Tuesday 26 January 2010
An abandoned ferris wheel in Mersing, Malaysia.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Last day on Tioman
Monday 25 January 2010
Today was our last day on the island, so I figured a photo of the best sunset we saw was in order.
Goodbye, Tioman!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Yellow coconuts
Saturday 23 January 2010
These are some special kind of coconut, I guess. The guy whose property they are on goes out and counts them every morning, to make sure no one has taken any.
These are some special kind of coconut, I guess. The guy whose property they are on goes out and counts them every morning, to make sure no one has taken any.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Coral on the beach
Thursday 21 January 2010
I want to learn a bit more about photography, understand the basics a bit better, so here on the island I decided to put my camera on full manual, and keep it there. I go down to the beach every morning and try and take some interesting shots, choosing all my own settings.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Not quite Monkey Bay
Sunday 17 January 2010
Ryan and I took a little hike up the island today, looking for a beach at Monkey Bay. We hiked for about an hour and a half, and then found a beautiful sweeping curve of beach. We had it all to ourselves, and it was beautiful. I laid down on the sand and took this photo looking up into our shade tree.
(We later found out that we stopped too soon - it was a bigger beach just beyond this one.)
Friday, January 15, 2010
Little lizard
Saturday 16 January 2010
There are many monitor lizards on the island here. They can grow up to over four feet long, from nose to tail (this little guy is just a baby), and are completely harmless to humans. We see them often, sunning themselves on the path or hiding under our hut.
There are many monitor lizards on the island here. They can grow up to over four feet long, from nose to tail (this little guy is just a baby), and are completely harmless to humans. We see them often, sunning themselves on the path or hiding under our hut.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Bali Hai called
Friday 15 January 2010
After a rather rough ferry ride, we have finally arrived on Pulao Tioman, our island paradise. It is a small island in the South China Sea, mostly mountainous, ringed with soft sand beaches and coral reefs.
For you musical-lovers out there, it is also where they filmed the movie "South Pacific." This island was the inspiration for Bali Hai.
We are staying in a little hut - this is the view from our porch.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Fish Massage
Wednesday 13 January 2010
Ryan and I arrived in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia last night. We're heading off to an island paradise for a few weeks of sun and sand, but first we have a day or two in KL for shopping. We visited the central market today, where we found this unusual treatment.
It is a pool full of little fish. You put your feet in, and they eat off all your dead skin. Supposedly it renews your skin and improves circulation and all kinds of other miracle improvements. All I know is, it tickles an awful lot!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Happy factory
Tuesday 12 January 2010
On our way up to Taipei this morning, we passed by this lovely and whimsical smokestack. You barely notice that it's spewing noxious gases into our air.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Summer and Winter in Kaohsiung
Monday 11 January 2010
This is Kaohsiung in the summer, all blue skies and clear days, and Kaohsiung in the winter, all cloudy and smoggy. Well, mostly smoggy.
It doesn't rain in the winter, and there is little wind, so there is nothing to clear out the pollution that collects. This is a bad day, I'll admit, but still, it get pretty gross.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Monkeyfruit
Sunday 10 January 2010
This monkey is from the hike yesterday, but it was such a shot I couldn't resist.
Friday, January 08, 2010
Big tree
Saturday 9 January 2010
We went on a little hike with some friends today, and they took us to see this amazing tree. This is just a tiny portion of it, it must have covered half a football fiend, all twisting branches and reaching roots.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Temple or church?
Thursday 7 January 2010
Ryan and I stumbled across this little church which used to be a temple. It is the traditional temple shape, all sloping, green tile roofs and red pillars and dragon incense burners, but they have now filled it with crosses and angels. Very odd, but very cool.
Ryan and I stumbled across this little church which used to be a temple. It is the traditional temple shape, all sloping, green tile roofs and red pillars and dragon incense burners, but they have now filled it with crosses and angels. Very odd, but very cool.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Tornado in Taiwan!
Wednesday 6 January 2010
Ryan graded today, his last grading before we go, for the dark green belt. It was a fantastic grading, and I feel really lucky to have caught his awesome forms on video. Here he is showing off his tornado kicks.
Monday, January 04, 2010
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Chen Chu
Monday 4 January 2010
This is Chen Chu, the mayor of Kaoshiung. She's a pretty cool lady – she has spent time in jail for her involvement in Taiwan's independence movement. But I absolutely love that she has a little cartoon of herself for all the public signs and announcements. She is different in each one, but this superhero ChenChu is one of my favorites.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Friday, January 01, 2010
Durian
Saturday 2 January 2010
This is durian, which is known in Southeast Asia as “the king of fruits.” Of course, they also say that it “smells like hell but tastes like heaven,” which in my opinion is only half true. It smells like rot, like sickly-sweet putrid gross rotting fruit flesh. The texture is even worse, kind of custardy. And the taste? Just like the smell, unsurprisingly. We have tried it before, but Ryan wanted to give it one more try before we leave. He said it isn't as bad as the first time, but still far from good, and I still absolutely can't stand it.
This is durian, which is known in Southeast Asia as “the king of fruits.” Of course, they also say that it “smells like hell but tastes like heaven,” which in my opinion is only half true. It smells like rot, like sickly-sweet putrid gross rotting fruit flesh. The texture is even worse, kind of custardy. And the taste? Just like the smell, unsurprisingly. We have tried it before, but Ryan wanted to give it one more try before we leave. He said it isn't as bad as the first time, but still far from good, and I still absolutely can't stand it.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Apple crate
Thursday 31 December 2009
We went to the annual Kaohsiung Container Arts festival today, where local artists are given a shipping container and decorate it however they like. There were some interesting ones this year, and some cheesy ones. I rather liked this one full of (fake) apples.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Chimp feet
Tuesday 29 December 2009
We went to the zoo today – an actually appropriate field trip! These are a chimpanzee's feet, hanging out at the top of his enclosure.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Winter clothes
Monday 28 December 2009
The temperature right now is in the low 20s during the day, and maybe down to just below 20 at night. (so, in the 70's during the day, and high 60's at night, in Fahrenheit.) So, Taiwanese parents think that it is freezing cold outside, and unless they bundle their children in three or four layers of thick clothing, they will immediately die. Now, I know my blood has thinned, but being from Michigan I still don't quite understand this.
J, my little Norwegian student, of course still comes to school in T-shirts and shorts, a matter of some concern for the Taiwanese staff of the school. I've tried explaining that this is as warm as it gets in summer in Norway, but they still worry.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Cookiemas!
Friday 25 December 2009
One of my completed cookie trays. This year's features, going clockwise: sugar cookies, chewy ginger cookies, spicy chocolate shortbread, mint marbled refrigerator cookies, pumpkin cookies, almond snowballs, and coconut peanut candies. Not bad, huh?
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Santa Lao Gong Gong!
Thursday 24 December 2009
All the Taiwanese incarnations of Santa. You might want to click on this one to get a better view. My personal favorite, in the upper left, is Santa as a foreigner in a fake beard.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Christmas party
Wednesday 23 December 2009
Today was our Christmas party at school, so of course it's the day to come to school dressed as a robot. But it was only one kid – my first year teaching kindergarten, in 2003, half the class came to the Christmas party in Halloween costumes. I had several jolly Batmans that year.
The boy on the right is my little Norwegian. His parents later told me that drawing freckles on your face is what everyone does in Norway when they attend a Christmas party - kids and adults alike. Isn't he adorable?
Monday, December 21, 2009
Welder
Tuesday 22 December 2009
A common sight here in Taiwan – a guy welding with absolutely no protective gear whatsoever.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
2010 Cookies
Sunday 20 December 2009
Here are all of the cookies I baked this year, finished at last. 663 cookies in a week – phew, I'm tired!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Cookie party!
Saturday 19 December 2009
We had our annual cookie decorating party today! Here is the set-up – cookies, frosting, sprinkles – just awaiting our creative hands.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Dried pomelos
Friday 18 December 2009
Do you remember that pomelo hat I had on back in October? Well, here a dozens of those hats, probably from last Chinese New Year, all hung out to dry.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Director's flowers
Thursday 17 December 2009
I got some flowers on the last night of the performance, so I thought I'd post a photo of them here. Not because they were nice flowers, although they were, but mostly to how just elaborately wrapped flowers come here. This set-up is for about 10 roses – a big ribbon, three outer layers of pretty paper, a sea of gauzy stuff, and each rose individually wrapped. It was sooooooo much trash when I took it apart.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Paper money burner
Wednesday 16 December 2009
A paper money burner, used on auspicious days to contain the flames as everyone heads to the streets and burns money for their ancestors.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Republic of Comedy
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Ryan performed in a little improv show tonight. Here is the game “Puppets.”
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Cast shot
Monday 14 December 2009
I just couldn't resist putting in one more show photo – here is the whole cast. I still can't believe I somehow got all these people together often enough and long enough to actually put together a show!
(Photo by Ryan Bird)
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Fairy line-up
Sunday 13 December 2009
The night of our last show. Here are my four speaking fairies.
(Photo by Ryan Bird)
Friday, December 11, 2009
Titania and Bottom
Saturday 12 December 2009
Our second weekend! Here is my Titania and Bottom. . . . “and my eye is much enthralled to thy shape.”
(Photo by Ryan Bird)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Yumi's studies
Friday 11 December 2009
These books belong to Yumi, my old student and the older sister of my other current private student, Emily. (Who has FINALLY changed her name from Wonderful, thank goodness.) She is 12 years old, and none of these books are for school, they are ALL for extra lessons and after-school classes. This is completely normal for a Taiwanese child. Parents here are not happy unless their children are either in class or doing homework, honestly, every moment of the day except meals. (All three of which are often eaten at school.)
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
San jia yi
Thursday 10 December 2009
This is my friend Bekah's medicine, that she got from the doctor. But look closely – where it tells her how long she has to take it for, the doctor has written in 3+1 days. Yes, that's right, the belief that 4 is an unlucky number is so strong here that even doctors would rather write 3+1.
This is my friend Bekah's medicine, that she got from the doctor. But look closely – where it tells her how long she has to take it for, the doctor has written in 3+1 days. Yes, that's right, the belief that 4 is an unlucky number is so strong here that even doctors would rather write 3+1.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
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