Cookie preparations

Saturday 20 December 2008

Ah, it's starting to feel like Christmas! The smell of baking has filled the house for about a week now. Here are Ryan's scuffles and my sugar cookies, getting ready for our big cookie party tomorrow.

December palms

Friday 19 December 2008

Yeah, it feels cold to me; yes, my blood has thinned in the past 5 years; yes, I am a big wimp. Still, I am fine being a wimp when I can look around in December and see palm trees.

Santa's guards?

Thursday 18 December 2008

Ah, Christmas, Chinese-style.

Red building

Wednesday 17 December 2008

Taiwanese cake

Tuesday 16 December 2008

Today was my student Wonderful's birthday. (Yes, her name is Wonderful. And yes, her parents (who also happen to be the owners of the school) think an awful lot of her.) She brought in a cake for all the students. It was a pretty typical Taiwanese cake, which is why I decided to take a picture. You see, a Taiwanese cake always has lot of fruit, which is just about the only good part; the cake part is light, dry, and completely tasteless; the frosting is thick, super-sugary, and devoid of richness; and it is always absolutely beautiful, tricking you time and again into having a slice. You know how much I love sweets, but I actually rather dislike Taiwanese cake.

Lion Dance

Monday 15 December 2008

I saw this lion dance on the side of the road today, so I stopped to watch. Some new store was opening - people sometimes hire lion dancers for a grand opening, it being good luck and all.

Lotus Lake pagodas

Sunday 14 December 2008

Okay, this is an old photo - I apologize. Ryan's parents left yesterday, so we spent today getting stuff in order, running errands, and getting ready to start school again tomorrow. (Ryan has had two weeks off, lucky boy.) So, here is a lovely shot of the most famous pagodas in Kaohsiung. You walk into the dragon's mouth, and out the tiger's. The water is really low this year, unfortunately.

Street wedding

Saturday 13 December 2008

Today was a good day for weddings! Wedding dinners often take place on the street here, under a big long tent. There was one on our street today, and as they were taking down the tent covering, it provided a good look at what goes on. You put up a tent, fill it with tables. People come, eat a HUGE 10-course meal, take a few pictures maybe with the new couple (you can see the bride there in the red dress - in Chinese culture, white is for funerals and red is for weddings, although nowadays lots of brides wear white in the western tradition), and go home. I have to say, I'm glad that Ryan and my reception will be indoors!

Balcony sunset

Friday 12 December 2008

The sunset as seen from our living room balcony. Unfortunately, it is also the sun setting over Mr. and Mrs. Bird's visit to Taiwan. We'll miss them!

Row of scooters

Thursday 11 December 2008

Yep, it's a great long row of scooters parked along the street. On DaChang Road, where there are tons of food and tea stands.

Medicine

Wednesday 10 December 2008

I have ten students in my class. You will notice this picture has 7 kinds of medicine in it. Actually, another student who arrived late also had medicine, but it was too crazy to stop and take another picture. So, eight out of ten students on medicine. No, they are not all sickly (although there are a few who would use a few days resting at home, something almost unheard of here), Taiwanese people simply love medicine. Chinese, western, you name it, they'll take it. You go to the doctor with a cold and you'll walk out with 4 medications. I sometimes joke and call my co-teacher "Nurse Ariana."

Mah Jhong

Tuesday 9 December 2008

We took the Birds to the Yucheng night market tonight for some shopping and eating. (Yes, Mrs. Bird tried squid-on-a-stick, and liked it!) We didn't play any mah jhong, though.

Department store glitter

Monday 8 December 2008

One of the major department stores in town, all glitzed up for Christmas. I still don't understand this phenomenon. Taiwanese people love decorating for Christmas, playing Christmas songs, and putting Christmas lights all over the place. But they don't actually celebrate the holiday. They aren't Christians, they don't give gifts, take the day off work, nothing. It's weird. All this glitter, and then nothing happens on Christmas day.

85 Story

Sunday 7 December 2008

Okay, so I took this photo yesterday while we were visiting the 85-story building.

Above the city

Saturday 6 December 2008

We took Ryan's parents to the viewing platform of the 85-story building today. It wasn't the clearest day, but it was neat nonetheless. I really like this picture because Mr. Bird is actually smiling in it - he usually looks so somber in photos.

Cultural Center lion

Friday 5 December 2008

We took Mr. and Mrs. Bird to the Cultural Center today.

Gray windows

Thursday 4 December 2008

Some days I feel like everything I see is rectangular.

You cold, Hank?

Wednesday 3 December 2008

As soon as it dropped below 75 degrees F, my students started coming to school dressed like this. Now, I will freely admit that my blood has thinned, and that I need a sweater below 70. But really, this many quilted, down-filled layers when it is 72 degrees out? (He had on a T-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, and jacket.) Even I find this excessive. But then, no one ever accused Taiwanese parents of not being concerned about their kids.

Money truck

Tuesday 2 December 2008

A great big truck full of ghost money. I wonder - if there were an accident, and the truck went up in flames, would the driver's ancestors be filthy rich? Or would it just go into the afterlife and float around for any old ghost to grab? Or does money burned accidentally not go to anyone, like a bank error in no one's favor?

Frog's Oviduct

Monday 1 December 2008

Anyone up for a great big glass of frog's oviduct? I tried it - slimy, but not bad. Kinda like tapioca pudding.