6 months

I've been in Taiwan for half a year. I wouldn't say that time has whizzed by nor drudged along, but it's almost hard to believe that it's been 6 months. Suppose time has a habit of passing.

This week has seemed shorter because we spent Monday doing Christmas activities. Maybe it's that and that I've got radio again. Yesterday a DJ said that he was going to play some "good music" and, skeptical as I was, they played Radiohead. Wow! Today there was the same Radiohead song and a Nirvana song! Now, I'm not saying that I loathe the rest of the music played, but there is a lot of fluff and one-dimensional cliched songs. Catchy though!

The Earth is flat

Maybe I could co-host the View.

Christmas in Taiwan

Greeting card or Christmas tree? Maybe a little of both.


Up and comping are some blurry shots of food I consumed today.

A warm and tangy kumquat beverage:


"Green bean soup:"


Pizza:


Strawberry cake:

Gingerbread construction zone

Christmas Eve school activities included, but were not limited to making a


Here's a sample:


The older students needed less help and their houses were more creative. Some houses didn't materialize because the builder kept eating their materials.

Watch your step

Local construction:





Maybe the stores have an ant problem.

Yingge

A trip to Yingge naturally included a trip to the Ceramics Museum:


Yingge is well known for its history with ceramics.

A good idea:


Nelly should have filmed his music video inside a kiln.


Ceramics! Don't tell me you're surprised.



Tea and ceramics go together. They've been best friends for quite some time now. Here's a water display with floating teacups:


And fish:


Two teapots:


After the museum, we went to a nearby temple.



Then, Old Street. Ceramic ware stores, snack stands, souvenir shops, etc.


Music man:


One street over:



I'm leaving on a train, don't know when I'll be back again. Man, I hated Chantal Kreviazuk's cover, and all the high school girls' chirping it through the halls.

Japan

I'm going to visit Japan for 4 days at the end of February! It wasn't easy to book a flight, I tell you. The Taiwanese love to visit Japan, and that combined with limited holidays equals scheduling joys. Or not. Now I have two trips to look forward to and worry about. I can handle it ;)