Okay, okay, it's fair to say that I don't update my blog quite as often as many bloggers. I do take it seriously, though! I would like to do more frequent posts but many linger way too long in draft form as my perfectionist tendencies obstruct me from pushing that orange "publish" button (thanks, Dad!)... or the slow Myanmar internet makes uploading photos painful... or, real life: more traveling(!), work, friends or a combination of all of the above gets in the way.
So here's an old story... but still a good one! Listen:
For spring break last year, which falls on Thingyan (Burmese New Year), I decided to venture to Taiwan. I had been curious about this country ever since I had a loooong layover there in 2012 on the way to Bali to get my yoga teacher certification.
To start the red eye flight out of Yangon wasn't really long enough to get good sleep on and the layover in Hong Kong broke up the night. I was very grateful that my school's Chinese teacher was on the same flight and her friend had offered to pick us up at the airport. We zoomed in to Taipei on super modern roads and it occurred to me that I hadn't been in a developed country like this one since I'd left the US nine months earlier. My colleague's friend insisted on treating us to a multi-course seafood lunch and then they helped me get my pass to ride public transport.
My dear Leslie had connected me with Rachael and her friends, who are teachers in Taiwan, so not only did I have a sweet place to stay in Taichung, but I also had the inside scoop on the country. With just over a week, I didn't want to run all over the island trying to see everything, so I know there are other great spots for another trip. However, I did see Taipei, Taichung, Sun Moon Lake and I found a lot of time to wander, discover art, make my way through tiny alleyways and just soak up the sun on walks (and do homework... remember this time last year I was working away on my teaching certification). A less planned and non-hectic travel pace is definitely what I was looking for on this trip.
I started my tour in Taipei, where I walked the city streets day and night, had some amazing coffees, visited lots of shops and markets and took in some of the sites. Rachael even joined me for the weekend, so I had a friend to go around with!
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| Street near my hostel in Taipei |
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| Busy Taipei night scene |
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| Dragon details on temple |
Does the sky look gray to you? Taipei reminded me of the Pacific Northwest. It was rainy and gray while I was there. It's a modern city and I thought about my time in Seattle and Portland a lot while visiting.
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| Me at the temple |
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Temple offerings
After a long weekend of shopping, walking, catching up with Rachael and only seeing a bit of Taipei (so much to see and do!), Rachael and I headed south to Taichung. We were both enrolled in Teach Now's certification program and we had Sunday evening virtual classes to log into! Rachael's roommates were waiting for us with homemade chili and her dogs greeted us with tail wags and kisses.
After class and a sleep, I was ready to explore Taichung! The city is modern, but it has done an excellent job of integrating art and green space into its urban city spaces.
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| Taichung has a lot of green space built in to the city. Love that color! |
Coffee was in order and Rachael recommended the grooviest spot!
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| One of the coolest coffee shops I've visited - second floor made of glass. |
I had homework for my course, but I also had lots of time to explore the city. I spent most of my time walking and wandering. In the evenings, I caught up with the teachers, enjoyed great vegetarian food (thank you all again for your hospitality!) and got tips for the next day. This was definitely the most challenging country that I have visited in terms of language barrier and being able to eat (I'm allergic to gluten, dairy and eggs and I don't eat meat).
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| Twisty tree branches in Taichung |
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| I can't read what it says, but it is pretty! |
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| Night market shopping |
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| Night market food -not vegetarian friendly! |
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| Lots of steps to get to the top... |
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| Entrance to the temple, elephants for dad! |
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| A turtle picture for my sister |
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| The view was worth the climb. :) |
After a long day of exploring, I was ready to head back to my home away from home. Who wouldn't love returning to these two?
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| A ball of Lola |
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| Vivi, ever hopeful, in the kitchen |
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| Dog park near my "home" for the week |
My last weekend was spent in Taipei. I visited the hills just outside the city, taking another gondola up to sample tea, walk and take in more views.
I decided to experiment with a new type of hostel: the cube. Basically you rent a sleeping cube in a room full of lots of cubes. You get a locker for your stuff, clean sheets, a shared bathroom and a place to lay your head. It was okay, but I don't know if I'd do it again...
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| My cube for a night |
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| Last rainy night shot of Taipei |
I hope to return to Taiwan someday and see more!
This Thingyan break is longer, just the way the holiday falls, so I have a full two weeks off of school. I'm headed to Vietnam to continue my explorations of Southeast Asia and to get some more practice trekking (
Camino de Santiago, I am coming your way this June!).
In other travel news, I just purchased flights to Spain and will be there for most of June and July. Details of my trip are still coming into focus, but I am beyond excited to be returning - I don't think I have been back to visit since 2009.
These are two upcoming trips and teasers for future posts! :)
What I'm reading:
- Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Siddhartha - Herman Hesse
- Human Dark with Sugar - Brenda Shaughnessy (poetry fix, thanks Y!)
Just finished:
- We Should All Be Feminists - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (re-reading and re-watching this one. If you haven't seen it, go here as soon as you can)
- Haunted - Chuck Palahniuk (not my favorite of his and not for the faint of heart or stomach...)
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