A Taste of Taiwan (or stuff from other places that is new to us!)

Starfruit and Wax Apples

Dumplings (YUM!)

Pig's Blood and Rice (not the exact version we tried .... but you get the idea)

Carrie and I (mostly Carrie) have been trying to be adventurous with new foods on our travels. I am realizing I am a picky eater now that I am outside of my comfort zone. If it smells, looks or sounds weird...I won't try it. If no one can translate for me what it is....no way. If it is something relatively normal but smells or looks different then it would at home... I hesitate. If the entire body is still on the outside and there are eyes on it winking at me .... ummm maybe pass. The reason I do try things is if Carrie tries it first and doesn't look like she might hurl I will give it a go. Or peer pressure....Tommy! My Chinese teacher shakes her head at me everyday at lunch as I pick through the food making faces. She is always telling me to try things and that they are good for me or that they taste good...I always assume she must by lying by the looks of this stuff. I know I should be more adventurous but is a school cafeteria really ever the place to experience a cultures food? I have tried somethings such as dumplings, tofu and new dishes at restaurants which have all been delicious. I also do try new fruits....how can you go wrong there.

Guava
Starfruit
Yellow Watermelon
Wax Apples
mini versions of peaches and apple/pears
and others that I don't know the name of

The strangest thing we have tried is the pig's blood with rice. In Taiwan many people enjoy either pig's blood or duck's blood in almost a jello like form or together with rice. Tommy basically forced us into the rice version after it had been barbecued. It is hard to describe the taste because it didn't really taste like anything not that I would know what blood is supposed to taste like. But I did it. It is one of those things I think you do just to say you did.

Pig's blood. check.

I do look forward to trying some more new and interesting foods as we travel....but as long as Carrie does it first!

Here is a video of more food adventures!

Birthday L.O.V.E.

Happy 25th Birthday Cheddar Bob!

Hiking and Hot Springs

This past weekend Carrie and I went the some friends hiking in Taipei. It was an easy climb on a gorgeous Saturday morning. The exercise and outdoor activity was more then welcomed and the amazing view from the top was totally worth it!

After the climb Carrie and I got to experience Taiwan hot springs for the first time. We went to public hot springs for 40NT or 1.25 CDN per person. We moved from warm pools to cold pools and back to hot pools. We repeated this process and slowly increased the heat each time. The hot springs were a nice experience and very relaxing after a day of hiking. But it was a little awkward sitting in the center of the pools as all the other (Asian) people quietly stared at the white kids rocking the two pieces. It was quickly noted that male bathing suits here are more revealing than woman's. Also we learned that hot springs are very different than hot tubs in Canada. The water is relaxing but it is very calm and still. There are no massaging jets or chemicals to feel clean as you bath with hundereds of strangers. It is also so hot or so cold that you must sit very still and only move slowly in and out of the pools as not to disturb other bathers. Also the cold pools were a new sensation. Slowly crawling into a freezing pool of water and curling into a ball to keep warm seems like an unpleasant experience but it was actually what Carrie and I liked the best. It must be our inner Canadian missing the cold because if you sat really still the water felt refreshing.... moving in the cold water was another thing. Brrrr!!! We did not make it into the hottest pool where the water is coming out of the Earth basically boiling. Our friends' skin was pink like they were being cooked alive when they crawled out of the hot hot pool...no thanks.

After our hike and hot springs we went to our friends place for a roof top bbq with a few drinks to close out our weekend.

A great way to welcome spring 2010!

Hot Springs (minus the crowd)

Keen to be Green

St. Patrick's Day is easily one of my favorite holidays. So when the opportunity to celebrate with friends comes along there is no way I am missing out. In the past couple of years I have managed to celebrate this fine day on an average of two times per year. Usually one weekend celebration and one on the actual day. It was helpful being a full time student for the past 5 years to make this possible!


So, being in Taiwan was not going to stop me from dressing up and going out. Some fellow foreigners joined Carrie and I as we headed to Taipei for a night on the town. Before the big night, Carrie and I searched for green accessories and clothes as we did not pack such things from home. We were more then capable of finding random crap to make some wonderfully green and festive outfits. We met our friends at the train station with extra green for others and a couple tall boys. Looking even more out of place then usual we strolled into the train station to find our friends in green t shirts.... nothing on their heads...nothing on their faces. We quickly changed that by passing out stickers and extra accessories.


This was the plan: a great group of foreign English teachers traveling in a Chinese speaking country, to a Canadian owned bar, in order to celebrate an Irish holiday.


The night started with shots being handed out as we entered the bar (The Brass Monkey)...and never seemed to stop. We were entered (against our will) into an Irish dance competition where the team decided Ring-Around-the-Rosie would be our go to move. Somehow we made it to the FINALS! The finals involved more shots of Jameson and a dance off for the title. Our best dancer was going to be selected...Mike was up to the task. We covered him in everything green and gave him pom poms. He was set. His competition was a tiny Asian girl who was actually trying to dance "Irish". Our game plan GET IN HER SPACE. Mike did all he could but the judges did not vote in our favor. Still priceless to watch!


The night continued on with details blurring: dancing, drinking, new friends and a LONG cab ride home.



Proud to say we made it home at an acceptable time and were actually kind of useful the following day!

St. Patrick's Day is truly a great and international holiday!

For Jenna

Your first love is always so special....

"The Gib"