Fun with girls

Today after church, 5 of us girls when to the Taipei 101, ate icecream, browsed in Page One book store and went to the movies (we saw United 93). It was a fun day out and we had a lot of girly fun!

From left: June, Jenny, Emily, Me & Becki

Green World

We had a fabulous time on a school trip today. We went along with the kids to a nature park in Hsinchu (about an hour's drive from Taipei). It was so fun to get out and enjoy the outdoors and hang out with the kids. I was really impressed that some of the kids really tried to have conversations with me.



So cute!



Exploring the lily ponds



Steven, he's in my phonics class. This guy is so cute. I melt each time I look at him!

Angela and Kitty, former students of mine



The one and only Johnny. He is also in my phonics class. Boy does he have a pair of lungs on him!



M & I got completely soaked. But M loved playing with the kids! I could totally see the big brother in him, egging the other kids on...


Water guns!


Winnie was my new little friend for the day

Shane bags

Chrissy's 26th Birthday

For Chrissy's birthday, we and a group of friends went on a 'mystery' tour to Yeliou, on the northern coast of Taiwan. It was terrible weather but good company.

L-R: Megan, Andrew, Jason, Chrissy, Winni, Becki, Louis, Jessamine

The famous "Queen's Head"

Crazy moon-like rock formations

Cooh eh?
Isn't she gorgeous! And still so young and sprightly!

M & C

Let us know if you work these ones out!

Mike and Louis

Chrissy and Louis

Taipei Lantern Festival

In February is the traditional chinese lantern festival. We went to check it out at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. On display were hundreds of handmade paper lanterns a whole variety of colours and shapes.

The MRT stations are always well prepared for these events.

It just wouldn't be a Taipei event without a replica of the Taipei 101.

M & C

This is a traditional chinese dragon-dog. They sit on either side of the entrance to temples and important buildings. The male always has a sphere like this one, which is the world. And the female has a baby.

It wouldn't be Taiwan without a mobile phone!

This was the symbol of the festival. An Aboriginal boy with his dog.

It's the year of the dog, so there were dogs everywhere!

Chinese New Year Part Two

We also went to a little town called Jiji. It's a kind of a fun historical village. We rode the historic railway and accidently went to a pottery gallery, where we did some pottery!

Andrew, Becki, Megan and Chrissy hanging out on the train platform.

The Japanese style train station in Jiji.


Betel nut trees, so pretty, but so ugly at the same time. People here (mostly men) chew the nuts. It is a mild stimulant and the chewer's mouth turns red. Urgh it's discusting. The pavements here have lots of red splotches from where the men spit.

This says, "What are you looking at?" Mike and I didnt know whether to be offended or amused or what....

Chinese New Year Part One

Mike and I have just returned from a great holiday in here in Taiwan. This week has been Chinese New Year. And we were very lucky to get 9 days holiday during this time.

On Saturday 28th January we packed up our stuff and headed for the home of our good friend Becki. Becki is a Californian who lives in Taipei and goes to our church. At her place we cooked a really delicious dinner of salmon, salad, veg and rice and helped her finish her ‘new year cleaning’. Late that night our other friends, Megan and Andrew, also Americans, arrived at Becki’s house too. We all spent the night together, bunking down in Becki’s room.

Very early the next morning - 3.30am - we got up, piled into our rented car and hit the highway. We had been warned by many people that the roads would be terrible this week so we were advised to leave very early to avoid traffic. But at that time of morning although other people were doing the same, the traffic was fine and we got to Kaohsiung by 10am.

From left: Andrew, Megan, Becki, Christine & Michael.

Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s second biggest city and it at the very bottom of the island. We spent most of the day there, eating and wandering around. We walked (very slowly) up to the Chiang Kai Shek Centre where there was a market. This was fun, wandering around browsing at all the stores. Lots were selling traditional Taiwanese flutes, and there were gorgeous hand puppets and nice wooden shoes. But we resisted and didn’t buy anything.

Mike made some friends at the market!

Kaohsiung seemed to have a lot of public art.

After spending a few hours in Kaohsiung we jumped back in the car and drove to Kenting, further south. Here we found our home for the next two nights. The groovy “Beach House”. It is run by surfers and mostly caters to surfers so everything was very laid back and easy.

On Monday the others got up early, while I tried my best to sleep-in. Eventually I gave in and joined them for an early morning swim. The water was so warm. Warmer than the NZ waters in summer. And the surf was pretty good too. We did however wonder if the warm water was due to the nuclear power plant we could see from the beach....

This beach is called Nanwan, or South Beach.

My white body soon turned pink in the hot weather!

That afternoon, we headed into the Kenting National Park. This is a beautiful area, which is very clean and has lots of rubbish bins (this is unusual for Taiwan). Scattered throughout the park were rather funny signs....

Oh Michael, I'm so scared, save me from the puddle snake!

The girls at the top of the hill.

Behind us you can see the end of Taiwan.

The national park is full of caves and crevices.

Unfortunately, once Tuesday arrived, we had to leave. But before we did we checked out one more beach, Baisha Wan. This was undoubtably my favourite place that we visited. The water was so clear and beautiful. It is a harbour beach (which is always my favourite) so that meant no waves, and no sand to get in awkward places...

Baisha Wan means White Sand Bay, although actually it looked yellow to me...

Mike explores the "Cat's Nose" Maobitou, strange eroded coral area near Baisha Bay.

Well, that's half of the holiday... I'll post some more photos in a few days.

Christmas with Mum and Dad!

Michael's Mum and Dad came from New Zealand to spend 10 days with us in Taiwan (from 23rd December '05 - 3rd January '06). I took this time off work to show them around Taipei, while Christine earned the money. Here is the break-down for posterity and some photos. Enjoy!

• 23rd December 2005. Arrival at CKS airport. Home to San Chong. Then all into Taipei to meet our Canadian friends Daniel and Kimberly (who were on a stopover from Japan).
• 24th. Christmas Eve. Jade and Flower Market, and went to Sun-Yat Sen Memorial Hall. Then to a Christmas Eve service at our Church, Friendship Presbyterian.

We had a great time shopping at a Jade and Flower Market

• 25th. Christmas Day. Christmas dinner and Secret Santa with church and other friends, up in the hills in Southern Taipei. Hosted by our friend Becki from the States.
• 26th. Boxing Day. Shopping in San Chong and bought train tickets for our trip to Hualien. We also visited Chiang Kai Shek Memorial and our school. Also to one of our favourite food-joints in San Chong.

Enjoying our favourite meal - Teppanyaki!

• 27th. We went to this place called Jiufen, a 30 min train ride away. It was a very wet day, but we had fun popping into some neat craft shops and walking up a covered cobblestoned alley. That evening, back home in San Chong, we went to see the film 'King Kong'. The theatre operator made sure the cinema was icy cold.
  

In Jiufen, on Jishan Street, a lane filled with craft shops

• 28th. In the morning walked along by the Danshui River in San Chong, and in the afternoon went to the National Palace Museum where we had an English tour. Our tour was the guide's last as it was his last day of military service!

The big trip away for Mum, Dad and I (Christine had to work) was to the city of Hualien, on the East Coast, 3 hours away by train.

• 29th. 1.15pm - 4.15pm - travelled by train to Hualien, and booked into our hotel.
• 30th. 7.30am. We did a bus tour of Taroko Gorge, one of the most spectacular sights in Taiwan. The tour guide spoke Chinese, English and Japanese. It was part bus tour and part walking tour. We also spent some time in a marble factory and store, which is the price you pay for convenience.

Taroko Gorge

Walking along Taroko Gorge

• 5.30-6.30pm.That evening we went to see a performance at the Ami Cultural Village. It was superb. The Ami are the largest of the 9 Taiwanese aboriginal groups, numbering about 140,000 people. (The total indigeneous population is 433,689 - 2% of the total population). During the performance they spoke Chinese and Japanese. No English translation this time, though we could still appreciate the beauty and gracefulness of their dancing and singing.
  

A performance at the Ami Cultural Village in Hualien

• 31st. New Years Eve. McD's brekkie, and a nice walk along the Hualien Riverside Walk before our 2-4.30pm train ride back to Taipei.

On the Hualien Riverside Walk

That evening we went with our American friend from Japan, Erin Speidel (& her friend Stasia) to the Taipei 101, along with the rest of Taipei. Mum and Dad stayed home and rested.

Yes folks, 2006 will be brought to you by Sony.

• 1st January 2006. New Years Day. Church at Friendship PC, then out for lunch with good folk from church, Jack, May and Lisa Chang (Lisa was home on holiday, she is a student at Otago), and Jason and Sharon Kang.

(L-R): M, Mum, Dad, C, Lisa Chang, Jason Kang, Jack Chang (behind), Sharon Kang and May Chang

• 2nd. Northern Taipei, Danshui and the Fisherman's Wharf and Longshan Temple. Then back into Taipei to the 101 for their last opportunity to go to the top of the tallest building in the world.

On the board walk in Danshui

Fisherman's Wharf

• 3rd. Took Mum and Dad back to the airport.
  

We were really impressed with their adaptibility, enthusiasm, energy, and willingness to try some new thing- considering different foods, language barriers and new public transport systems - and especially as this was their first time in a non-English speaking country. We had fun showing them around and giving them some idea of our life here. It was another treat to have family come and be with us at Christmas time while we are overseas, and it was so good to see them. Thanks Mum and Dad!