Sunday, October 15
Thursday, October 12
Long weekend
We had a fabulous long weekend. Not only was it a five day weekend but we also got to spend it in Taichung with Charles and Patricia. They bought a house in Salu, just outside of Taichung. A barbeque on the "stoep" outside was the perfect start!
We did the three and a half hour trip to Taichung by train. We didn't book in time to reserve specific seats and we were squeezing into the extra space by the water machine at the back of a car. We were perfectly content with our arrangement to take turns sitting in the 'half seat' when an elderly conductor motioned for us to follow him. We were shown to seats at the front of the train and we got to sit there undisturbed for the whole trip! The picture of James squeezed into an itty-bitty seat was our best shot at comfort before the lovely man arrived.
Charles and Patricia drove us around and showed us the Little Europe section of Taichung. A much different vibe from Kaohsiung; arty, quaint, cobblestone streets, beautiful sidewalks and trendy shops with brands I recognised everywhere. We arrived at about 11:30 a.m. in the morning and I was intrigued by the beautiful girls sweeping the sidewalks. Every shop attendant is expected to tidy up the section of sidewalk outside her shop and these girls are not afraid to work in heels. They get down to it. Check out the girl in zebra tights!
Little Europe had a Cape Town feel to it. It was the first time ever in Taiwan that I felt that familiar relaxation kick in of understanding the vibe of a place. Truth is, I don't understand it, but it just seemed so familiar. Later, I heard that Taichung has the highest crime rate in Taiwan, maybe that's why it felt so familiar...That night they took us to a traditional Hakka restaurant which was definitely something to write home about. Gorgeous interior and killer Kong Bao chicken. YUM! After eating way too much, we had mochi with peanut sprinkles. LOVE THAT MOCHI!! Mochi is chewy, soft, glutinous rice which is pounded into flour, mixed with various ingredients and molded into shapes. So chewy, in fact, that people die every year in Japan from choking on it!
On Sunday we went to Hsinchu because Charles might pastor a church there. We met a couple from Canada after the service, Nate and Emily, and they took us on a tour of the surrounding area. Really classy people!
We spent Monday night at a retreat center on the Adventist College campus near Puli in the Sun Moon Lake area. If you know what the entrance to Neethlingshof wine estate looks like in Stellenbosch, you'll understand just how beautiful this place is. Massive gardens with tree lined streets connecting the college, church and dorms. It was so quiet I could hardly believe I was in Taiwan. All the meals were prepared by the center and served in a lovely, albeit basic dining room. The only option when you eat there is a vegetarian diet with soy milk, juice and water for drinks. We were eating chocolate on the sly, and if I ever go there for an extended period of time, I'll definitely pack some cheese, dark chocolate and coffee. For anyone who really needs a break from all the noise and rush from living in the city, this place is ideal. The only recreation they cater for is a gym and a 50m swimming pool. I have a brochure, so call me if you need more info.
Speaking of swimming, Maureen rescued a puppy out of the Love River canal that runs by Bagel Bagel. She actually got into the slimy, mucky, vile water. She was admired from afar by the fire fighters who were supposed to catch the poor little mutt. You go girl! It's a young, female pup and soon posters of her will be posted everywhere to give the owner a chance to claim her. She might have been discarded into the canal on purpose, in which case the owner won't come forward. She's a little dog even at five months, so it shouldn't be too hard to find her a home if an owner doesn't come forward. If you are interested, please give me a call and I'll let you know if you can have her. We're fostering her for the moment (I named her Selah) so drop by to have a look!
I'm going to post a bunch of pics of our weekend in Taichung. Eblogger doesn't allow me to choose the order of appearance of the pics, so they won't be in chronological order, but you'll get the drift. Bye!
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