Taipei 101

So I have clearly not posted the second half of my hiking trip, or anything else fun I’ve done since November, but I’m gonna start of with the New Year and work backwards. Taipei 101 is the launch pad for Taipei’s infamous New Years fireworks. Streets are blocked off in the business district, traffic patterns are rerouted, metro hours extended, bus lines added, and massive Taiwan pop superstar concerts held. After waiting for HOURS in a sea of several hundred thousand excited Taiwanese teenagers, the countdown finally started.

Check out my video of the first half of the show: Taipei 101 New Years 2010

After a short but beautiful 3 minutes of fireworks, the crowds dispersed while kids played with sparklers and some irresponsible teens launched fireworks from the middle of the park. The evening ended with a concert by my favorite Taiwanese artist, Wang Lee Hom. Upon the completion of the fireworks display, “Taiwan UP” appeared on the side of 101. In the days to come there would be serious debates on the Taiwanese news about how the city government managed to put a Chinglish slogan on the side of the building, thereby instating it as Taiwan’s motto for 2010. Not only does the phrase not make sense in English, but it also seems poorly timed. Only days later Taipei 101 was officially knocked back in the rankings to 2nd tallest building in the world by Burges Dubai.

In the last few days, some ICLPers have adopted a new theme song. That’s right- Mulan. Surprisingly, the “I’ll make a man out of you” lyrics are not necessarily relating to the brutal relentlessness of ICLP classes, but more to the brutal relentlessness of our recent Thanksgiving vacation. WE CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN. Not just any mountain, but the second tallest in Taiwan.

Snow Mountain in Xueba National Park: 21 students, 2 teachers, a trail guide, and a cook –3 days, 21 kilometers, 0 degrees Celsius, summit of 3,886 meters, and a whole lot of muscle pain.

It was BEAUTIFUL.

On day one we hiked about 3 km from a basecamp and then had the whole evening to goof off in the wilderness. The facilities were rustic, to say the least:
-wooden military style barracks with sleepingbags (but no pillows) provided
-no heat
-no hot water
-no lights in the bathrooms
-bathroom doors lock on the OUTSIDE, so you better have a good friend you trust
-nothing but woods for miles
-bring your own toilet paper, snacks, dishware, and flashlights (no indoor lighting at night)

What else is there for 20 some college students to do? We ate, ate, ate some more, then played sardines (a version of hide-and-go-seek) in the forest with flashlights after nightfall, and finally watched the stars come out. Bedtime was approximately 8pm.

After a terribly uncomfortable night of little sleep, we were rudely awakened at 3am by the slave-driving hike leader, a nice, but stern middle-aged Taiwanese man in a flannel shirt and Russian hat. We were nearly forced to eat our breakfast of Chinese porridge and then hurried out the door. We hiked in darkness up steep and haphazard steps for about 2 hours, hoping our flashlight batteries were in good condition. Morale was already waning as we all felt pretty terrible from sleeping on wood in the cold, so that is when the singing of Mulan and other assorted Disney songs made an appearance (hiking under the stars was also suitable to ‘A Whole New World’).

We reached a clearing in the trees as the sun crept up from behind the mountains surrounded by an ocean of mist in the valley. It was truly breathtaking (and we were already out of breath).

We pressed on and got to the lookout point just in time for sunrise where the light, unhindered by trees or clouds, finally illuminated the mist and the hills that had been lurking around us in the dark.





After a short break, it was time to push ourselves up the ‘Crying Slope’ to our next resting place several kilometers away. At about 3,000 meters in altitude, this is where breathing started to become a real challenge.

As we reached the next crest of the mountain the sun shone so brightly it was hard to see, and the hills turned gold all around us.



By around 9am we had reached the ‘almost-half-way’ point, but were still another kilometer away from our cabin for night two… and we still had the hardest 5.9km to climb up to the summit.

Xueshan hike of a lifetime Part II, to be continued…

In an attempt to make my life include something other than studying, I have joined National Taiwan University’s Tap Club. Yes.. that’s right, Tap dance. You might ask, “there are tap dancers in Taiwan?” While there may not be many, I can say with certainty that there is one speedy tap instructor with Asian mullet-dreadlocks that proves Taiwanese tap does exist. Believe it or not, he is in the more Afro-American school of tap, instead of my Broadway style training.

Upon my arrival to the club’s call out meeting, I was instantly introduced to about 30 people, one by one. They were thrilled, to say the least, about meeting an American tap dancer with 11 years of experience. These students (sophmore undergrads through grad students) have no more than 2 years of tap experience. What a shame I failed to meet their expectations… boy did they give me a run for my money! I must be really out of practice or something, because they are FAST learners!

The tap instructor doesn’t even use a lot of dance terminology to teach- more of the ‘repeat after me’ approach where he just kind of beat boxes the rhythm instead of reciting the steps. Needless to say, this is not how I learned to dance. Not to mention the issue that there are 30 people in the class all tapping at different times, or that he doesn’t ever explain the order of steps in English, so sometimes I’ll think I’m caught up but when everyone starts dancing, I’m totally off. Not sure how much more memorization my brain can handle in one day.

Here’s the ‘combination’ (more like a whole dance) that we learned last class.. and that most people had down pretty well. In this video Taipei Tap the teacher is dancing nice and slow so we could all record him and use it to practice, but trust me, the full speed version is insane!

While on my way home one day, I decided to take a stroll through a market near my apartment. At first I just browsed the fresh produce, snacks, and housewares.Then I was offered some freshly brewed oolong tea by a vendor. I sat and drank with another customer, bought some tea, and headed home. But before I could get all the way out of the market, my exhaustion got to me.

I finally decided to get a 15 minute $3 massage from a group of masseuses/beauty care people who work in the park when the weather is nice. My masseuse was a pleasant and talkative 50 year-old Buddhist woman who was so busy talking to me that I got 10 free minutes of massage. Unfortunately, she had succeeded in distracting me so much so that I didn’t object to her suggestion of some technique I had not heard of. She began scratching my back with a small tool, and at first it felt pretty good. Not long after, it began to be quite abrasive, and soon, it was outright painful. I looked over to the man next to me getting the same treatment and his neck and shoulders were a bright blistering red. My heart skipped a beat when I realized my skin must look the same.
This is how I learned about Chinese “Guasha”- by accident.

Evidently the treatment is used to cure a number of ailments, from fever, to digestive problems, arthritis, fatigue, and in my case, muscle pain. They focus the scraping on the spots with the worst knots (right behind my shoulder blades). According to my masseuse, when you have muscle pain your ‘qi’ is often stopped up. In other words (I think…) your circulation is not flowing as it should be in that part of your body. “Guasha,” translated literally ’scrape-rash’, is supposed to bring the stagnant blood/qi to the surface of your skin (in a terrifying red streaky or speckled rash), thereby allowing the blood flow to return to the area. In the process, you should feel calmer, cooler, more relaxed, and of course, less muscle pain. I don’t really know if this treatment was particularly effective at relieving muscle pain, but it certainly was useful for startling other Westerners, or for striking up a conversation with a Taiwanese. Many Taiwanese receive the treatment on a regular weekly or monthly basis. At first I thought that my whole body felt cooler and my back was refreshingly tingly and only a little bit sensitive….then I realized that there had been Vick’s Vapor Rub involved. Most importanly, my skin has since returned to it’s normal appearance. But after a terribly exhausting week of studying, I might just be willing to give it a shot again… my back is killing me.

After scanning the shelves of three different convenience stores and finding myself bored with the usual snacks, I, after a solid 40 days, swallowed my pride and yes, stepped into a McDonald’s. I’d like to say it was solely for the purpose of scientific observation, but sadly I must admit, I kinda had a taste for it. Nevertheless, here are a few observations:

1. The international community is just not in to the Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese. I don’t understand why, but I’ve never seen it (or a similar counterpart) for sale outside the US. Too bad too, since it’s my ‘usual’.

2. The dollar menu isn’t a dollar menu. Some things cost more, some cost less.

3. The standard single patty burger and small fries I had smells exactly the same as in the US. This is not surprising since I have read that McDonald’s actually stores that smell in little vials and uses eyedroppers to add it to all their products.

4. There are only 3 beef options available in the combo meals (all of which have 2 or 3 patties), and one of them looks like an attempt at a ‘Salisbury’ burger.

5. Corn soup is a side option.

6. Once I was about half-way through with my meal and it started to get cold, I suddenly regretted going to McD’s.. just like in the US.

7. The ketchup packets come from California.

8. I consumed 46% of my daily fat intake.

9. I tried to conceal my incriminating paper bag on the walk home, but was still subject to the incriminating gaze of passersby, surely thinking “Oh look, an American eating McDonalds. I bet she isn’t used to eating our delicious Taiwanese cuisine” despite the fact that they all go to McDonald’s too.

10. I’m not lovin’ it, but I’m sure I’ll be back.

Now that I am more or less settled, most of the past week was spent going on mini-adventures, the first of which was rafting. We headed out to the Yilan (I-lan) region by bus. After about an hour (much of which was spent in tunnels) we arrived in the city of Luodong and then took a private van out to the rafting area.

Before we knew it we were suiting up (webbed water boots, sunblock, life vests with a million straps, and foam helmets a la Dodgeball). Sadly I have no pictures of this- although it would just be embarrassing for everyone involved. What is more unfortunate is that I have no photos of…water! It’s for the best that I didn’t ruin my camera, I suppose. Instead I will have to do my best to paint an accurate picture…

We were divided into two rafts, with 2-3 guides accompanying each. Our preparation consisted of one of the guides explaining things in Mandarin & Taiwanese for about 5 minutes, and then getting the two sentence “translation” from a friend which basically consisted of, “if it starts too get choppy, stop paddling and duck.” While I was quite comforted for their evident concern for our safety, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of dangers were in store.

As it turns out, the “guides” only guided when it was absolutely necessary, and the rest of the time they were goofing off. What a job it must be to come to work every day and harass unsuspecting tourists by splashing them, pouring water down their backs, and dumping them in the river! They were all very friendly and just wanted us to have a good time. They actually directed us to climb up an inclined plane of rushing water, then slide down it like a water slide. They also drug us by our life vests into a whirlpool at the foot of a short dam which kept us afloat and stationary, despite the all the water rushing past us. Numerous times they chose me as their first victim, literally pushing me into the water or throwing me up in the air.
They also arranged us on the rafts so that we would be able to safely cross a couple of 3-5 foot drops by boat. By the end our shoes were full of pebbles and all our digits pruney. As we got cleaned up and said goodbye to the guides the sun was already starting to disappear. (Even though the weather’s still like summer, sunset is at 6pm due to the proximity to the equator!)

The Luodong night market was delicious, to say the very least. There seemed to be a lot more appetizing options that in many a Taipei market (while fowl and pig innards and blood were still present, there was also a wide variety of fried pork, chicken, and veggies, along with the traditional night market fare).

Not only was the food excellent, but prices for everything tended to be a bit lower than Taipei, and the streets were less crowded. Overall, the trip was a breath of fresh air- a good way to stay afloat and maintain one’s sanity when living amidst the hustle and bustle of Taipei.

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As I tap my toe to ‘California Dreaming” from the back of a 12 seat van, I am contemplating the sheer oddity of the idea that I drifted to sleep over the twinkling expanse of LA city lights, and as if in a dream, raced the sun over the horizon towards the international date line in our journey over the Pacific.

I awoke as we drifted over Japan and conversed with my new airplane buddy, Sue, who though a native Taiwanese, had studied, to my surprise at Indiana University- Bloomington! Once we realized the strange coincidence we became quick friends. Not only did she help me on my way out of the airport, but she also invited me to come visit her some time in the South of Taiwan. The two of us parted ways when I found my ride, the driver holding a sign with my name and wearing a big grin. Although it was clear he could not speak English, he was very eager to help me with luggage and wisp me off to the hostel. As we stepped outside the refreshing air-conditioning of the airport, we shared a laugh as both our glasses fogged up in the steamy Taipei air.
Time: 7am Temp: 80 degrees F Humidity: 1,000,000,000%
I rolled up my pants while waiting for him to bring the car around.

The vibrant leafy green medians brightened up the highway, full of the eerily rhythmic pace of early morning traffic- not to worry, I was reassured moments later that by no means did all traffic move like clock-work. Passing under a giant spaghetti bowl of concrete, the mountains began to take shape in the distance, framing the densely packed apartment buildings along the horizon in a bright white sfumato. As I turned my attention to the inside of the van, I chuckled to myself: a mix CD of Mariah Carey, 80s soft rock, and other assorted American classics; dashboard charms: a stuffed puppy, a stuffed cow, and a very serious-looking Buddha. I would soon find out that this comical randomness is indicative of life in Taipei.

The final notes of “What a Wonderful World” fade away and the seemingly peaceful harmony between mountains and buildings vanishes instantaneously and morphs into the organized chaos of the morning commute. Pedestrians march through crosswalks, cars wait impatiently at timed stoplights, watching the digital countdown, and mo-ped drivers, as if by ESP, don ponchos just in time for the light drizzle of an approaching typhoon. Gradually the shops begin to look familiar, and before I know it, I’ve arrived safely at the hostel.

After a victorious battle with my luggage (with which I had help) I finally set eyes on the infamous “mini-single” room which I was promised. For $12USD/night I have a bed, a fan, a mirror, and well, that’s just about it. Most of my luggage gets exiled to the common room, while I figure out how to arrange the necessities in the 4ft x 6ft space. Finally, I can email home, shower, and with some luck, find a working ATM.

As much as I was hoping to avoid other 外國人 (foreigners-aka non-Taiwanese) I have to admit that it is strange to arrive in another country without the claustrophobic surveillance of a school program. Having no other white people to stand out with, no schedule, and no apartment does make one feel unsettled in even an otherwise familiar place. Strangers say “Hello!” in passing, some staring briefly, and I realize I’ve forgotten what it was like to be the 老外 (old foreigner). That being said, I was glad to see a familiar face, when Drew walked right past the only Caucasian waiting outside Exit 4 of Shilin metro…once I got his attention, we stopped by one of his favorite snack shops for DELICIOUS iced green milk tea with honey and a flaky pancake stuffed with Taiwanese kimchi and cheese. We stopped by his apartment for a bit, then headed out for a night of stuffing our faces at Shilin Night Market (which my stomach was not quite ready for). After a couple of shaved ice deserts, spicy cold noodles, pork skewers stuffed with green onions, glazed sweet potatoes, and various fruit juices, I realized I’ve got a lot of work cut out for me. Not only do I intend to EAT it all, but I said I would take photos and put it up on the photo blog! I’ve already devoured some of the best looking dishes before I remembered to take a photo. I guess that will give me something to do for 10 months.