mmm... donkey

I have been gifted some donkey hide gelatin flavored candied dates. I don't know what to make of it really.

Just a quiet weekend at home...

...well that was the plan. As we were sipping coffee this Sunday morning we heard the sound of firecrackers. That's not at all unusual around here but then we thought, hey, it's the morning. We assumed there was something going on at the temple and went to check it out. Sure enough there was a massive parade of sorts marching through our neighborhood stopping at each little temple.

When each group of costumed dancers stopped they would rush into the temple entrance as if they were attacking it. They would feign being repelled, dance, try again and then rush back out, followed by a long string of firecrackers. The drumming and strange bugle-like instruments really created an otherworldly atmosphere.

It's late now and I have tons of work to do as I shirked my duties in favor of following the parade around town. I'll have to put up videos and more commentary later. Until then, I leave you with these...

Our house is in this pic.

Awesome!

Random Picture of the Week #21

The view from my near my office. It's cool to see the 101 every morning.

Morning Tea

A group of students I've been working with for awhile were nice enough to take me out for tea and brunch recently. We went to Maokong, a mountainy area just south of the city, accessible from the MRT system. From there we wound along the forest and tea fields, passing dozens of quaint tea houses and cafes. Finally we came to their favorite place, a 24 hour traditional-style tea house flanked by a waterfall on one side and a hillside tea plantation on the other.

It was drizzly out but, to me, it seemed life the perfect setting for sipping some tea. They showed me the Chinese way of formally making and serving tea and we tried a lot of tea snacks, followed by the best lunch I've had here yet-- goose and ginger noodles.

Here are a few pics.

Nestled in the hills.

Mmmmm...ginger noodles and mountain vegetables.

Sweet Taiwanese sausages and goose.

The ladies of class EH-2.

No! Lets stay longer!