Monday 20 October 2008
Well, we've been here for a while now, but I thought I might put up a picture of our apartment, for those of you who haven't seen it on facebook. It's nice, big, airy, and two floors, and we're quite happy here!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Our apartment
Monday 20 October 2008
Well, we've been here for a while now, but I thought I might put up a picture of our apartment, for those of you who haven't seen it on facebook. It's nice, big, airy, and two floors, and we're quite happy here!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Goodbye, Angela
Sunday 19 October 2008
Angela, one of our kong fu classmates, had her going-away party tonight (well, Saturday night, but this picture was taken in the wee moments of Sunday), and decided she wanted to set off some fireworks as a last Taiwan hoorah. That's her, one of the blurs running away from the lit fireworks. (Which you can buy at any corner store here, by the way.)
There are always fireworks going off here, so she figured there would be no trouble setting them off in an empty parking lot. Turns out, it's probably best to do them when everyone else is doing them, instead of after midnight in a quiet neighborhood. The cops showed up just as we were leaving.
Angela, one of our kong fu classmates, had her going-away party tonight (well, Saturday night, but this picture was taken in the wee moments of Sunday), and decided she wanted to set off some fireworks as a last Taiwan hoorah. That's her, one of the blurs running away from the lit fireworks. (Which you can buy at any corner store here, by the way.)
There are always fireworks going off here, so she figured there would be no trouble setting them off in an empty parking lot. Turns out, it's probably best to do them when everyone else is doing them, instead of after midnight in a quiet neighborhood. The cops showed up just as we were leaving.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Yucheng night market
Saturday 18 October 2008
I really liked this one. A guy playing one of the little games at the night market.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Air Raid
Friday 17 October 2008
Downtown Kaohsiung at 1:30 in the afternoon, and there is NO ONE on the street. Not one scooter, car, bicycle, or electric wheelchair. Why not?
Air raid drill. That's right, every six months or so they turn on the air raid sirens and everyone has to get off the road and take shelter in a building while the cops and soldiers do some kind of drill, in preparation for an attack from China. (A very unlikely event, mind you.)
It's really freaky to hear the sirens go off, like something out of a WWII movie.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Another street
Wednesday 15 October 2008
Another typical little street here in Kaohsiung. I love all the green that people have grown in every little crevice of the city.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
I heart . . .
Tuesday 14 October 2008
We stopped at the LiuoHe night market tonight, and saw this great shirt.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Street gowns
Monday 13 October 2008
I think you can buy just about anything on the street here. Prom dress anyone?
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Folded money thingies
Sunday 12 October 2008
The biggest pile I've ever seen of these folded ghost-money accordion things.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Hand-painted sign
Saturday 11 October 2008
A hand-painted sign on a store window. Even the simplest things are beautiful in Chinese. When I see things like this, I am reminded of why I wanted to study the language in the first place.
A hand-painted sign on a store window. Even the simplest things are beautiful in Chinese. When I see things like this, I am reminded of why I wanted to study the language in the first place.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Tamborines
Thursday 9 October 2008
They have those claw machines for EVERYTHING here. These are neon light-up tamborines.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Mannequin
Wednesday 8 October 2008
You see this style of mannequin around sometimes, it's really really strange.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Carnival?
Tuesday 7 October 2008
Saw this on the way home tonight. Don't quite know what it's for - some kind of religious celebration? Right in the middle of the street. Every day is a party in Taiwan!
Monday, October 06, 2008
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Procession
Sunday 5 October 2008
Our kong fu group was asked to do a demo today at a couple of temples - sure! we said, delighted. We had done one other demo that went great, and were excited about an all-day affair. So, we met the other kong fu school early in the morning at a temple in Kaohsiung. Right off the bat, they asked us to hold flags for a small procession just to get things started. Sure! we said, delighted. We could help them out, hold flags, see one of these religious processions from the inside. It was fun, a bit noisy, and then we were off.
We hopped on a bus that would take us to a giant temple (the biggest I've ever seen, actually) a couple hours north of here, where the kong fu school again needed us to hold the flags. Okay, we said. It was a HUGE temple holding a HUGE celebration, with enough firecrackers piled up to make mushroom clouds, screaming fireworks, people in costumes, lion dances, drums, gongs, whistles, dances, people doing kong fu on stilts, you name it, they had it. Including this guy, who would inhale incense, welcome a god into his body, and then walk around "possessed," hitting himself on the back and the head with a sword. It was very very noisy and we stood in the sun for an awfully long time, holding the flags, but we were overall happy to have seen such a unique event.
When we got back to Kaohsiung we were tired and happy and ready to go home. That was not to be! We had to hold the flags for another, much longer procession around the city, through narrow alleys reverberating with the firecrackers, fireworks, drums, and gongs. It was noisy, hot, and smokey, and we were all ready to be done. Finally, we arrived back at the original temple, where there were two more hours of noise and smoke. Then, THEN, twelve hours after we had arrived in the morning, we were asked to perform our TWO MINUTE kong fu demo. What a day.
Our kong fu group was asked to do a demo today at a couple of temples - sure! we said, delighted. We had done one other demo that went great, and were excited about an all-day affair. So, we met the other kong fu school early in the morning at a temple in Kaohsiung. Right off the bat, they asked us to hold flags for a small procession just to get things started. Sure! we said, delighted. We could help them out, hold flags, see one of these religious processions from the inside. It was fun, a bit noisy, and then we were off.
We hopped on a bus that would take us to a giant temple (the biggest I've ever seen, actually) a couple hours north of here, where the kong fu school again needed us to hold the flags. Okay, we said. It was a HUGE temple holding a HUGE celebration, with enough firecrackers piled up to make mushroom clouds, screaming fireworks, people in costumes, lion dances, drums, gongs, whistles, dances, people doing kong fu on stilts, you name it, they had it. Including this guy, who would inhale incense, welcome a god into his body, and then walk around "possessed," hitting himself on the back and the head with a sword. It was very very noisy and we stood in the sun for an awfully long time, holding the flags, but we were overall happy to have seen such a unique event.
When we got back to Kaohsiung we were tired and happy and ready to go home. That was not to be! We had to hold the flags for another, much longer procession around the city, through narrow alleys reverberating with the firecrackers, fireworks, drums, and gongs. It was noisy, hot, and smokey, and we were all ready to be done. Finally, we arrived back at the original temple, where there were two more hours of noise and smoke. Then, THEN, twelve hours after we had arrived in the morning, we were asked to perform our TWO MINUTE kong fu demo. What a day.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Giants
Saturday 4 October 2008
Religious costumes. Do you see those little holes in their bellies? That's where the person wearing them looks out - I imagine they must be awfully heavy and hot.
Religious costumes. Do you see those little holes in their bellies? That's where the person wearing them looks out - I imagine they must be awfully heavy and hot.
Friday, October 03, 2008
5
Friday 3 October 2008
This is my students' weekend homework. (Yes, even if it is just coloring, two-year-old kindergarten students have homework in Taiwan. They're getting off pretty easy in my class, actually.) Look closely at the 5 - does it look a little odd? Vanessa, my coworker, assured me that this is a Taiwanese five, and it is commonly taught to children this way. She could not, however, explain to me why no one ever grows up to write their fives this way. I've never seen it written like this here.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Good good eat
Thursday 2 October 2008
Well, I usually trust what everyone says without question, but that little girl looks unhappy. Perhaps just because she hasn't had any yet?
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Teas!
Monday 29 September 2008
Well, the typhoon blew itself out last night, but school was canceled today anyway! I spent some time making bottles of tea to keep in the fridge. It's always nice to have something cold and not too sugary on hand, and the teas are cheap at the dry goods market.
Pictured here: fruit, lemongrass, rose, and chrysanthemum. Yum!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Guang Hua Temple
Sunday 28 September 2008
A temple on Guanghua Road, right as the light starts to thicken.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Night Market
Saturday 27 September 2008
We went to the night market tonight, and it was crazy as usual.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Here she comes!
Friday 26 September 2008
Friday is PE day, which always provides tons of great photo ops. Here comes Jenny! She's normally so shy, but she had fun today!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Oooo eeeee
Thursday 25 September 2008
Ooo, who is that mysterious mustachioed man? Oh wait, that's a dummy! This the newest safety measure used by construction crews here - a dummy with waving arms set up just before the work site. It really gets your attention, and is probably much more effective in getting people to slow down than little orange cones - from a distance they look fairly life-like.
Ooo, who is that mysterious mustachioed man? Oh wait, that's a dummy! This the newest safety measure used by construction crews here - a dummy with waving arms set up just before the work site. It really gets your attention, and is probably much more effective in getting people to slow down than little orange cones - from a distance they look fairly life-like.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
In the thick of things
Tuesday 23 September 2008
This is from a rather sleezy free newspaper here in Kaohsiung. I guess reporting on all the domestic disputes and car accidents and whatnot just isn't exciting enough unless they've got the pictures of the action itself. Well, they don't have pictures but that doesn't stop them - they just make them! I personally love the faces on the people, so dramatic.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Lion Dance
Sunday 21 September 2008
Our kong fu class performed in a martial arts demo at a temple dinner tonight. It was a lot of fun, and the foreigners doing kong fu were clearly the big attraction of the evening, even if our kong fu was waaaay more basic than that of the Taiwanese people there.
This photo, by the way, in no way does credit to how difficult and demanding the lion dance is. Two people in a lion suit sounds like hilarity out of a sitcom, but the coordination and strength needed to perform this dance is incredible.
Our kong fu class performed in a martial arts demo at a temple dinner tonight. It was a lot of fun, and the foreigners doing kong fu were clearly the big attraction of the evening, even if our kong fu was waaaay more basic than that of the Taiwanese people there.
This photo, by the way, in no way does credit to how difficult and demanding the lion dance is. Two people in a lion suit sounds like hilarity out of a sitcom, but the coordination and strength needed to perform this dance is incredible.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Procession
Saturday 20 September 2008
A religious precession, making its way through the streets of Kaohsiung, winding through traffic and stopping at various temples as it comes upon them. You see these fairly often, and it's usually pretty neat - unless of course you're in a hurry!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Jump, jump, jump
Friday 19 September 2008
What a demanding teacher - I am always making my students jump through hoops!
Here is Purple (yes, we told her mother there was a perfectly nice name like Violet in existence) during P.E.
What a demanding teacher - I am always making my students jump through hoops!
Here is Purple (yes, we told her mother there was a perfectly nice name like Violet in existence) during P.E.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Rainy Tunnel
Thursday 18 September 2008
A narrow little tunnel on one of the major roads on a rainy night. Funny thing is, after I took this shot I went back around and drove through the tunnel, only to find that there were dozens of people stopped inside in order to put on their raincoats - crazy dangerous!!! I really wanted to stop and get a picture of that, but that would have been just as reckless as them, so I didn't.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
New Map of World
Wednesday 17 September 2008
The world as seen from a Taiwanese perspective - with Taiwan in the middle, of course! Sort of strange seeing things flipped around, I have to admit. But at least this map is pretty modern - the map at my old kindergarten had all of China marked as a part of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
The world as seen from a Taiwanese perspective - with Taiwan in the middle, of course! Sort of strange seeing things flipped around, I have to admit. But at least this map is pretty modern - the map at my old kindergarten had all of China marked as a part of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
The Confucius Temple
Tuesday 16 September 2008
Brian, one of my students, on our field trip to the Confucius temple. This was the most ridiculous field trip I have ever been on. We went to the temple, walked around taking pictures of the students in different places, had a snack, and then left. No information on Confucius, the temple, anything. It was not a field trip, it was a photo opp.
Brian, one of my students, on our field trip to the Confucius temple. This was the most ridiculous field trip I have ever been on. We went to the temple, walked around taking pictures of the students in different places, had a snack, and then left. No information on Confucius, the temple, anything. It was not a field trip, it was a photo opp.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Moon Festival
Sunday 14 September 2008
Fireworks being set off in the middle of the street - yep, it's a holiday here in Taiwan!
Fireworks being set off in the middle of the street - yep, it's a holiday here in Taiwan!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Meat bins
Saturday 13 September 2008
How do Taiwanese people celebrate Moon Festival? With a great big nation-wide barbeque!!! (Which, we recently found out, is not an old tradition, like everyone thinks, but the result of an incredibly successful ad campaign about 30 years back.) Here are the great big bins of pre-marinated meat and fish in the supermarket, ready-made barbeque fixin's!
How do Taiwanese people celebrate Moon Festival? With a great big nation-wide barbeque!!! (Which, we recently found out, is not an old tradition, like everyone thinks, but the result of an incredibly successful ad campaign about 30 years back.) Here are the great big bins of pre-marinated meat and fish in the supermarket, ready-made barbeque fixin's!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Moon cakes!
Friday 12 September 2008
Today was the last school day before Moon Festival (also called Mid-Autumn Festival), so naturally we were showered with gifts of moon cakes. These are (normally) tasty little anvils of sugar, fat, and stuffing, so heavy that I swear one little cake must weigh several pounds. They're good, but you really only need one per year. As you can see, we got a few more than that. We got another box on Monday.
This year we got pineapple, which isn't bad; red bean, which is my favorite; and green been with egg and meat, which is disgusting.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Cherry's stickers
Thursday 11 September 2008
This is Cherry, my biggest troublemaker by far. We were making cars out of old boxes today, and her mom sent in some stickers with which to decorate the cars. I turned by back for a minute (silly Christie) and Cherry quickly covered herself with as many of the stickers as possible. I was angry in an official capacity, but was cracking up inside and couldn't resist getting a picture of her.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Teppenyaki
Wednesday 10 September 2008
This is a teppenyaki restaurant, one of our favorites. You go in and sit down along a long counter, like a diner, except that the counter is really a great long grill. You order, they cook it up right in front of you, and leave it in a little pile on the edge of the grill in front of you, so it stays warm as you eat. Yum!
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Intersection
Tuesday 9 September 2008
I met my Spanish teacher at a new cafe today, one at the top of a giant mall, with a great view of the city. Here is the great big Taiwanese intersection it overlooks.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Caterpillar
Saturday 6 September 2008
Spotted this furry little guy outside the art museum today (which is where we practice kong fu.)
Spotted this furry little guy outside the art museum today (which is where we practice kong fu.)
Friday, September 05, 2008
First attempt
Monday 15 September 2008
Fooling around with different techniques. Hopefully you'll see much better shots like this in the future!
Korean-style hotpot
Friday 5 September 2008
A friend took us to her favorite hot pot place tonight, which is "Korean style" - meaning there is only a bit of soup around the edge, and a raised area in the middle for cooking your meat. This place was great for three reasons. 1- a yummy, spicy sauce unlike other hot pot places. 2- you get all-you-can-eat veggies for free, and 3- instead of the normal green or black tea, they serve winter melon tea, one of my favorite teas in Taiwan! We will definitely be going back to this place!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Even the biggest birds . . .
Thursday 4 September 2008
Guess what the Chinese word for "bird" is slang for here? Which means Ryan often has an interesting time telling people his name . . .
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Birthday girl
Tuesday 2 September 2008
Here's a bit of a cheesy picture of my friend/coworker/kongfu teacher Kevin and I cutting the "September birthdays" cake. We happened to do the September party at school on my birthday, so I got to wear a special birthday hat as well! (I'm holding the cards that Kevin's and Ryan's classes made for me.)
Monday, September 01, 2008
Dancing at the museum
Monday 1 September 2008
There's all kinds of parkland around and lots of open public space in front of the Art Museum, so every evening (when it cools down a bit) there are all kinds of classes going on in the open air. From ballroom dancing, to aerobics, to taichi, to our own kongfu class, there's something for everyone. Here is a shot of one of the dance classes.
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