Eeeeeee!!! We won, we won, we won!! Granted it’s only 200NT ($6.62 USD), but winning just about anything is pretty darn exciting. Started in 1951, the Taiwanese government was trying to find a clever way to boost tax revenues without people realizing what was going on. So, the crafty finance chief encouraged locals to obtain […]
Month: September 2017
International Day of Peace 2017
Yesterday marked the 36th annual International Day of Peace as set forth by the United Nations in order to promote peace around the world regardless of our differences. As it turns out, the Big Orange didn’t get the memo. Nonetheless, the Taipei European School certainly did, and it was sweet seeing so many of the […]
Sunset in Danshui 淡水
What better way to take advantage of the respite in crazy heat here in Taipei than travel to the old fishing town of Danshui, which means “fresh water.” Once a major fishing and trade port, it is now more of a tourist center. It reminded me a bit of Venice Beach in LA without the […]
He Huan Dao Xiao Mian (合歡刀削麵) Knife-Shaved Noodles
Another gem I discovered just minutes away from my Chinese class. Located on the second floor of the Nanmen Market, this place always has a 8-10 person deep line in front of it. A very good sign, since there are about 12 other food stalls on the same floor. The knife-shaving man holds a healthy […]
Howard 舅舅 and Jungha 阿姨
Uncle Howard and Auntie Jungha…our first visitors! Although we’re having a great time experiencing things here in our new country, it’s always nice to have a piece of home in a new environment. I realized that this is the first time my brother, Howard, and I have been in Taiwan together since we were children. […]
Glass blowing at Kun’s Crystal
Taipei has an endless supply of fun things to do with kids. The 3 to 9 year old crowd probably has the greatest selection, like this glass blowing workshop at Kun’s Crystal, located in the Eslite (誠品) Spectrum mall. Many blog posts are devoted to the wonder that is the chain of Eslite bookstores here […]
Becoming Taiwanese
Aaaahhhh, we finally did it!! After months of incredible amounts of stress and running back and forth to buildings like the one below, we finally obtained Jules’ Taiwanese passport today! I practically squealed when the lady at the passport counter at the Bureau of Consular Affairs handed over the passport. As you can see from […]
Ghost Month 鬼月
We are in the midst of Ghost Month, or the 7th month of the lunar year, here in Taiwan. And no, we don’t get to dress up and go trick-or-treating. Buddhists and Taoists believe that spirits jailed in hell are released for one month a year into our realm, so massive feasts and offerings are […]