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Xiao Liu Qiu (琉球嶼)

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Flower Base Rock Xiao Liu Qiu is a coral island off the western coast of Southern Taiwan that is known for walking snorkeling, biking, and walking trails along the coral coast. Getting there proves to be a bit of an adventure. From Kaohsiung Main Station, take the exit on the side with the Metro. Walk past the metro and turn left on the main street. Continue about a block and a half until you see the Ibus sign. Here you can buy your round trip ticket to Donggang (190 NTD per person). Take Bus 9127 or 9127A. Note, the first bus departs at 6 a.m. The bus ride to Donggang takes 60-90 minutes depending on traffic. Once you arrive in Donggang, walk about 12 minutes to the High Speed Ferry terminal across from the Hua Qiao Fish Market. To get there, go to the intersection with the hospital and walk west until you reach the bridge. Then, turn left and keep walking. There are many different ferry companies operating out of the terminal. We picked the one which offered the next ferr
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Xitou Recreational Area (溪頭自然教育園區)

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By taking an hour and a half bus ride into the mountains, we enjoyed a day in the woods. Xitou Forest is beautiful with multiple paved paths, hik ing trails, and a monster village. It was so much cooler (23 degrees C instead of 34 degrees C in Changua). We had a great time hiking, breathing in the clean air, forest bathing, and enjoying the fog. The hike up to the observatory was great training, but unfortunately the fog eliminated the view. We were told you could see Sun Moon Lake from here. We took the train to Xinwuri Station in Taichung. At the station, we went to exit 5 where the Tourist Pass for Xitou which included round trip bus fare and park entrance for 400 NTD (~$14 USD) is sold. The Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus / Nantou Bus Company which runs the Xitou Route was very organized and gave each person a number as their place in line, so we didn't have to worry about boarding. August is a very popular time to go as it is much cooler in the mountains. We waited about an
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Location: Xitou Bridge, Taiwan
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Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau: The Adventure Begins!

Our journey began on 12/29/16, fittingly exactly two years since I proposed to Katie on Catalina Island.  After saying our bittersweet goodbyes to both sets of our parents at LAX, and frantically reducing weight in our overpacked suitcases, we were off!  The check in line would be the first, but certainly not the last time we were gawked at by large groups of people due the magnitude of our luggage.  The flight on Korean air was smooth, especially with unparalleled customer service by the flight attendants who took turns comforting a crying newborn a few rows over, as well as stimulating conversation with ex-pats including the director of an English school in Ulanbaatar, Mongolia. I found myself agreeing with Donald Trump only once on this trip, and that was upon arriving at the Seoul Airport and stepping into a land of superior technology and free high speed internet.  As you may recall, he crassly bashed American airports in comparison to those found in major Asian cities. 
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Musical Garbage Trucks

While walking in the streets dodging cars and scooters, it's not uncommon to hear the music of Beethoven floating through the air. At first, we thought Changhua just really loved their ice cream. We soon learned that the garbage trucks play music as they approach. In Taiwan, unless you live in an apartment building, you have to hand your trash to the garbage truck as it passes--you cannot leave it on the side of the road to be collected.  The other day, I turned the corner to walk to school to teach a few classes and the garbage truck was right there. My initial thought was, "Oh great! I'm going to be stuck behind this truck the whole way."  What a treat it was to see the many shopkeepers running behind the truck to throw on their waste. It was a sight to behold. If you come to visit, it's worth seeing this at least once. 
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Bakery Culture

The baked goods, like all food in Taiwan, are delicious; however, the bakery culture differs significantly from that of Europe or North America. Instead of stopping by the bakery in the morning, people in Taiwan swing by after work in the evening to pick up freshly baked treats to consume the following day. If you come in the morning, there are very few items remaining. When we walk in, we grab a tray and tongs. All signs are in Chinese, so we take a blind guess and wait to discover what is inside of our pastry bounty. As we join the line to pay, we are so busy taking in what everyone else is purchasing, that we forget to get our money ready. The bakery line is an efficient, well-oiled machine. Think Sinfield’s Soup Nazi—only an incredibly kind, patient people working behind the counter while the foreigners hold up their line. They wait as we dig out our change and even congratulate us with a treat as we attempt to say the total in broken Mandarin. Then, the delayed gratification begi
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Our New Norm: Lizards, Cockroaches, and "Kitchen Burps"

Belated posts from our travels in January will be popping up in the near future. :) As we find ourselves adapting to the local culture and acquiring more Mandarin, I’ve noticed that it’s hard to put the experience into words. This challenge partially stems from a desire to share the magic that is here in Changhua and in Taiwan. This difficulty is also partially attributed to our adaptation to our new environment. For what was initially salient is now, in some cases, our norm. For example, Taiwan has an open sewer system for sink and shower waste water which can lead to some rather interesting smells at times. While we were first repulsed by some of the odors, now we fondly refer to them as “kitchen burps.” The acceptance of that which we can’t change (or cover up with Kirkland Signature scented dryer sheets) has led to far greater ease and less stress. We did have a visit from a local lizard who decided to take up residence in our bathroom for a day until we gently guided him
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Halong Bay

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We embarked on our journey to Halong Bay with Ocean Tours. After a bus ride and boat ride, our group of eleven boarded the junk boat which would be our home for the next 24 hours. The group consisted of a few Americans and many Dutch travelers. The junk boat was splendid: lounge chairs on the top deck, private rooms with ensuite bathrooms, and a community dining room.  As we sailed further into the bay, we were stunned by the enormous rocks protruding from the water. Included meals were delicious and doled out in very generous portions.  Following lunch the first day, we kayaked through the light and dark caves. Upon returning to the boat, we continued on to a quiet section of the bay where the boat anchored for the night.  We partook in a spring roll prep class followed by a refreshing swim in the bay prior to dinner. The following morning, we continued on to Cat Ba Island's National Park where we trekked up to a lookout and viewed mountains in many directions.
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