Weekend in Lukang

I was supposed to meet Sherry around Changua High Speed train station, but somehow we ended up in Yunlin. She and her brother Michael picked us up and we had hot pot for lunch then drove to their friends home in the country. It was a beautiful home, a real house, as opposed to apartment buildings, condos, triplexes, etc. The owner a friend of Michael's and his wife retired there and are turning it into a cafe. The owner who spoke excellent English, studied in San Fran, was full of pompous, patronizing comments the whole time. He was overcompensating for something. His wife was kind. Since we were his guests I just politely bit my tongue and tried to just be with Z.

There wasnt much to do that first day we just walked around the carnation and veg farms. We went out for dinner, the home had no kitchen or food. I dared a bit of Michael's pig brain soup. It actually was tasty and buttery, melted in my mouth, but it seemed kind of dangerous, mad cow, mad pig, there is some mad goat disease happening here at the moment. I didnt sleep very well that night. Michael and his friend talked loudly til midnight. Z and I slept on some hard wood furniture and she peed in our sleeping bag.

The next day after some much needed cup of coffee we were off to explore and ended up in the living museum of Lukang. Michael's friend made a comment how fast I drank my cappuccino which really annoyed me. I felt like saying, "dude if you would of made it hot the way its supposed to be and not lukewarm, then I could drink it properly." He really prided himself on his coffee, so I just said I drank it fast for medicinal purposes,(I didnt sleep.) I was happy to leave there and start seeing some new parts of Lukang.

Lukang reminds me of Tainan; west coast harbor town, old Matsu temple, the oldest Qing dynasty (and best preserved) Longshan temple. There were Western style buildings from the Japanese occupation I am guessing. Michael dropped us off near the Matsu temple and a street that reminded us of Tamshui, had a Ripley's Believe It or Not museum, lots of touristy trinket stands, etc. There was so much action at the Matsu temple, so much commotion that Michael got stuck in traffic and we were walking around in the hot sun, melting for a while. We got a chance to see some more folk rituals. Apparently some local gods from a nearby temple paid Matsu a visit. The doll like gods are carried by men in sedan chairs, and there is a lot of firecrackers and Chinese instruments, loads of people. I was carrying Z on my back the whole day, one hand around under her bum and the other hand taking photos and videos. This Matsu temple is a pilgrimage site every 3rd lunar month. Devotees follow her around, as she is carried out of her temple and to the surrounding 50 towns for a week long.

We walked around the old market, looking for a place to eat lunch. We went to the infamous "breast touching lane". A lane so narrow a person can pass only one at a time. A true gentleman waits for the lady to pass first. Michael was keen to get his photo taken under the sign for this lane and Sherry wanted to go back the lane and actually see what would happen. I walked back to the car. It was a fun day. They dropped us off at the train station and we had to wait over an hour for the next train and 2 hour slow, ride back to Tainan.

I always love connecting with Sherry, and with Michael we always eat well and in abundance.

Easter and Tomb Sweeping Day in Penghu

(For all the photos click here)
I really did not have the money and I failed to plan ahead to get flights out of Tainan, but I decided to go somewhere I havent been before in Taiwan, the Penghu Archipelago for our only 3 day weekend of the year. Sure we could of taken a boat from Chiayi, but that would mean a train to Chiayi and taxi to the port, when it seemed easier to have the Kaohsiung airport shuttle pick us up at our home and drop us off at the check in counter. Who would of thought that Easter and Tomb Sweeping Day would fall on the same weekend? Kind of creepy. So flights to Makung were full of locals returning to fulfill their filial duties. Our flight left Kaohsiung at 7:30 am which meant the airport shuttle was at our doorstep at 5am.

We arrived in Makung around 845am and the owner of the home-stay Mr. Wu (Makung Traditional Homestay) was waiting with his car. He was a local who was retired after a career in Taipei at some agriculture and fishing government position. He married a woman who was 10 or 15 years his junior from Makung and their 2 unmarried kids were still living in Taipei. Their home belonged to his wife's mother who they are caring for and they recently renovated it. It was located on a narrow alley, about 10 paces from the oldest temple in Taiwan a 16th century Matsu temple that looked her age (older than Lugang's well preserved Qing dynasty Longshan temple). He charged me 2200NT p/night including breakfast, didnt enforce the checkout time and helped reserve all my boat tickets and scooter rental.

The weather was much colder than I anticipated and our summer clothes were insufficient. This would not be a weekend to explore all the wonderful white sand beaches. Our first day after our arrival and breakfast we took a boat outside Makung to some floating fish farms in the sea. We pulled up and exited our boat, sat down and the people started lighting the coals on our table BBQs for us to eat unlimited amounts of oysters. Of course Z doesnt like seafood (she loves fish) and the fire scared her so we were left with watching the male tourists trying their hand at catching various sea animals (if they caught, they would pay by weight and then the boat chef would cook it up for them). One of the fisherman decided to help Z give a go at catching a squid. We had no idea that as they are being taken out of the water they start shooting steady streams of water, squirting at us. Z and the man were reeling in this squid, but its wiggling, squirting body freaked her out, she dropped her pole and ran. After what seemed like the longest, most boring 2 hours of me trying to eat oysters and entertaining Z who was playing with the oysters instead of eating them, a glass boat pulled up and we sat down below deck and tried to make visual sense out of the cloudy, murky water. All visibility was gone from the storm, which was disappointing because I wanted Z to see the pretty coral the way Ive seen it from my diving days.

The rest of that first afternoon we spent walking around Makung which is a great place to explore on foot, so many beautiful temples, a wonderful park by the beach, old crumbling walls, very pretty winding, medieval side streets to get lost in. I held Z a lot, too much as she got tired of walking (but not tired enough not to run in the park). We found a cheap but tasty noodle and dumpling place and fruit stand that made fresh shakes, which is all I needed.

The next day bright and early we went island hopping to the 2 largest outlying islands and rented some scooters. First we went to Wang'an, saw an empty Green mossback turtle preservation Center, and the very interesting and ghost town like Chungshe old dwellings. We also found some caves that the Japanese had built a military base during their occupation which had a very beautiful coral shore with views to smaller island rocks and pretty moss green patches everywhere.

The cool thing was that traveling with a kid was to my advantage (finally!). Although I came on a crowded boat full of tourists from Makung and there were other boats doing the same thing, it took me longer to get going; I was the last one to get my scooter and then we had to hit the toilet before setting off, so we never went with any crowd and when we stopped and got off our scooter to check something out we were the only ones there, I dont know where everyone else went, especially some of these mega tour buses I saw driving around. It was magical that way, having these islands to ourselves, it felt very free on the scooter to be the only ones on the windswept, grassy, very un-Taiwanese roads with feral goats everywhere and surrounded by gorgeous, wild turquoise water and islands out on the horizon. Z and I yelled our bleats to the goats who responded back (I used to be a goat herder so I can do a pretty good goat bleat).

Z was keen to see the famous 2 heart stone weir on Chimei island, a ring of stones to catch fish at low tide and shaped like one big heart and another smaller heart. Most couples come here to get their picture taken of the heart shaped weir in the background. When we got there, she said, "look its a Mommy heart and a Zenaida heart!" Which to me summed up not only our 3 day Penghu getaway but our dharmic existence together. The lone woman selling coral and shell trinkets took our picture and I was so very aware and so grateful that I do have this immense love, this child, a mother's love for her child, my love for Zenaida. It was really a private moment for me, no words or tears or anything, no one else to share it with, maybe the shell trinket woman saw as witness, its good to be awed by the mundane. I get so caught up on cooking, cleaning, washing, all for her, yet she herself, being with her is the supreme priority and joy.

On our third day we rented a scooter in Makung and drove to the aquarium which was closed because it was a Monday, so we drove to the picture perfect Erkan Old Residence, on the other side of the island. Its a century old Fujian, Japanese fusion village, eclectic, partially inhabited in the middle of nowhere. It has this artsy vibe, that made me think of Taos, New Mexico, the outside of the homes were adobe-esque, the landscape, more desert, grassy, prickly pears and aloe, no Taiwan like bamboo jungle and just lots of individual attention to detail and creative expression. It seemed like a nice place to retire if you were an artist. On our way to Erkan, we stopped to eat prickly pear ice cream and marvel at the 300 year old Tungliang Banyan Tree that canopies the Lungte temple and its courtyard. We also bought some roasted peanuts for a snack. Its local tradition to eat roasted peanuts on Tomb Sweeping Day to ensure a year of robust health. Then we went over the impressive Trans-Ocean bridge, impressive because the views of the ocean on either side, and the sky were amazing. Its was almost stormy so there were so many shades of blue, the salt in the air, the ethereal lit sky, little Z sitting on the front of our smart and new scooter, it was almost heaven.

The whole weekend was a bit too cool for our warmer weather clothes, I wish I would of packed appropriately. (But everyone I talked to in Tainan all said the same thign about how hot it would be). I bought myself a beautiful teal scarf with silver threads, and new jeans that were altered, but for Z I just had to layer her up and didnt find clothes I would of liked for her, so I was always a bit fussing inside if she was warm enough because she sat in front and the air blasted her (she wouldnt wear my scarf).

After Erken, we stopped to check out Lintou beach, a white sand beach bordered by a 1 hectare pine forest. It was too cold to swim so we just played in the sand for a bit and returned to our home-stay. After we packed, I paid our bill and the Mr. Wu drove us back to the airport but not before they took some photos together with Z. The flight back to Kaohsiung was in business class, which was nice for a change, lots of room on our 30 minute flight.The shuttle driver could not find us which was annoying because we are the only foreigners standing around waiting, and he was the dude just chain smoking outside looking like he was waiting for someone to come pick him up.

So was it worth it? I paid more than I thought, much more than I anticipated. But writing this months later, having suffered financially these several months (first by my return from the US in March and my Penghu 3 day weekend) it was worth it, to share it with Z and talk about it later. On our first day in Makung, I bought her this handmade stuffed zebra that is the sweetest thing I ever saw (Zebras being her favorite animal coz they start with "z".) She named it Zoe and sleeps with it every night (Osito and N2 her bunny have some competition). I had fun just taking so many pictures again.

Taiwan never ceases to amaze me. That these small, tiny islands could have so many destinations worth going to. There are still so many Taiwanese natural wonders on my list waiting, calling us to come.

Resources:
http://tour.penghu.gov.tw/English/Tour/Tour-1.asp
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/taiwan/taiwans-islands/penghu
http://iguide.travel/Penghu

Return to Tainan: Goodbye Flying Club

As I said in the previous post, the flights back, were the most painless despite my poor health at the time. Zenaida was my best travel companion thus far and I had zero jet lag. We returned and our friend Mr. David Wu invited me to one of his friend's Japanese restaurants (another friend with another Japanese restaurant) which was a nice treat. And he began by telling me some bad news. "I have some bad news for you". My heart sank a little.

My wonderful gym the Flying Club was closed--for good. The owner took everyone's money and ran off to mainland China, there was no way to recover our money. Apparently this happened before in Tainan, the owner of a health club hightails it to the mainland, free from prosecution and living the high life, because China doesnt recognize Taiwan as an independent country. How can you deport and prosecute someone under this kind of status quo?

The staff had not been paid in 2 months prior to his hasty departure. Ok, I was slightly sick to my stomach from having paid a year's membership in January (12,000NT) before I left to Denver, especially since the year before I was just doing 1500NT every month and also I was super broke upon my return from Denver and was expecting a meager paycheck from my not working for 4 weeks. Even more sickening than the loss of needed money, was I was going to miss the place and the people. My evening classes, the ability to bring Zenaida and know she was safe. The facility itself was pretty luxurious, the pool, the spas (hot springs as Z calls them). I was making some seriously fun progress in Belly Dancing, our teacher formed a group and we performed.(After years of ballet, tap, jazz, Flaminco, Mexican folk and Nigerian dance, Belly dancing is the most difficult, especially on a mental level).

I tried some undeniably strange experiences for the first time at Flying Club, besides belly dancing. I was buried alive in heated sandalwood powder for an hour. I had to wear Japanese pajamas and lie down inside a cedar box full of sandalwood that been heated for the previous hour until it got to 40C, than I lay on some towels and Jessica got a shovel,proceeded to bury me with more of the fragrant wood chips and then when only my face was exposed, she closed the wood casket, turned off the lights and left me there to be buried alive. On a cold rainy day, maybe during my menstrual cycle, its the perfect thing to do on my lunch break and I was never charged. After Jessica dug me out and gave me a hand out of my "casket" my Japanese pj's were soaked with toxic sweat, I didnt even feel like I broke a sweat, nor did time seem to pass, I must of always dozed and never noticed. Jessica also enclosed me into a gigantic ceramic jar that was pumped full of medicinal steam. Just something to try when FC offered the weird and wonderful and we had the time.

I was moping for my loss about a week, and then checked out my options which werent much. I signed another contract at E Powerhouse, which is down the road and cheap. I paid 6 months for 4000NT and eventually another 6 months and bought my co-workers fine treadmill for 8000NT. Every time I went to E Power I was feeling sorry for myself for about a month. The facility is pretty getto compared to the luxuriousness of the Flying Club. The weight room is crowded with equipment, there is no separate room for core stuff like fitness balls, medicine balls and my beloved buso balls. (Have some balls people!) I was really fond of the buso ball too, so many cool things I could do with that and a 5 kg medicine ball. The first thing I asked at E Power was for a buso ball, but my request is still unanswered.

The locker room is a closet, no room for water spas or saunas much less room to actually remove your clothing. (Sorry my big, not sun-tanned ass is in your face sister).The door is also a sliding door which every time it opens reveals whoever happens to be stuck partially naked when some other lady walks in. After a couple of months they bought a kind of wood screen that slightly helps. Even worse were the smells of the lady's locker room. The space is so incredibly small, but it somehow squeezes 2 benches, some lockers, 4 showers, a toilet and no air circulation. Every time a woman took a dump, it stunk up the place. After they recently started using the A.C. the air quality has improved or I just got used to it

Now after 6 or so months of going I like it. Up until last month Jessica my trainer from Flying Club could come in twice a week and train me. Having a treadmill at home gives me more options, frees some of my lunch break I might need to run errands or get a massage. There are always the familiar smiling faces. Did I mention E power is the place for Rocky wannabes, real body building, competing, huge dudes (and one lady, Kolly who will be my new trainer next week). So the weight room is mostly big protein shake guzzling dudes, but at lunch time its nearly empty and with Jessica's wonderful education, I know my way around and enjoy myself. Sadly I cant bring Z and can never do any of the night or weekend classes, bye bye Belly dancing for now.

Every time I drive by the Flying Club I cant help but feel a little sad. It was a great facility and needed only decent management. The destruction men have nearly leveled the building after 6 weeks of knocking it down into a unrecognizable pile of rubble. It must of cost a small fortune to tear it down.

The photos are of me and ex Yankee pitcher, old local folk hero, Wang Jimmy and Jessica in the former Flying Club.

The wood tiger returns home to the Mountains

By the generous grace from others Zenaida and I were homeward bound for one month during Chinese New Year. It started with my friend Doreen dropping us off at the High Speed Rail shuttle bus stop in Anping's harbor, a 60 minute bus ride, followed by a 1 hr 45 minute bullet train to the Taoyuan station, another shuttle bus, 10 hour flight to LAX, getting our luggage, security and another flight into DIA, arriving at 11pm in snowy conditions.

Zenaida was great until somewhere over the Pacific she could not get comfortable and Malaysia Air would not let her sprawl out in the floor in front of her seat. She proceeded to call me "silly old shrimp mom" for the first time,that she has repeated in angry instances since or when she thinks its funny. (Where she heard "old shrimp" I have no idea.)She peed in her seat and I striped her down, wiped her little body and dressed her as fast as I could and was really fine with the sleep deprivation.

We arrived and my Dad and brother's Matt and Ed were there. Ed and Matt hadn't changed (but don't tell protein shake, muscle pumping Matt that), but my Dad, wow, his hair had gotten whiter. Zenaida first thing she said was " you look like Santa Claus" which was pretty hilarious and exactly what I was thinking. Mom already had hot burritos waiting which was like the food of the gods after eating rice and noodles for a year and half.

My bro John was home for better or worse. At one point I was going to change my flight and return to Taiwan early on his account of being emotionally unstable w/ Zenaida. It was shocking that a just turned 4 year old could so make a 30 year old regress to the same emotional level. It was sad and painful and abusive.

On the upside, I got to work out everyday and take my beloved yoga classes from my world class teachers and some rocking kickboxing classes which having come from tropical sea level back to high altitude I didn't seem to be affected by much. Z played in the snow and reconnected with her cousin Emma (play-fight-play), and I enjoyed being with my parents and my bro Matt. It was, but for John, a totally relaxing, uplifting treat.

The return flights and mass jumble of shuttle buses and taxis somehow, we made it home. It was by far the best 14 hour flight ever and since Zenaida knew what to expect she was like a professional traveler and settled in no matter where we were. I couldn't ask for a better travel buddy than her. I am also aware of how so many prayers supernaturally flew us safely over, because I literally didn't have the stomach for it (having puked all day of my return flight.)I wasn't sure I had the health or stamina to take care of Z and all the painful hours I was anticipating (that really were non laborious).

I had the first time experience of not wanting to leave home. Of crying at the check in counter, my Dad hugging me perplexed. I didn't want to come back to Taiwan, but felt I must. Colorado is pretty close to paradise after all. That I was finally cured of destination disease. For me being someone who couldn't take being home for a month without looking at maps and plans for escape, it was a powerful epiphany and one that is currently propelling me to take some risks with my dreams and the near future plans of my life and my daughter's life direction.

2010 Resolutions

So of course I have my wish list of resolutions and fantasies. So here goes:

1. Make a food diary and eventually consume 1400 calories a day, lose 5 kg.
2. Learn and incorporate kettlebells into my fitness routines
3. Improve my Mandarin, really take my lessons seriously and make room for homework.
4. That means less time surfing the net and watching videos
5. Finish and start writing all those screenplays and stories Ive been meaning to write. At least the one dearest to my heart.
6. Save money, pay off my grad loan.
7. Get a used car. Explore more of Taiwan go camping.
8. Wean myself job wise, way from Sharefun and teaching kids, find a school with more holiday time, or teach adults in a college.
9. Stop going to bed late. 11 pm and no later.
10. Be more patient with Z.
11. Discover more about my mission, calling, destiny and do it.

Seems pretty reasonable, doesn’t it? Nothing over the top after looking at the above list. I refrain from saying meet Mr. Right, as in 2009 I pretty much purged myself of that fantasy (not that I don’t believe it could happen, it is just not important anymore).

Well lets get it on already, I welcome the new year with open arms, with expectations of open doors and meeting the right people at the right moment and loving people more because I am loved.

New Years Weekend in Hong Kong

After work on Thursday, a van from Kaohsiung Airport picked us up at my front door and we with my workmate Steve and his girlfriend Candy took a 2 hour drive (traffic)to the airport, checked in with Dragon Air (what a cool name for an airline) and waited, starving for our plane (there were no places to eat at our terminal). The flight took an hour and we were served dinner.

We arrived at HK Internat’l airport at 10pm New Years Eve, quickly got our luggage and stayed in line forever at immigration. It was a bit difficult w/ Z, she was restless and it was very late past her bedtime, plus we had dressed for the forewarned HK winter and were wearing layers and my hands were full of bags and big jackets and she wanted to be held (the theme of the trip). Thankfully my workmate Steve and his girlfriend Candy were there to keep an extra eye on Z and provide her with some other entertainment as mom can be too boring sometimes. Z and I took an extra 5 minutes, as checking twice a child’s info, especially in HK (human trafficking hotspot) was just fine with me. And then Candy got into some trouble and the HK immigration man told her to step aside she wasn’t allowed through and he didnt bother to help her. Steve wasn’t going to leave her there, so on the other side, praying a silent prayer I saw a reasonable looking immigration man and told them she didn’t have a visa (who would of thought a Taiwanese person would need a visa to HK for 3 days? maybe since the takeover by Beijing?). Steve told me not to wait and go to the hotel so I did. I got the last free hotel shuttle bus at 11 and after check in, watched the fireworks display over the harbor from local TV. It was a late night for little Z.

The next morning got a call from Steve and they had made it back to the hotel at 2 something after buying an expensive emergency visa and taking some other kind of free bus to our hotel in Kowloon City. I had brought a whole stash of organic instant oatmeal and used this as a small filler until we found something in the city proper. Thankfully this saved me some money and convenience, as the hotel breakfasts were too expensive and breakfast shops a walk down the block (Z literally had to be carried the whole time).

Did I mention 15 kg Z needed to be carried the whole time? I didn’t mind that much the first day. I brought my handmade reversible red kid wrap I made in CO when I was 8 months preg. I could wear her on the front back or side and my backpack full of camera, water, map on the other side. Anyway, we met Steve and Candy in the lobby around 10 and took a local bus into Kowloon’s tourist district found a cheap noodle and rice porridge place for brunch, filled up and parted ways. Z did not want Steve and Candy to leave and well, honestly I didn’t either. Its challenging enough navigating one’s way in a brand new intense city and that is fun for sure, but with a kid, I’d like to be more careful. Still I just had a vague plan, a map, some money and the whole day.

First I went down to the harbor and bought a ticket on a double-decker bus and then walked down the along the harbor at the Avenue of the Stars, took some photos, bought a coffee and snack at Starbucks, and took the bus tour. Z liked to be on the bus and after the hour tour was over (Kowloon tour), she fell asleep in my arms and I didn’t want to wake her or carry her walking, so I went on the next bus tour and just held her in my arms. It was warmish, the sun was shining I got some sun on my face, took off my coat and settled in. When she woke, we walked back along the harbor and took the famous Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island, took the double-decker tour of Hong Kong island, then got off to take the tram up Victoria peak. By now the sun just went down and the line for the tram (well not exactly a line, more like a throng that spilled onto the streets and around the corner down the block). I didn’t know where to start, so I accidentally found a sign with my double-decker bus company logo and from there (at the front of the line off the street) lined up. The throng from there was packed like sardines, I held Z in my arms for a good hour before we got into the tram and I was tired. We had walked a lot, despite the buses and standing in line carrying her exhausted me.

Inside the tram, I at least got a seat. The ride was short, 10 minutes and very disorienting. We were going up at such a steep angle, all the apartment buildings looked like they were the leaning tower of Pisa. At the top was a little shopping mall and we caught a bite and some water and headed back for the bottom. The line down the tram was just as crazy so I opted to take a bus down. I had to walk outside and around the corner and it was freezing and windy. Once I got to this big bus depot, I had no idea which one to take and just walked to a line, and basically was in the front, talked to some people from India and waited for 10 minutes. They all had waited for an hour and when I was boarding this little shuttle bus I missed a step, twisted my ankle, pretty bad and fell on my knee and elbow. I was carrying Z on my front and she was unhurt, I had somehow taken the fall and had to pull myself up to the stairs to the closest seat. When we got out I had to limp to the Star Ferry terminal and waited for the next one, then on the Kowloon side I didn’t know which bus to take back to the hotel, so I walked to the Metro and the signs were so unclear I kept hobbling in circles and decided to walk to the next Metro stop, and that was closed and somehow ended up in a seedy area with lots of police and Nigerian men standing around and finally took a taxi. It was a late night and I was exhausted.

The next morning my ankle was swollen and I couldn’t even bare any weight. I thought it might improve after my body wakes up a bit, but it only improved slightly. I went into Kowloon’s tourist area with Steve and Candy and by chance, (Steve asked a newspaper stand guy for a typical dim sum place and he pointed to the door right behind us) found the Dim Sum place we were dreaming about on the flight over). We sat down and stuffed ourselves with different dumplings, pancakes with rice flour, ending with a red bean pudding and lots of tea. After splitting the bill we parted. What a treat to be in the middle of the most touristy area and the only tourists in the Dim Sum place full of locals. Just this food in this place, relaxed, made my trip. They didn’t even speak Mandarin or English, it was phenomenal.

Since Z didn’t really like the crowds we headed north to the Diamond Heights district and enjoyed the peaceful, uncrowned serenity of a Tang dynasty garden (free) and the adjacent Buddhist nunnery. Z could walk and run and she enjoyed the nature. When she began to be fussy and ready for her lunch and nap we went to the nearby shopping mall which has the biggest cinema complex in HK and Z watched her first big screen movie. I thought she might sleep through it. Unfortunately, there were only tickets to Alvin and the Chipmunks (could any kid movie possibly be more annoying) row 4 and she didn’t sleep. She got a second wind and loved it. That shopping mall also has the biggest English bookstore in HK, so of course I had to go there and bought so many books for Z. (Of course when Mommy wants to buy books for herself, Z thinks its time to go). I really wanted to take her ice-skating there, but with the state of my ankle and how I continued to abuse it, that wasn’t possible. I had made plans to meet Candy and Steve on the opposite end, in Hong Kong island for dinner, and with the great Metro system, with one transfer was on time. We found this little place that sold Middle East food and Indian curries and the feta cheese was the best Id ever had, its was creamy and rich. We went for a beer in a nearby empty, bar (Sam Adams my home favorite) and then I went back to the hotel around 8pm (Metro + taxi this time no star ferry and subsequent madness like the night before). After our night shower I packed for the return back to Taiwan. ON our flight back we had female pilot which I thought was pretty cool. In the airport we met another co-worker Megan and her boyfriend who also returned from HK/Macau.

I think Hong Kong would be an exciting place to live. I was surprised how many people spoke Mandarin, how many dance and yoga studios I saw, the variety of international food, the number of these insanely large shopping mall complexes, like gigantic temples to capitalism, (“mall” just seems like such a small word for these places) and these in your face elite, shopping boutiques, and 7 star hotels for the stinking rich. Id like to go back and explore the islands, this time stay on Hong Kong island, see the view from the Bank of China, do the tram again and take some photos and take a junk boat ride. I asked myself the same questions I usually ask myself, I wonder if I will ever make it back there again?

2009 in retrospect

I cant recall how last year begun, but I wont forget how it ended. Oh wait Zenaida and I went to a Xiao Wont-z show (also knows as “Cherry Cheeks”), from all the characters from the classic Japanese cartoon. My friends Alisse and Marty came from Taipei to stay for a much too short visit. The first half I was mostly broke and working hard.

Some memorable highlights from 2009: In June my taxes went down from 20% to 6% which freed some extra cash for buying a scooter, saving very poorly for 2 tickets home, joining a gym, and buying all what Zenaida needed. During the wet season we had the destruction of Typhoon Morokat which really devastated south Taiwan, destruction from around Tainan to Kaohsiung. My apt was without water for a week, so for one day we filled up as many containers as we could and used that for washing up. Water was rationed everywhere for a few weeks there until all the rain and silt from the typhoon was properly cleaned for public consumption.

What other highlights, we got a sweet cat named Mitzy, I went diving and found a good diving crew in Kenting (but haven’t gone since, scroll down for things to do in 2010). I made 2 great friends Anna and Doreen, Taiwanese divorcees with kids and they both live down the street. I found a great church (Dayspring) that feels like home. Having jumped around different places, this one is so full of love, no religion, no legalism, only Jesus. I got baptized there and for anyone who knows me, anti-establishment, free as a bird this was a major, revolutionary step in this process of God-actualization. This goes hand in hand with this present phase of celibacy, Jesus is truly my husband. I’m like a nun, and if anyone ever knew me just several years ago, they’d think that was pretty damn revolutionary (not that I was like Samantha from Sex in the City, but you get the drift).

Also, there were some big uncomfortable earthquakes and loads of tremors, but no damage. I began to learn how to surf and had some wonderful moments trying to learn. One of the best blessings of the year was different people coming together to sponsor the majority of our plane tickets for our Chinese New Year trip home. Share Fun’s owner Mary sponsored Zenaida’s ticket and my church at home (Living Way Fellowship) sponsored 500US for mine. Pretty great! I could afford a bootstrap 3 day weekend in Hong Kong and bring home some gifts. I know I wouldn’t be able to come home without this help. Its one month’s salary and its difficult to save right now.

Health is a strange drama sometimes, childhood sicknesses, things going around the school. For the most part I was like the iron maiden immune from all of it, but there was an episode around Lantern Fest where I fainted in my kitchen and hit my head` on the floor pretty hard (never fainted before, IM not the type). How strange to wake up disoriented on my kitchen floor not knowing how I got there. And then in the change in seasons I got the flu and bad cough for 3 weeks. Zenaida has had a respiratory infection for most of the winter that would come and go and only before our Hong Kong has disappeared. Her stomach is very sensitive and sometimes she gets the runs. Otherwise we are both very strong, energetic and vivacious.

There were some strange experiences with Chinese medicine, cooking with it for dinner. In Taiwan food is really medicine. The bad reactions to the medicine is another story.

Sharefun (at certain moments also known by the teachers as Share Stress).
I felt I found my groove with my kids and being uber-productive and having higher than expected results. Sure each of my students is a 5 year old genius and easy to teach, but I’ve just been this Aquarian icon standing with a big water jug, pouring, pouring everything into their receptive, growing brains and its gratifying. These little 5 year olds can tell you about Taiwanese aboriginals, watersheds, the Nativity story, reduce/reuse/recycle, they know the geography of Taiwan and their song repertoire is impressive. I love the kids and am not perfect, but love covers a multitude of mistakes.

Zenaida continues to be in half day English, half a day Chinese. Her Mandarin and English are both excellent. She can go in and out of either in mid conversation and often translates for me. She can also speak Taiwanese (Hokkien).

The Flying Club
The gym is just around the corner from our apartment. The staff and members are like one big family. I get lots of support. I workout during lunch and W, Th., Fri eve classes (Latin, combat and belly dancing). There is a kid room adjacent to the weights and studio with glass walls, and if Z isn’t playing on the indoor jungle gym, she is being spoiled by the trainers and staff. The old aunties (aw-ees) and grandmas (amas) also spoil her. Two particular amas (one being Amy Wu) are a godsend, even if they can be with her for 10 minutes. I started working with a personal trainer, who is my friend Jessica and she is amazing, creative and good at her job. The medicine ball on a buso is my best friend. I finally pump iron and am not bored. The head manager Ben is kind and his daughter is Z’s age. The head trainer Ethan is Z’s favorite uncle. Professional baseball local hero Wong, Jimmy ex-pitcher for the Yankees works out there on his off season. Now 3 Korean baseballs teams beat the harsh Korean winters for Tainan’s mild ones and hit the weights after practice.

At the gym I’ve tried being buried in wood dust of heated sandalwood. Its like being buried alive. I’ve seen people buried to the neck in sand to sweat out toxins, this is sorta the same thing, except you’re lying in a wood box full of soft, aromatic, sandalwood and one of staff gets a shovel and buries you up the neck, closes the wood over you, turn on the heat and all you hear is crickets with classical music. You don’t even feel like you’ve sweated until you come out. Recently they bought this huge clay jar with a lid and of course you’re supposed to sit inside of it while they pump medicine vapor with the fumes of some expensive medicine stones. I tried it , it felt great, could of stayed there longer, but my an eye vessel popped shortly after--might have been a little too stimulating.

Now I’m setting up a kettlebell trainer from Taipei to come do a seminar at the end of Jan, so I’m hoping it will be a win-win for all parties.

I think this year, at least the end part Ive been given the gift of the abundant life. Sure I live mostly from paycheck to paycheck, I don’t own a car or home and make too less to mention, but somehow I have everything I need and want. I find the coolest high quality clothes for me and Z at cheap prices (Korean not Chinese made—so cool and high quality), I can buy the best foods. Taiwan is blessed with a plethora of exotic fruits, vegs, fresh fish. Sure the bread sucks and there is no decent Mexican or Middle East food and great cheese and deli meats are expensive, but I cant complain. I have access to all the TV shows, movies, music that I want or have time for (an hour b4 bed maybe). I have too many books to finish. I am taking Chinese lessons and have no time to finish my homework. At Chinese New Year, they hang red door banners and symbols of prosperity in order to have a year of fullness; full kitchens, bellies, wombs, bank accounts, chalk full. But what I have is overflowing. I have to give away Z’s clothes, books and toys, I cant contain it all. I can barely keep my 3 room apartment clean. And all on my little (by US standards) paycheck, which when you take away taxes, Z’s tuition, isn’t much at all. Its this small miracle, to be a lily of the field and have all my needs and then some met.

And so I end this year with a hotel/flight package to Hong Kong, a change of scene, and pace, ringing in the New Year with total expectation for good things, new adventures, new possibilities and more blessings to overflow and pass around.