Chiang Mai, Thailand

It has been an exciting past week for Erin and I as we took our Chinese New Year vacation in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  With only a few days of break we wanted to make the most of them.  However, being one of the biggest travel seasons for the Taiwanese we couldn't get a flight out until the second day of our vacation.


So after our first day off on Wednesday spent relaxing and catching up on work we flew out on Thursday.  Leaving around noon we didn't get to our destination until that night.  As we navigated through the Bangkok airport we saw many more Westerners and more enticing Western food than we're used to in Kaohsiung.  Arriving in Chiang Mai we were able to get to our guesthouse, a sparse (and inexpensive) place along the river.  We still had some energy so we went downtown and found a nice place to eat with a guy playing a guitar in the background.


After breakfast out by the river on Friday morning we were picked up for our main adventure for that day: riding a zip-line.  While we thought we were just going to ride a zip-line we soon learned that we were first going to see a waterfall, than get massages, then do the zip-line course before having a late lunch.  While each of these was very nice it seemed to be mainly a way to fill time while other groups did the main attraction.  It was all very organized and we enjoyed the company of our group who seemed to be comprised of mainly Americans. 

While the waterfall looked nice and the massages felt good, the zip-line course was definitely the highlight of the day.  While wearing harnesses we would each step out onto platforms built high up in the trees.  There, one of our guides would hook us up to a zip-line and then let us go as we glided to the another platform where the other guide was waiting.  I suppose that's your standard zip-line operation, but the attitude of our guides didn't seem all that natural.  There was a lot of joking and playing around as they shook the cables, pretended that something was wrong after a person had left the platform, and letting members push each other off the platforms.  I enjoyed it as they added something new to each leg of the course and kept the mood fun.  It probably helped that we were a younger group of people.  Getting back into town that evening we went out for some delicious Mexican food before doing a little shopping at a night market.

On Saturday Erin and I went our separate ways.  She had found me a rock climbing course which was her gift to me for my birthday.  For herself she found a place to get a massage and a pedicure in town.  I thoroughly enjoyed the rock climbing experience.  They drove me out with a couple of other people to a place called "Crazy Horse Butte" where we got instruction in top rope skills.  It was a technical course with a couple of knots, some new equipment that I hadn't encountered in the gym and several techniques for staying safe on a climb.  We spent the morning going over the techniques and practicing before stopping for lunch.  After lunch we practiced some more on actual climbing routes.  The butte provided a lot of fun climbs to try our new skills and I feel that by the end of the course I was feeling comfortable to go with someone climbing outside of a gym.


That night Erin and I got back together and went out to dinner at a really nice Italian place.  The food was delicious and the wine was up to date.  Once we were finished though I was exhausted and ready to go back to our guesthouse.

Our adventure for Sunday was a trip out to an elephant park.  For the months leading up to this trip we had both been looking forward to riding an elephant.  As we talked to people who had done it though we learned that there were many places where you get to ride, but you feel guilty because the elephants seem to be exploited.  Erin finally found a place online that seemed to balance our desire to ride with treating the animals fairly.  Once we got out there the owner explained how his park was different from many others and we learned about how they take care of the elephants.  It seemed very similar to a nice horse stable.  The elephants were held in captivity for the most part, but they were fed well, bathed, and looked after.  So we got to feed them and learn how to ride them bareback.  They also offered us the chance to help clean them in the pond, but we declined.  It was certainly a memorable experience, but at the same time it wasn't comfortable and not something I think we'll seek to do in the future.

Back in Chiang Mai we made in time to catch our ride out to our cooking class downtown.  While it seemed rather rushed the food we made was pretty tasty.  There weren't any basics covered.  It was all about chopping vegetables up, throwing them in the wok when told, stirring them up and then serving.  They prepared most things for us and then it was like they were reading from the nice cookbook that we got as part of the deal.  I suppose when so many people want to do it that's what one should expect.  Afterwards we went to another night market to do some more shopping.  We got a few nice things before calling it a night.


On our last morning we went downtown for a jog around the city's moat before finding a place for breakfast.  Back at our guesthouse we packed up and went out on the street to hail a taxi to take us back to the airport.  After waiting a while what presented itself to us was an elderly man on a small, sputtering motorcycle with a shoddy looking sidecar.  Not having seen anything else in that part of town we agreed on a price and took off.  The ride was a bit hairy, but we got to the airport and made it home safely.  Just one more adventure for the road!

Mud Hot Springs

This past Friday was Erin's birthday.  The fun started that night when our friend Amy came over dinner.  As I cooked up some fish tacos the two chatted the night away even finding out that they had the same Myers-Briggs personality type.  It was nice to entertain and proved to be a relaxing evening after a full week of work.


As my gift to Erin I decided to surprise her with a trip to a spa.  After consulting our friend, Melinda, I reserved a room at a spa/hotel in Guanzihling, Taiwan and reserved a rental car.  Guanzihling is marginally famous for its muddy hot springs.  It's supposed to be good for your skin and one of only three in the world.  On Saturday afternoon we rode the subway up to the rental car place.  Once we found the place the agent was very helpful and we were soon on our way. 

Along the way we stopped at an interesting attraction called "Fire and Water".  Apparently it is the site of a spring with natural gas in it so that as the water and gas reaches the surface a flame burns on the water.  The flame has been burning for over three centuries so there is a story that the spring is the result of a battle between a water tiger and a fire dragon.


Once we finally found our hotel and had dinner at a nearby restaurant it was time to check out the spa.  Rather than the mud pit we had been expecting they had a bucket of mud.  The point was to slather the mud from the bucket on your skin, let it dry out, and then rinse off in one of the large spas.  Apparently this is supposed to be good for your skin, but as it was cold out we didn't spend too much of our time outside of the spa waiting for the mud to dry.  Still, it was an interesting and relaxing experiencing.


On Sunday we drove back to Kaohsiung to take advantage of having the car.  Our first stop was Cheng Ching Lake which is a beautiful lake area somewhat far from where we live.  We took this opportunity to start a jogging program called "Couch to 5K" which includes a podcast that helps a person gradually increase their running potential.  It was pretty fun and the lake provided a beautiful location to start.  We then went to a store called "Hola" similar to Wheel&Barrow or Pier1 Imports so that we could get some lamps for our place.  Our place looks a little more home-y now.  Even though it was nice to have the car it was also stressful driving in the city traffic.  I think we'll keep with the walking and public transport.

British Consulate Residence and Tainan 10K

2011 is starting out as a busy year.  Both Erin and I have been busy at work even going in during the past few weekends.  That didn't stop us from seeing more of Kaohsiung last weekend as we took the subway to the harbor and walked up to see the former British Consulate Residence.  The residence has a nice colonial style and we were able to enjoy some lunch while overlooking the harbor.  It was a nice break after working so much.

Even better was being able to get out of town and go to Tainan this weekend.  One of the teachers at our school had planned for a group of us to compete in the Tainan marathon.  I say "compete", but in fact Erin and I were there just to walk the 10K and enjoy the city.  We took some trains up to the city Saturday afternoon giving us a little time to check into our hotel and see a temple before going out to dinner at a Greek restaurant.  Though not the best Greek food it was still good and we enjoyed the opportunity.  Later that night we walked over to some nearby towers which were, in fact, temples to the God of Literature built on top of the foundations of an old Dutch fort.  It looked very nice at night and we decided to go back again the next day.

On Sunday we were up very early to make it to the race which started at 6am.  Though we just wanted to walk and enjoy the sights it was clear that everyone else was there to run and compete.  The energy in the air (and the supposed 90 minute time limit for the 10K) prompted us to do some jogging to finish the course in just over an hour and a half. 


After getting cleaned up and getting some breakfast we made a brief trip to the Literature Museum before getting on a train back to Kaohsiung.  While we had our doubts Saturday night about getting up so early to participate I'm glad we did.  Now back in Kaohsiung our legs are sore and I'm sure we'll feel it tomorrow.  Still, if we keep to Erin's New Year's Resolution of 10,000 steps for four days each week we may just be ready for another one in March.  Hopefully one that starts a little bit later so we can get some rest!

Traveling in Taiwan

As our train pulls out from the Taipei Main Station for our home in Kaohsiung I reflect back on this past month, the last of 2010.  The beginning of December found Erin and I back from our vacation in Hong Kong and diving back in to work.  As it was the end of the semester there was much work to do (mainly on Erin's part as she tried to meet the austere grading deadlines).  During this time we were also finishing our preparations for the arrival of Erin's family for the Christmas break.  Finally on Friday, the 17th we had our last day of classes in the morning and the school's Sports Day in the afternoon when students competed in a variety of sports.  By that afternoon we were ready to meet with our colleagues for a drink and a chance to relax after a busy semester.  The next night Erin and I had a chance to get dressed up and go out for a nice dinner before leaving on our big trip around the island.



On Sunday Erin and I got on the High-Speed Rail up to Taipei to meet with her parents for the first half of our trip.  Meeting up with them early in the morning we were able to see many sights of Taipei.  We started with the Taipei International Flora Expo with its enormous array of flower arrangements.  We followed this with lunch at our favorite dumpling place, Din Tai Fong.  We followed this with a trip out to nearby Makong where we went up to a tea house on the hills overlooking Taipei.  As the sun set we enjoyed our tea with the help of a woman at the table beside us who explained the steps involved.  Finally we got back down to Taipei for a delicious sushi dinner before heading back to our hotel.



Monday morning we got up early to get our rental car and start our journey.  After picking up the car and negotiating the busy streets of Taipei we faced a new challenge.  Apparently some top-level negotiator from the mainland was visiting and staying at our same hotel, so security was intense.  Luckily we got back in and got checked out without too much trouble.  Once on the road we made our first stop at the Costco at Hsinchu for some travel essentials (e.g. toilet paper, snacks, water, and wine).  We made another stop in Beipu for lunch composed of a hearty tea drink made from self-ground peanuts, sesame seads, and spices.  We finally made our way to Puli in the mountains where we would be staying for the night.  Finding a place for dinner was a little challenging, but we finally found a hot-pot place where we got a pot of boiling broth and could pick out different pieces of frozen meat and vegetables to cook in it.



On Tuesday, after a typical Taiwanese breakfast and checking out from our hotel we were ready to see some sights.  The first was a massive, modern Buddhist monastery for which Puli is known.  The grounds of the monastery and its main building were very serene with many impressive statutes.  Though not highly evangelical, the intersection of modernity, grandiosity, and religion reminded me a little of Billy Graham's Crystal Cathedral in Southern California.  After such a religious experience it seems ironic that our next stop was Puli's museum on making wine/liquor.  While the alcohol wasn't very tasty the museum was somewhat interesting and free.  Our final stop in Puli was a traditional paper-making shop.  Though there was no one there to give us a tour in English we were able to see the process by which they used to make paper.  It was only a short drive from Puli to Sun Moon Lake where we would be staying next.  After a walk along the lake we were able to find a place for a late lunch.  We were then able to check into our beautiful hotel.  We were able to have another walk along the lake and eat dinner at the hotel before turning in for the night.



Wednesday morning gave us a chance to enjoy the lake before moving on to our next location.  We were first treated to a nice breakfast on the hotel's deck overlooking the lake while basking in the morning sun.  The warm temperature made it difficult to believe it was just a few days before Christmas.  We then took a boat ride across the lake where we had a chance to walk around and take a gondola over the nearby hills.  The view from the brand new gondola were breathtaking and we found ourselves wishing that we had scheduled more time at the lake.  Alas it was soon time to check out and be on our way after lunch.  While we had been happy to have a GPS in English for our trip we found on this day its limitations as it took us through curvy, washed-out, mountain roads on our way to Alishan.  The route our GPS chose for us turned out being longer than expected and required driving over some rough terrain as we saw the damage that numerous typhoons and earthquakes have done.  We finally found our way, but it didn't leave us in a great mood when we finally made it to our hotel and saw the terrible condition of our rooms.  No heat, a spider in our room, Erin's parents room unmade - we spent the next hour trying to find an alternative.  We finally had some dinner and resigned ourselves to our rooms hoping the morning light would make things look better.



Over the course of Thursday morning our feelings to leave Alishan fluctuated with our moods.  Breakfast was paltry, but eventually we made our way into the park which turned out to be very nice.  Through plum orchards and ancient forests we were able to see the beauty of the mountain.  By lunch we felt we had seen much of the park and upon returning to our rooms we decided to pack up and leave.  In the future I believe Erin and I may return to the park, as long as we could get a room at a nicer hotel!  Still, it felt good to be heading back home where we knew where things were and could manage day-to-day life without constant language difficulties.  Back at our place we were able to order some pizza and relax for the night.



Friday felt like a mid-trip break when we were able to catch our breath.  We did laundry, checked emails, went to Costco again, and generally relaxed.  We were able to catch the movie, "Due Date" in our plush local theater and have some delicious Thai food.  Erin and I have been here in Taiwan for five months now and though we have difficulties getting around sometimes this trip around the island has shown me how settled we've become in Kaohsiung.  Even now as I write this on the train I find myself looking forward to returning there as we conclude our trip.  I'll write about the second half of our trip shortly, but this seems like a good time to take a break.

Christmas and New Years in Taiwan

Christmas certainly felt different than usual this past year. We got a phone call first thing in the morning from Erin's sister Amy and her husband Kevin who had arrived in Taipei the night before. They were taking the high speed train down to join us in Kaohsiung at our place. After breakfast with Erin's parents and some time to talk to my parents on Skype, Amy and Kevin arrived. The six of us were able to celebrate Christmas together with stockings and some gifts for their “babies” (Amy is pregnant and Erin's parents have an adorable new puppy, Dante). We then went to show all of them our school and Lotus Lake nearby. After seeing all the temples and statues at the lake we went to lunch at a nearby restaurant that another teacher had taken us to. The food was once again delicious and gave us the energy to hike up Monkey Mountain where we found a small troop of monkeys. We finished Christmas with dinner at a nice Cajun restaurant we like called, “Bayou”.

On Sunday we took the car out to the countryside starting with the nearby town of Maolin. Supposed to be the place to see butterflies now in their peak we found very few of them. The area was very pretty though and it was regrettable that we had to turn back for gas. Heading back towards Kaohsiung we spent some time at what seemed like the “Disneyland of Buddhism”, Foguangshan. They had a cave with several low-tech animatronics and kitschy scenes from the history of Buddhism. We had dinner at a delicious dim sum restaurant before heading back to our apartment.

On Monday we drove down to Kenting stopping along the way at the aquarium. It was one of the better aquariums we've seen with a whale shark, penguins, and baleen whales. Shortly after lunch we were at our hotel which was just across the street from a wonderful beach which we enjoyed for a while before heading out to see more of the area. We drove over to the Pacific side of the island to view some interesting rock formations along the coast and a park around a lighthouse at the very Southern tip of Taiwan. Afterward we had dinner at a good Thai restaurant in Kenting before walking through the city's night market.

Tuesday found us driving up the Eastern coast of Taiwan on our way to Taroko Gorge. We spent most of the day driving with brief stops to take in the beautiful scenery, switch drivers, and get meals. The East Coast is very scenic and we hope to visit there again at a little slower pace. After an inexpensive dinner of dumpling soup in Hualien we drove into the gorge whose features were lost in the darkness of the night. Fortunately we were able to find our lavish hotel and get some rest after navigating the narrow roads.

We had more time to see the gorge on Wednesday when we took a shuttle to one of the many notable views. Unfortunately we weren't clear on the shuttle schedule and so found ourselves walking through a large portion of the gorge on the same narrow road (and through the dark tunnels) that the cars and buses used. It didn't help that many of the gorge's trails were closed due to landslides from earthquakes and typhoons. When we got back to our hotel in the afternoon it was nice to spend some time just relaxing for the rest of the day.

On our way out of the gorge on Thursday we stopped to hike one of the few open trails. It was a beautiful path overlooking a sparkling stream and lush canyon walls. Back in the van we were soon on our way back to Taipei. The drive was shorter than the one the previous day and took us through one of the longest road tunnels in Asia. While the traffic in Taipei was crazy we were able to find our hotel. After checking in we tried to find a jade market but had no luck and instead made our way to the city's botanical garden. That night we found a nice Vietnamese place for dinner.

Early Friday morning Erin's parents were off to the airport for their flight home while the rest of us took in more sights in Taipei. It was a very busy day as we went up to the top of Taipei 101, had dumplings from our favorite dumpling place, visited the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, walked through the 2-28 park, visited Longshan temple, and bought a gift at the nearby “snake alley” night market. Of course, being New Year's Eve, we couldn't leave it at that. So after a brief rest at our hotel we went back out for a late dinner and joined the tremendous crowds to see fireworks being shot off from the Taipei 101. The immense crowd of people was uncomfortable due to a reduced sense (or complete lack of) personal space. However, the fireworks display was very impressive especially as it covered most of the surface of the Taipei 101 building. With so many people it took us a long time to get back to our hotel. Since Amy and Kevin were leaving early the next day we said our goodbyes and went back to our room to crash.

Erin and I started the new year with a big western-style breakfast before getting on a train and heading back to Kaohsiung. Looking back we see that it was a very busy trip that allowed us to see a large number of places in Taiwan. We have a much better idea now of the places we would like to see more of and those we can do without seeing again. It was wonderful to have family out to visit and we look forward to seeing everyone again this summer.

Hong Kong Thanksgiving

After a quick three days Erin and I were ready to head out to Hong Kong for Thanksgiving last Thursday.  Well, almost ready.  We had gotten up early for our 8am flight, but as we reached the airport we realized we had forgotten a passport.  Fortunately we were able to reschedule to the next flight so we had time to go back home, get some Starbucks, the passport, and a little relaxation before our flight.  This was not Amazing Race.

Once in Hong Kong we were able to get a shuttle to our beautiful hotel where we proceeded to have a drink overlooking the harbor.  Before long we were heading across the harbour on a ferry and up Victoria Peak on a tram.  Even for a Thursday there were a lot of people, but we had reservations at a restaurant at the top for Thanksgiving Dinner.  The food was very fancy, but delivered the necessary turkey and mashed potatoes and a romantic setting to go along with it.  The evening air was so nice that we decided to walk down from the peak.  We didn't get too far on the deserted path though when we realized we had forgotten a bag of souvenirs.  Heading back up a porcupine crossed our path which made the return trip more interesting and gave us another incentive to take the tram back down.

The next morning we got to talk to family as they were celebrating Thanksgiving.  It was nice to see everyone through Skype.  Eventually we got cleaned up and went out for some shopping.  While we saw a few things we liked we seemed to be constantly presented with the hip local fashion that is definitely not our style.  We moved on to the Peninsula for some fancy afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches.  Once finished we tried our hand at shopping again, this time in Causeway Bay, but were again disappointed.  Shopping really isn't our thing.

Our next stop was a ride on a traditional junk in the harbor while watching the light show.  The music was kind of hokey, but the view was excellent as we saw buildings from both sides of the harbor light up in time (roughly) to the music.  We finished the day at an amazing sushi place called Nobu.  It really typified Hong Kong for me as we had delicious sushi while overhearing some guys pitching a new technology to an investor at the next table over.  I think if it weren't for the tremendous amount of people and the high cost of everything we would enjoy living there in the future.

We got a full understanding of the crowds on Saturday when we went out to Lantau island to see the big Buddha.  We had decided to take the gondola to the remote village and monastery, but that also happened to be how everyone wanted to go.  What seemed at first to be a short line turned into a several-hour wait.  Once at the village we were rewarded with a parkour demonstration along with the majesty of the statue.  But then we had to wait once again to get on the gondola back down.  We ended up spending most of our day on the trip.  That night though we had a chance to see SoHo with it's long escalators, small bars, and narrow streets.  We found a great little Italian place for dinner to finish our day.

On Sunday, after one last walk along the harbour, I saw Erin off at the airport.  While she went back to Kaohsiung I was staying on in Hong Kong Monday and Tuesday for a conference on leadership in education and technology put on by Apple.  It was an interesting conference that really helped me see how technology can be integrated into teaching.  Plus we got to play with iPads and I got to meet other education tech people, so that was fun.  Of course it's meant spending the rest of this week catching up and I'm glad that it's the weekend once again.

It was a very enjoyable trip and I can definitely see Erin and I visiting again...as long as we can figure out when to avoid the crowds!

Fun Fair and Birthday

It's been relatively quiet for Erin and I recently.  Last weekend Kaohsiung American School (KAS) had their annual Fun Fair.  This is put on the school PTA to raise money for school and community projects and includes numerous booths for food and games.  The goal of this year's Fun Fair was to raise money for a gym.  While the theme was "Beat the Heat" it turned out that wouldn't be a problem since it rained for most of the day.  Fortunately Erin and I were able to stay relatively dry working in the entrance-way helping to sell books.  What's more, though it was wet there looked to be a large turnout and everyone seemed to be having a good time.


On Friday it was my birthday and I'm so happy for all my friends and family that expressed their well wishes.  Even though we're so far away it's nice to know that people are thinking about me.  Friday night Erin took me out to see the latest Harry Potter movie.  The movie was kind of dark and depressing, but it was an also exciting and seeing it in recliners while eating dinner and sipping cocktails made the experience very fun.  In addition to going out Erin had ordered an apple pie that arrived Friday afternoon still warm from wherever it was cooked.  It has been delicious and I'm glad she went through the effort to track down someone to make it.


Finally on Saturday night we went out to an American place called "The Brickyard".  While none of the people we had invited were able to make it out that meant we got to know the owner of bar.  Apparently he worked at KAS as an ESL teacher recently, but was let go as the school shifted its focus away from that area.  With some experience in organizing parties he was able to get "The Brickyard" up and running with an American menu and local bands playing frequently.  Our meal was very enjoyable and the place filled up quickly, so it seemed like he was doing something right.  It was another example of how quickly things can change here.


This week is a short week for us with the Thanksgiving holiday.  We're looking forward to going out to Hong Kong for the long weekend starting on Thursday.  Before long it will be Christmas vacation.  When we look back on it the year certainly seems to be moving quickly.