat:

How sad that I ran out of memory space on my camera :( I was already trying to be careful not to go too crazy and take too many photos. I ended up buying a few disposable cameras. Currently, I anxiously await the day that the photo shops open and I may develop my film. The day I got back to Taiwan I bought more memory for my camera.

At night (and in the morning) I watched part of a ceremony the military was performing. From there I walked around the neighbourhood of my hostel and found a popular snacking street.

Day 3: Beijing

2008-02-11T05:16:00.000-08:00

Began the day early with a stroll through the Forbidden City. SO cold. My fingers were like fish sticks (without breading). Some areas were off limits due to ongoing construction.

The Gate of Heavenly Peace:

Lots of police and military present.

Meridian Gate:

Golden Stream:

It's a huge place. The halls and gates seemed endless.

From there I caught the subway to the Ming City Wall Ruins Park.

At the end of the park there's a watchtower. From the tower you can see the incredible width of the crumbling wall, as well as other sights around the city.

The Red Gate Gallery has a home atop the tower.

Subway back to the Forbidden City/Tiananmen Square/my hostel area. Tiananmen Square exploration. Another massive space.

Zheng Yangmen Gate:

Qianmen Archery Tower:

Three more semi-successful ventures:

1) I found (the well-camouflaged) Beijing Underground City. Unfortunately, when I went in, a staff member showed me a note written in English explaining that the site was closed for renovations over the holiday.

2) Took the subway to see an Ancient Observatory. Closed.

3) Went to the Temple of Heaven Park. It was getting late, but, according to my guide book I would have just enough time to see the park. It turns out that the park was open, but the attractions inside were not. I decided to walk around the park for awhile, but that I most definitely needed to come back another day.

Hutong sampling:

A lot of walking today.

Day 2: Beijing; my blood is on the Great Wall

2008-02-09T18:07:00.000-08:00

Slept in to some degree. Caught a tour bus to the Badaling section of the Great Wall.

'Museum' visit included in tour. It wasn't much of a museum, and thanks to my Beijing tour book, I knew what was coming after the jade 'museum.'

We had to pass through the heated and brightly lit jade shopping centre before heading upstairs.

Our tour included a free lunch. This place looked more like a store than a restaurant.

We were fed, however.

Badaling:

It's about 70 km outside the city. Very cold, especially with the winds sweeping through the mountains. Still, I'm glad I went during the low season.

I wanted to visit another section of the Wall as well, but time wasn't permitting.

To get close to a walking section of the wall we rode a pulley/roller coaster up the mountain. This is how we came down:

I was jogging down a hill on the Wall and fell on my ass. A finger cut and blood gush ensued.

The visit to the Great Wall took up most of the day. I wanted to visit another place when we got back to the city, but it was too dark for taking pictures.

Day 1: Beijing

2008-02-07T04:33:00.000-08:00

After work on Friday I went to bed early and forced myself to sleep for five hours before waking up and meeting my ride to the airport at 2am. I was at the airport before 3am and spent the next five hours waiting for my flight.

When the currency counter opened, I went to exchange my NT dollars for Renminbi, but I was informed "No China!"

A quick two hour flight later and I was at the airport in Macau. I exchanged my money into RMB there.

I had a two hour layover. From Macau I flew to Beijing, which took about three hours. I then caught a shuttle bus to Xidan. That took over an hour, thanks to the wonderful traffic in Beijing.

I approached a man who I thought was a taxi driver and showed him where my hostel was. He led me to a rickshaw. What the hell, I thought. In case he was planning on harvesting my organs, I thought about the best way for me to escape: jumping through the 'window' at the back. (Knapsack, then body).

Made it to my hostel, organs intact. I was overcharged but didn't mind because I had to be at the hostel by a certain time and it was getting late.

The hostel is part of a hutong and was very clean and mellow. My room was toasty warm and had a comfy bed. I was staying in a four-bed dorm with two roommates. That night we went to a western bar that had live music and male and female pole dancing. The bar was on a street where there were over a dozen other bars offering almost exactly the same things.

Not the most exciting place. From there we took a cab to the nightclub Vics.

By the end of the night I was all kinds of tired.

End day/beginning day

2008-02-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

Last day of Winter Camp. Vacation time. The latter includes getting up early and going to the airport ;)

More than a basket

2008-01-31T07:18:00.000-08:00

Inside one building at Window on China you can see large bins for people to leave their bags and jackets before they go on a ride. This one is relatively empty, but it's not uncommon to see people leave their goods unattended.

A large meal

2008-01-30T05:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday after our field trip we had a staff dinner at Tasty.

Wall of smiles. Who has the best smile?

Window on China

2008-01-29T16:21:00.000-08:00

School field trip to a model/amusement park in Hsinchu.

Mini-Taiwan

I've visited the buildings with the orange and blue roofs.

Mini-China

(Prelude to) The Great Wall of China:

Mini-Europe

L'Opera:

Mini-USA

Mini-Asia

Indoor & outdoor rides.

Night heron

2008-01-28T08:04:00.000-08:00

I've been spotting these birds at night by the water near where I live. It's never light enough for me to take a picture of them, however. On the weekend I bought a book that lists some local birds and where to look for them. I've seen two types of night herons. Wooh!

Got high today

2008-01-26T08:21:00.001-08:00

Went to Taipei 101. Built to resemble a bamboo stalk, 508 metres high, 101 above-ground stories and five underground, and holds the record for the world's tallest building. It's one and a half Eiffel Towers. There's a building in Dubai being built that will surpass Taipei 101's height, but until it is completed, Taipei 101 holds the title.

The building contains the world's two fastest elevators. To get to the 89th floor it takes 37 seconds. My ears popped several times on the way up.

We arrived at the indoor observatory on the 89th floor. Taipei 101 has state of the art technologies throughout the building. I felt so safe up there. It didn't seem like I was really that high up.

Today was rainy and a bit cloudy. The main draw of visiting on a day like this is that it wasn't very busy.

I made use of an audio tour remote which pointed out many of the surrounding landmarks and attractions.

I heard all kinds of languages being spoken by the visitors in the observatory. The elevator hostess greeted and informed us in Mandarin, English, and Japanese.

Wind damper:

The outdoor observatory:

Looking toward the top of the building:

A walkway:

New York New York: a mall complex.

Ate dinner here. I didn't opt for "Chinese Caterpillar Fungus Tea," but chose "Longan Pulp and Red Jujube Tea" instead.

Theatre at NY NY. Watched My Blueberry Nights. Loved the movie.

Night lights of Taipei 101:

Take a trip to Hawaii

2008-01-25T04:24:00.000-08:00

Aloha! In class today we made hula skirts. Some of the younger kids were willing to do a little dance, but the older kids were too cool for that.

Aloha.

Korean wrap

2008-01-24T03:45:00.000-08:00

Another day, another Magic Kitchen.

The meat station:

The fake meat station:

Take meat and kimchi, bundle up in a lettuce leaf, and there you go. OJ to wash it down.

Magic Kitchen

2008-01-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

First class in its series. Yellow tea, chopped apples, and orange juice.

Winter Camp

2008-01-21T04:18:00.000-08:00

And so Winter Camp begins. Different courses this time: Grammar, Spelling/Phonics, Comic Writing, Magic Kitchen, Fun Fun Fun, Globe Trotters, and French. Two weeks of camp, then vacation time for me.

The Warlords

2008-01-20T07:22:00.000-08:00

Muchly enjoyed.

Let there be cleaning

2008-01-19T18:40:00.001-08:00

A man above the 7-11 hoses down the outside of the building:

Alien Words

2008-01-18T07:13:00.000-08:00

I thought of a funny way to have my newer learners practice reading: I have individual students tell me a letter, and once I've written enough of them on the board we blend the sounds together and eventually pronounce the word. Of course, the letters they chose never form English words, but alien words. This activity really held their attention and was a lot of fun.