#7

Traveling within Taiwan

From modern cities with enormous skyscrapers to mountain villages. To the alpine top of Yushan Mountain overlooking the vast jungles that leads to the coastal plains and beaches. You can surround yourself by millions of people or find a mountain trail and be utterly alone. A hot and muggy day in the city can turn to a chill, crisp day with a 2 hour bus ride. Save a ski resort, Taiwan has just about everything. And as discovered this island is by its 23,000,000 people, it has been relatively untouched by the Southeast Asian backpacking circuit.

Beaches

            My favorite beach experience was with Mike, Jodie, and Greg on Penghu Island. I don’t know if it was just being with family that made it better. Or it could have been the perfect water temperature on that late November day. Or the golden sand. Or maybe it was because there were no other people. (Taiwanese people hate being out in the sun) Or maybe it was because there were no beach chairs or umbrellas or restaurants or resorts or anything. Taiwan doesn’t do tourism very well, but that makes it better for once you actually get there. There are better beaches in the world, no doubt, but something about having an abandoned beach with no trash makes this rank near the top of my favorite Taiwan beaches.

Mountains

            The mountains are as rugged as they come. Having mostly soil and jungle rather than exposed rock making the stability of the mountains questionable during heavy rains. The American Rockies are large gradual mountains in comparison. Taiwan is only 80 miles across, yet the tallest mountain nearly reaches the height of the tallest mountain in Colorado. They are incredibly steep.

            My favorite memory has to be my trip across these mountains to Taroko Gorge with my mom, Sarah F. and her family. This was a crazy, uncomfortable and dangerous 10 hour drive that I really didn’t enjoy until months after it was over. But it is definitely a memory I will have for a long time.

Cities and villages

            Each city and village has its own identity and vibe. I liked the southern cities vibe much better than Taichung or Taipei. The mountain villages are all cool in their own way, my favorite is Pingxi where the lantern festival is held. But Taichung was my home and I that always makes a place a little more special.

Lakes and rivers

            Sun Moon Lake is really the only lake I have been too and it is very pretty. The only river I am partial to is the one we whitewater rafted down. There wasn’t anything special about the river, but the experience was pretty epic.

I didnt attach photos because I have posted them all on here before.....and I am lazy!

28 days until I leave and growing sadder by the day.

Get the El Rancho nachos and Flatbranch beer ready. I’m coming BAAAAAACCCKKK!!!!! I will being teaching 3^rd grade in Columbia, Missouri next year. M-I-Z!!!

Night Markets

#8 Night Markets

Night Markets are a microcosm of Taiwan. Everything great about Taiwan can be seen and experienced at a night market. The sights, smells, tastes, feel, people, and prices are all what make Taiwan great.

If it’s food you’re after, there is no better place. My last meal in Taiwan will undoubtedly be at a night market. The options and prices cannot be beaten. Now it may not always be the healthiest food, but who really cares about that. You can go from starving to stuffed for around $120nt which is $4usd. The variety of food to be purchased at any night market is outstanding. You want dumplings, sausage, fruit, sushi, fried….anything, stinky tofu, and just about every other type of food in Taiwan, you have come to the right place. (Ask Cousin Jodie about the things that are available on sticks) I would name all of the food that you can get at a night market but that would be boring. Pictures are better for that. What you cannot experience by reading this blog is the tastes and smells. The smell of stinky tofu is enough to make any green traveler gag….but I have grown to appreciate it. (notice I didn’t say like) It has a special place in my heart.

Now on to the shopping. Some of the girls I work with can blow a lotttttt of money and time at the night market. They love it. For me, it’s what’s keeping Night markets from being higher on the list. Waiting around for the girls to shop is about as exciting as a ku football game. Only there are more people at night markets than at ku football games. However I do enjoy being able to buy a new pair of prescription glasses or sunglasses with eye exam for $15-$20. I also enjoy the amount of random stuff at unreal cheap prices, most notably the t shirts with incorrect English or ChEnglish as we call it. I can handle watching them shop as long as I have food and banana milk with me, once those run out I get antsy to leave.

There are many different types of night markets. Some focus on local food and fruit, some on entertainment, and others on shopping. Here are some random pictures from a few night markets. I focused mostly on food. 

No clue what it is, but it smelled good.

Oyster Omelet

Alcohol ring toss

We won 2 beers

Snails anyone?

Sausage

Fried duck neck

Not joking, chicken feet are good.

Fried squid

Always crowded

Night market sushi

Fried pork belly. Need I say more?

Add caption

#9 The Unexpected

Really, this should be in my top 3. This is my favorite part about traveling. It's hard to put this into words. Its just a fun feeling I get when being in new places. Predictable trips, predictable vacations are what some people look for. Not me. I love exploring. I love not knowing what you will find around the next corner. And in Taiwan, you can find some pretty crazy things.

Random night market, temples, people "shrimpin" out of swimming pools(yeah I did that), scantily clad girls selling betel nut, parades through the street for some reason I don't know, people burning money to keep the ghosts away, elderly people beating the shit out of themselves. All things you might come across on a short scoot across town.

Taiwan's weather is very predictable compared to Missouri. Typhoon season is pretty fun. But one thing that always catches me off guard is earthquakes. On Sunday we got hit by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. I was up in my apartment on the 19th floor. It was pretty freaky. The quake lasted for a minute, according to my students, and I believe them. I really wanted to feel an earthquake when I came here. That appetite is satisfied. I'm okay with stable ground for the rest of my time here.

Sooooooo I havent exactly been keeping up with this every week. And I know my effort wasn't the greatest this time. Ill do better next time, I promise.

52 days until I fly home.