I haven’t written a quality blog entry in quite some time now. There’s no excuse other than sheer apathy. Not the writing, of course, but I hadn’t taken the photos of Green Island to get developed until two days ago. Like an idiot I forgot my baby G10 in Taipei and arrived in Taitung in deep panic with chest pains. The agony. The desolate feeling. The thunder roll. The lightning strike of condemnation. Without a camera and memory card I feel naked. So I whipped out my pencil and notebook and did it the 19th Century way. Here are the pages. If you can’t read the pitiful slop I dare call handwriting, here is a typed text of what I deciphered of my own words.

Picture 1:

11. Wednesday morning 2009. Got into Taitung @ 6:15. Stocked up on rice triangles, waters, a latte @7-11. The air is so smoothe and fresh out here. The sunrise is just now working it’s ways over a massive blue cloud, the last remains of nightfall. The edge of the cloud has a gold pated rim….Getting brighter now.

The stray dogs @ the train station still make me feel like I’m in Homeward Bound.

Alright, alright. So this entry happened as soon as we arrived to Taitung (the boyfriend and I), while we were waiting for a taxi with my name on it to pull into the station and drive us down to the ferry harbor.

So, the ferry….. Here are the Green Island notes I wrote down after the trip, to demonstrate the means of getting to Green Island, take note on the disturbingly entertaining ferry ride.

Green Island Notes.

You know, I think the train part is pretty clear. You all can read that.

Skip to part 2.

2. Ferry:

Take a taxi out of the train station around 8am (you will get there @6:30, take it easy, have a coffee). At 8 go to the harbor and buy a ticket. Board the ferry-make sure you go to the top level. Many people puke because of the ferry motion to the island. If you have a weak stomach, take motion sickness pills. In general, stay on the top level and if you can, bring a sweater and stay outside. It helps. Lasts 1 Hr.

I swear, it was only 9 something in the morning and I saw noodless, peas, unidentifiable meat, corn, and orange chunks all over the ferry floor. Be strong.

The first signs of land will have your stomach lurching but surely squinting out tears of joy. Our first impression of Green Island was, “Wow. I think if we played world hide-and-go-seek we would surely NEVER be found.” It was green, naturally, and excessively remote. Green Island consisted of 1  dense street, and one road that wrapped the island. Off these roads were a few restaurant joints, scattered scooters and temples, an old prison that I hear is still sometimes used, a natural salt water hot spring (euphoric, seriously), a scuba and snorkeling hot spot, and of course, one 7-11, and 1 Family Mart.

Oh, let’s not miss anything. Did you know there is a deer park (no not the water) on this island? And did you also know that I saw deer chained with collars around them for pets? I’m sorry I have to say this but…what the hell? Sigh….Whenever I find something as absurd to my mind like an actual bambi for a pet, I repeat this line, “It’s not weird it’s just different, it’s not weird it’s just different, it’s not weird it’s just…”

Regardless, the island was quaint. Honestly, after snorkeling and hot springs, we just cruised the island. There was a great looking light house, but if you’re someone who needs constant discovery, plan this trip for two nights max. I really enjoyed the feeling of simplicity there. It cleared the mind of pesky thoughts and insignificant daily ish. Take a couple days off, reflect, and see where your head is afterwards. In Taipei I feel like an ant in the middle of a sand dune, but here I feel like an elephant in a DC Adams Morgan zoo cage… You know what I mean. The island is large enough in size but the options run thin after the first night. And, I think that since I went on the off season, this is why most places shut down at 19:30.

BUT SHASHHHHIMI. Holy Jesus Mary and Joseph if it’s one thing I’ll remember, it was the fish. They had the most glorious tasting shashimi I have ever laid taste buds upon. Tender, juicy, cold, fresh, packed with flavor. And so cheap! 150NTD for a feast of shashimi, what? Delicious. Do not turn down.

The snorkeling was also an impeccable experience. The rainbow whirls and shines of sea life were unsurpassable. The coral was all worlds of magnificent.I swear to you, underwater life is fascinating and sublime.  For an hour I was engulfed in hundreds of species, shapes and colors. It was the epitome of understanding why we should follow our curiosity to seek new places. In this I mean we must not forget that the depths of the ocean are also worlds we cannot go through life without discovering!

Green Island was a serene success. With good company and like minds, Green Island is a place that forgives you of a city hustle and comforts you with a breeze and ocean.

Here are some other notes I wrote about the place we stayed, a juice joint I loved (particularly the owner, she was so hospitable and curious about us), some restaurants, etc. It’s rough writing but rewriting it might be a waste of time and space. If you have further questions about my chicken scratch you can always ask.

Below these are more Green Island photos I thankfully got to CD so I could upload them here. The quality is realllllly Bush league considering it was a disposable, but at least you have some visuals.

Behold!

Dragon Fruit is lush, seeded, slightly crunchy and perhaps the goddess of forbidden fruit deliciousness. It is not a strikingly strong taste–much like the flavor of kiwi but not as soft or tart. It can be scooped out of it’s pink outer shell or cut into pieces for snacking.

Here’s some other healthy info I found about it on the internet:

Vitamin C

1. Dragon fruit is a fabulous source of vitamin C, with just 100 grams of dried dragon fruit or one piece of fresh fruit fulfilling almost 50 percent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration‘s recommended daily intake. Vitamin C is an important immune system support and can even help to shorten the duration and severity of the common cold.

Antioxidants

2. Dragon fruit is packed full of antioxidants, which work to protect the body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals that can speed aging and even form cancerous tissues.

Fiber

3. For those trying to increase their daily fiber intake, dragon fruit can be a sweet alternative. About half of a large dragon fruit, or 100 grams, can contain up to 1 gram of fiber, while each 100 grams of dried fruit can have more than 10 grams of fiber.

Fat and Cholesterol

4. Dragon fruit contains numerous tiny, edible seeds, which means it does have some fat. Because the black seeds are so small, removal from the pulpy flesh of the fruit is difficult and requires straining. The majority of fat found in dragon fruit is monounsaturated fat, which generally is considered a healthier form of fat. While many people working to lower cholesterol are concerned about seeds and nuts, dragon fruit can be added to a healthy diet without concern of affecting cholesterol levels.

For more,click here.

Today, the lovely roommates and I took a long walk, landing ourselves at the versatile Taipei 101 food court. Out of the several options, we chose Indian curry dishes and Kimchi soup. Great!

In Taipei 101, amassing the world’s tallest building and the country’s most expensive shopping center, sat a poorly dressed, manner-lacking family eating McDonald’s. For 5 people they took over a table of 8, chomped their super sized burgers and fries with gaping mouths, slurped and chewed at the same time, got up and moved around, giving the whole food court an accurate display of sweat pant wedgies… They were all covered in neon sweats 3 times too small (at the least), with sneakers that looked a decade old, slumped, hunched, and gobbling up the most infamous garbage for food in the world. They were also American.

Then, to top it off, they picked up their DOG, and placed it on the TABLE, to drink out of a FOOD COURT bowl (Mind you this is a Shopping Mall), that will soon be reused by a human being. After the poor, doomed, puppy drank enough, they picked him up by his collar around his neck, shook him around, and tossed him to one another for entertainment. There are no english words for this nightmare of a scene that I have to describe this poor dog’s misery.

I am on the verge of anguish. I am very proud to be an American, as everyone should be of the land they call home. I have had the opportunity to experience many things my country has to offer and I am extremely thankful. I also love to see the world, take advantage of my youth, my energy, and my mind. I want to feel more and write more and I want to demonstrate to the world that no, Americans do NOT spend all their days eating fast food, watching TV, spoiling their children, speaking one language, knowing nothing of geography, or culture, or never giving one or two or three shits about the rest of the world. (This was not my own assumed brutal perception of the American stereotype but it is common. Many people from other countries have told me so.)

I am tired of the ignorance of stereotyping anyone, on either side. So tired.

I am very sick of an American reputation stained in the grease of McDonald’s (*In Spain, MCD’s advertisements call themselves “The flavor of the West!”) and the pains of ignorance. When I see an American family looking like this in another country, even just committing the act of tossing around an actual animal in public, I feel ruined inside, like my efforts to have the world see Americans abroad the right way just suffered another blow. This is not and never will be what America means to me.

Maybe I am taking this too far. Maybe they just got off of the plane and needed a quick bite to eat. Maybe I should just laugh and march on. Well I did, but my heart still sinks. No one is overly burdened with a national stereotype because they are who they are as a person and not a category. But in general, think of it this way. What if you had a rude and impulsive friend that didn’t care a thing for anyone else around them? Would you like to be associated with them? You would soon get labeled as “the friend of THAT guy,” and then you’d feel the need to defend your friendship to everyone you met that knew them. It’s possible to do it, but it’s exhausting. An every time he insulted someone you knew, what do you do? Throw up your hands and say, “I’m not like that I swear!” …?

Today, this was my American Dilemma.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2009/11/19/2003458800

I, myself, will most likely be strolling into the Grand Hyatt buffet, because any Thanksgiving is no Thanksgiving if you can’t eat your heart out endlessly, burying your snout in piles of turkey, gravy, cran sauce, stuffing, fluffy mashed, and pie. Apparently they have a fine Turkey station I’m super interested in, and I’ll be making a follow-up call to discuss the other buffet options. I want to roll myself out of there like a champion and no less, barely clinging to life with short breaths and wobbly gobbly legs. Tis turkeyyyy timeeeeee

1. While Taking photographs: Do not do the typical Western gesture of the “shutter click” with your hands. It’s a little offensive. Still figuring out why. Instead, make the AOK sign:

2. Friends hold hands. Many girls hold hands with their friends. To Westerners, it makes them seem like a couple. Usually this is not the case. The Taiwanese also show affection to friends by touching your upper arms more than usual. I think it’s great.

3. It is polite to deny nice comments. From what I’ve seen, the Taiwanese are very forward with telling you that they think you are pretty, or handsome, or intelligent ,etc. It is polite to lightly deny the compliment with the word “Nali, nali.” It means, no, no..

4. See this post on Danielle Sleeper’s blog for number hand gestures. Great entry.

5. A little Chinese goes a long way. Most Taiwanese appreciate whatever knowledge you have of Chinese. Use it. Some people get nervous when you approach them because they are afraid that they will not be able to communicate well in English. Say as much as you think you can and the situation will work itself out well. Chinglish is better than nothing!

6. If you’re in a hurry, try not to walk behind a group of Taiwanese. I love Taiwan, but I find myself a little peeved sometimes at the slower walking pace here. It is not a terribly bad thing, but my mind is culturally programmed to walk briskly. I often find myself cut off by slow walkers. Find a clear path if you are on limited time!

7. If you want bubbles in your milk tea, make sure you ask for them. Not really brilliant advice here, but I can’t tell you how many times I asked for milk tea and forgot to mention that I wanted tapioca pearls! Also remember to tell them the size and how much sugar! (Bubble tea pinyin: zhen zhu nai cha, sugar: tang)

8. Coffee sizes: Even though “Zhong” means medium or middle, and “Da” means big, “Zhong” is an American small coffee size and “Da” is an American medium.

Here's a Starbucks secret: They use the same amount of espresso in the cups. For a stronger cappuccino , pay less!

9. The best restaurants are definitely not flashy. Fancy restaurants usually worry too much on the scene than the quality of food. It’s familiar in the West too in many cases. Don’t ever be thrown off by hot steam, metal chairs and bad lighting.  If you see fluorescent lights and Mom and Pop behind the stove, you’ve probably scored a bingo.

10. Don’t leave the Chopsticks straight up after eating. Rest them horizontally, not vertically in bowls. Vertical chopsticks resemble the incense sticks used to honor ancestors, which is a bit insulting. Use the Chinese spoon to aid you with your rice on plates. Try not to ask for the soy sauce or extra condiments if someone has made you a dish… This means that your meal lacks flavor and it may hurt the feelings of the cook. If it is offered to you, it’s ok.

11. There are waiting lines in the metro stations. It’s not a free for all to jump onto the train. There are waiting lines to organize the flow of people in and out of the trains.

12. Bus Payments: While taking public bus transportation, you sometimes pay when you enter the bus, and other times once you get off. Look for shang “上” and xia “下” on the digital screens as you climb onto the bus. “Shang” means pay as you enter, and “Xia” means pay as you get off.

Over all, learn more about the etiquette of a country you are visiting or going to be living in. It is so important to be respectful to others when you are an outsider. It’s common sense, but many travelers still don’t do their research. You don’t have to know everything about a culture before going there. These are just a few things I have embraced during my small extent here in Taipei that I never knew before. More to come when I think of them. Versatility and adaptation are what make you a satisfactory world citizen.

In the mean time, enjoy this hott Korean song everyone is obsessed with including myself… The dance is soooooooooooooooo super fly!

Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Mika mika mika mika babaaay

Have a great week !

Anyways, my (most likely politically incorrect) Aboriginal costume is below, followed by the rest of the chaos:

Taipei Massive Halloween 09 probably rocked as hard as every teenager did the day Gun’s and Roses released Sweet Child o’ Mine in 1988. I’m dead serious. The guy controlling the lights must have had recreational substance time beforehand because I have never seen a more spastic fusion of neon, fire, and laser beams shooting all at one time. The DJ was infallibly spot on, creating the perfect synergy for a Halloween freak show. I bought 2 bags of M&M’s that night, and handed them out to everyone who said “Trick or Treat” while dancing. It felt like home…hah.

Talk about deprivation… When you live in Taiwan without a stove, and subject yourself every single countless day to coffee and fruit bag breakfasts, you forget the bountiful nature of your own culture’s lovely breakfast versatility.  I am not saying that Taiwan food is nothing compared to Western food by any long shot. They make a mean omelet over here (something I could not make myself until now). What I am saying here is that, according to my precious taste buds, no breakfast substitution in the world compares to pancakes.

Spreads for our pancakes: Nutella, Butter, Vermont Maple Syrup (thanks to Danielle’s parents!), bananas, raspberry jam, and homemade apple sauce from the German beauty herself

The pancakes were rich in doughy fluffiness. The apple sauce was actually eaten on the side along with the pancakes, traditional German style.

We stuffed ourselves so full that it ended up being my only full meal of the day. I couldn’t breathe. Classic. chi bao le! chi bao le!

the kitchen afterwards

Tell me your mouth didn’t water. Go on, tell me.

After long anticipation and pesky I-House drama (jumping off of the side of a mountain is never easy), I bring you the newest Virginia-Pia-Danielle Household! Ta-daaa! 2 minutes from the Linguang MRT, Kuma Market just around the corner, fresh fruit stands and High-Life convenient stores, restaurants, hair salon downstairs (or at least it’s possible it’s a hair salon), Big balcony, 6th floor, Taipei yilingyi (101) from the view!

(Now that I read this over it sounds like a hasty craig’s list add, sorry.)

Enjoy the move-in footage.

- these 2 photos above are courtesy of miss danielle sleeper

kitchen

view from the balcony (rainy night though)

street view

the girls and I, when we first drew for rooms

I am telling you this because it probably took me 6 good attempts before I figured it out.

They come in flavors: salmon, chicken, beef, vegetable, other fish, other meat, and other random fillings I haven’t identified yet. Usually you can tell by the picture in the background, or of course, if you know Chinese food characters. This one was chicken, a safe bet I suppose if you’re not crazy about fish. The rice triangle consists of the meat inside the rice, and the seaweed wrap. I know what some of you are thinking, seaweed wrap? Yes! And today I will demonstrate how to open a rice triangle from the plastic. It is a process, and nifty to know for every day Taiwan life!

1. What it looks like:

Found in every 7-11 on every street corner!

2. Start from top red tab, pull downwards and around both sides.

3. Take both sides of the bottom ends, and pull outward.

4. The seaweed cover will be successfully placed around the rice triangle. This is what it will look like. The other picture is a view of the actual rice triangle.

5. Finally keep it wrapped tightly (the rice is sticky so don’t SCREW UP) ..haha. Enjoy.

I love rice triangles. Nom nom nom.