Green Island

Sunday-Tuesday, December 26-28, 2010

VACATION!!!

An entire week off and we'll start in Taitung, on our way to Green Island!!!!! 7 of us went to Green Island (in alphabetical order): Allison, Devin, Erin, Katy, Kristi, Libby, and Meg. We missed you Laura, Lien, and Whitney!!!!!!! (They were off on their own little adventures with family.)

This is my face when I'm stress free and hangin' with good friends!

We took the train to Taitung which is on the east side of Taiwan. We had to go all the way down and back up about 1/5 of the way. We got there lateish and went in search of food. We found a great Thai place where we were fortunate to hear the musical stylings of this jazz vocalist and her partner!

Yes, mom, I do cook and do dishes!

The proof is in the hostile's kitchen!

How adorable are these dogs!!!! The black one followed us everywhere the night before. Yes everywhere almost into the Thai restaurant and actually into 7-11 . . . 3 times. Finally I waited outside with her until Devin was done and then we switched!

I miss Casey!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Waiting for the ferry

Devin, Erin, Katy

?Erin, Katy, Devin Libby, Kristi, Meg?

I took a guess, but who knows ;)

Guess how much I packed for the 5 days I'd be gone, go on guess, you know me so well ;)

My purse and the backpack on the ground, can you tell, there's even room left!!!

Yes, it can be done, but only once every . . . ever?

I'm not sure how this started . . . Libby?

Devin, Flag of Taiwan

Kristi, Meg, Libby, Katy, Flag of Taiwan

I guess it's good to know, but what a scary situation that would present O.O Could you imagine a situation were you would have the need to stop and put on a full outfit!

Look closely and you will see Taiwan in the background

We are now in the vast Philippine Sea.

And now for some wind-blown pictures! The ride there was crazy!!! It was awesome, but our hair paid for it ;)

Katy, Libby, Kristi, Meg, Devin (tho, he has not need for worry ;(

Katy, Libby, Kristi

mischievous looks all around

Katy, Libby, Kristi

scarfs in the wind

It might be worth noting that someone . . . started singing "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic (after being prompted by some other person) and somehow that song popped up multiple times throughout our stay in Green Island . . . true story ;)

Meg, Kristi, Libby, Katy

It really was a crazy ride, so I guess my shoe choice had to be documented ;)

The Aftermath

not really the wind-blown look I was going for, but maybe it will start a new trend!

WELCOME TO GREEN ISLAND

aka Lyudao

The orange restaurant. Really good chicken!

look closely toward the bottom left you will see an cement-orange

We met some girls who were on vacation from teaching English in Korea and they offered to take a group picture (The only one we have!)

Devin, Kristi, Erin, Katy, Libby, Meg, Allison

We started our scooter trek around the island and found this random water place . . . no clue what the purpose of the walk-way is, but we saw a tone of starfish (the spidery kind, so kinda creepy).

ME!

Libby and I exchanging cameras for previous photo op!

Libby, Katy, Kristi

Just one of those things you have to do . . .

Devin, Libby, Kristi, Katy

I take no credit for these next two great shots, but that night we went out to the furthest one and, in the pitch black, enjoyed the fact that we were done with the semester and truly on vacation!

Libby's take

Devin's Take

Here are some pictures that do no justice to Green Island, but bring back relaxing memories for me.

So we got advised many times that one of the past teachers had gone to Green Island and broke her are driving a scooter around Green Island, "There's this turn in a tunnel that's so sharp she flew into the wall!" Needless to say we stopped just before the turn and were quite underwhelmed. If the photographer of this pic had stepped 3ish feet to their left you could see the other opening of the 'tunnel.' Ok, so if you were going really fast and didn't know . . . but still.

We had an odd number, so guess who got their own scooter . . . well until one of the others broke down . . . and then again, when another broke down . . . . Fun times ;)

Devin with Allison, and Me Alone, headed into the not so treacherous tunnel

Headed out of said tunnel Me following Devin (my head is hiding Allison)

This pic is actually from the next day, but it's the only decent shot of out little purple scooter gang

The 'hostel' we stayed at was AMAZING! I think the owner was in the process of making it a hotel.

Let's compare to the one in Taitung (which I would go to again, but still):

Taitung Green Island

Rooms: 4ish per room 4ish per room

2 bunks w/ 2 SOFT beds w/

sheet blankets heavy comforters

Bathrooms: 1 w/finicky toilet privet 1 per room

Breakfast: pay per egg (etc) complementary

Owner: gone staff

There is more, but maybe the pic can tell more.

Katy

That night we went to a salt water hot springs. I believe it is one of only like 3 places in the world where there is a natural salt water hot spring. (the other two are, I think, in Japan and Italy)

Basking in the wonderful heat and gazing at the plethora of stars not polluted by light. The latter part we did again on our way home when we in the middle of trying to push one of the scooters back. We turned off all the lights, and sat in peace on the road barrier. Ah, the relaxed spontaneity of vacations!

The next day (Tuesday) everyone else went to those little huts from before to watch the sunrise, but I didn't want Kenting's amazing sunrise experience to become a jaded memory . . . . Fine, I just wanted to sleep-in, and that great bed . . . well I don't regret it!

After breakfast and check-out we went to the ex-political prison which held prisoners for reclamation during the rule of Chiang Kai-shek and a time known as the White Terror period. It still held prisoners until the late 1980s. In 1999 it became part of the Green Island Human Rights Memorial.

Propaganda Painted on the walls

So it's really difficult to resist things like this, and watch towers are just cool ;)

Allison, Meg, Katy

This pic just reminds me of LOST!

Food slot, that's where I'd be looking the whole time.

Katy's eyes

Again, hard to resist . . .

Allison, Libby, Katy, Devin, Erin, Meg

Kristi behind the camera

They're shoes made from . . . shoes . . .

One of the many things accomplished in their spare time.
In the pic you can see half of the listed prisoners. The other half are on the other sides of the walls.

As part of the museum there were wax-figures portraying daily life in the barracks.

Wax People, Katy, Meg-Erin, More Wax People

Is it me, or does it look like we could be . . . well, I don't know, but we could be something ;)

Libby, Erin, Katy, Kristi, Meg

Let the "Let pose in front of maps and flags" section begin

Kristi

Meg

Allison

Katy

(what can I say, the pose was good!)

Libby

Katy

Kristi

Meg

Allison

Erin

I'm not exactly sure what this place is, but it's some kind of place of worship in a cave.

Katy, Allison, Meg, Kristi, Erin, Libby

Thanks Devin

There's a field with a wall with a window . . . what would you do?

Katy

Devin, Katy, Allison, Meg

It intrigued me, don't ask why

Devin, Katy kicking Kristi . . . ?

There is no reasoning . . . again: field, wall, window

Katy, Kristi

because I can

Devin, Kristi, Katy

nice stair-step photo

A Devin's-eye-view: proceed with caution

Half of Katy

Good-bye Green Island!

Luckily the ride back was a lot smoother, and didn't require the "yea, I'm on a roller-coaster!!!!!!!" energy level. Rest is required to meet the second half of vacation.

Kristi's head, Erin's arm, My finger, Meg, Libby

Devin

Allison

Katy

While waiting for the Train to Koushiung we decided to take a stole around Taitung.

One of the most random modes of transportation I've ever seen.

I would love to know what it's function is beyond that!

Waiting for a taxi what do you do? I take poorly focused pictures of asphalt and weird people posing in front of strange statues outside of random hospitals!

Libby, Katy, Allison

Ok, I couldn't resist posting the, at first read, obvious sign from the train. I was tired and it was there to be read.

Christmas in Taiwan

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas in Taiwan

a bit different

The Christmas Celebrations began and inevitably ended at home.

Friday night was spent alone opening presents from home and reading the nativity story from Luke (et al). Thanks to all (American & Taiwanese alike) for the wonderful presents! I enjoyed everyone!

Also, thanks for the stockings 'Santa' I'm wearing them as we . . . I . . . write ;)

On Friday we had a party with the older kids. We tried to make them dance. You know, boys on one side and girls on the other . . . well you might guess the outcome, especially when it came to the oldest groups (they're around 10-12ish). It was a great time for us teachers though!!!!!!! Ah, awkward pre-teen-ness ;)

On Saturday morning we had another party for the younger ones (2-6ish). It started off with a 'non religious' nativity (Frances told Allison to write a script and leave out all the religious stuff, or something to that affect). We also had to preform two things. So we prerecorded a video to Santa Clause is Coming to Town with Devin as Santa (which he had been almost no stop for the previous 2 weeks as we did caroling to student's houses and other activities!). We also did a little dance to Winter Wonderland where I debuted as an elf. Later the children has a costume show were we saw everything from Santa to the Grim Reaper!

Leo as a Chinese Santa

Robbie as a hatless Santa, Olivia (who was Mary in the nativity) as a ferry, and Robbie's brother as a . . . reindeer?

The one in green (my 3rd grade student Alex) is the older brother of the one in pink. I'm not sure what he is . . . I think it might be Robin Hood, but with a Japanese sward instead of a bow and arrow . . . in any case he's leading the little ferries in a very energetic dance!

Santa-Devin and Elf #2-Katy

(Yes, those are bells on my toes, thanks for asking ;)

Christmas Tree-Erin, Elf #2-Katy, Elf #1- Meg, Santa-Devin, Mrs Claus-turned-reindeer-Laura

We all got those Pig-boxes as presents from Frances

Upon opening the pig we would find a mug with a picture of all of us teachers from Halloween (in which I apparently wanted to shoot myself ;)

Katy, Meg, Laura, Devin, Allison, Libby, Erin, Kristi, Lien

(Yes that is the number-2-most-devoted: Libby as the dancing snow-woman; #1 being Santa, and # 3 being Erin as the Dancing Christmas Tree)

After the party we went 'caroling' at SOGO (a mall). It's amazing how many people see santa (or one of his elves) and actually ask for candy! We also went down, what we affectionately term, stinky-tofu-ally which is a very narrow, very crowded market street. Can you just envision a parade of those people above (minus the very much in need of rest Laura) caroling around the mall and market area! Oh the chaos ;)

Kristi, Lien, Katy

After that we were finally able to get out of our costumes and were invited to a traditional celebration diner at a nice restaurant. There were about 7 courses served family style. I haven't eaten so much sea food in my life! But it was great, I did try shark fin (which I hear is unethical, but it was in the soup with the black chicken) think cartilage meats rubber . . . the taste was ok I think, but the texture . . . . So this delightful fish was truly tasty!

Christmas 2010 will not soon be forgotten!!!!!!!

Thanks for the memories Berhan

(and thanks for the five-spice Allison ;)