Taiwan 2: Taipei 101 (16. Jan. '18)

Taipei 101

Now, off to the main attraction I want to see in Taipei: Taipei 101.

If you saw my post when I went up Macau Tower or Sky100 or Fukuoka Tower, you should know that I like heights. So there was no way I was going to visit Taipei WITHOUT going to Taipei 101!

Just to think this was the tallest building in the world from 2004 - 2010.
What makes that more special to me is that those were the years I was a college student (yes, it took me 6 years to graduate--with a triple major and double minor)!

I decided to take the MRT if anything to get a feel for how to use it and how to transfer trains in it (See, my hostel was on the green line, and Taipei 101 is on the red line).

Go out the Taipei 101 exit, and look up.

This building is not just a tower, but also a mall with all kinds of luxury brands, as well as restaurants, cafes, and a grocery store.

I don't know much about that since I had tunnel-vision aimed towards getting to the observatory deck.

There is a bit of a wait and nowhere to sit (unless you're ok with the floor), so keep that in mind. The elevators (there are 2) are quite fast! The ride was very smooth, but I felt strange because of how quickly my ears were popping.

Here's the elevator ride, from about half-way through.

Now on the observation deck (on the 89th floor), time to check out the view...

Whoa . . . See the mountains in the background?

Sorry for the lousy quality of the southwest...

Some mirrors on the ground and ceiling to play with.

So play along I did--with the glass wall.

Not gonna lie, that was fun.

This time, I wanted to accomplish something I hadn't before (except on Fukuoka Tower): get a day and night view.

I honestly don't know which direction these were in nor which buildings they are, but here are the least-bad pictures.

From the uppermost observatory open to the public.

This is how high (and which floor) the previous picture was taken from.

Looking down 91 floors of stairs...

Did you know Taipei sees seismic activity? Why not, Taipei 101 itself lies about 600 ft (183 meters) from a fault line. So, does this mean Taipei 101 will come crashing down at any given moment?
Not really.

Taipei 101 has a damper--a 730-ton steel ball 18 ft (5.5 meters) in diameter--that can reduce the shaking of the building by around 40%. You can check out the article (and a video) here.

The damper, from above.

Now from a level angle.

As much as I like heights and being up there, the weight of my trip and lack of sufficient sleep had started falling hard on me, so I knew it was time to go.

Time to go through all sorts of shops (not a coincidence) to get to the line for the elevator down.

Lights above the line to go down.

They changed colors.

The elevator ride down (again, towards the end of the descent).

When you buy your ticket up Taipei 101 (600 Taiwanese Dollars/ 20.65 USD), you get plenty of coupons. I decided to use one for a mango shop on the exit floor of the tower (5th Floor).

About 30% off on this Mango shaved ice.

That mango shaved ice was brilliant!

The ice was made from actual mango juice that was frozen. How could I tell? As a lady working there told me, you get a sticky feeling in the back of your mouth, and you get thirsty (even though you're not) when you eat something with sugar, preservatives, and other stuff. When it's all natural, like this one, it just goes down, smoothly. The way it should be.

Before I leave to go back to my hostel, let me take one more look at this tower.

Whoa. Pictures don't do it justice.

Pitstop at Raohe Night Market

Coming back to my hostel via MRT, I noticed a night market. My stomach also grumbled. 

I'm with you, buddy. Let's go see what we can eat.

Colossal temple beside the night market entrance.

Entrance to Raohe Night Market (from Songshan Station, Exit 3)

Sorry guys, I did not take any pictures here. I was too busy looking at everything that was around me. There were all kinds of shops, with familiar brands and local stores. And the food! All kinds for all taste buds. I had a chicken roll, a bowl of 3 different types of deep-fried mushrooms, stinky tofu "fries," and (the most random thing I saw in the entire market) a Polish cake(!) baked by a Pole who's been living there for 6 years. I did not expect that, but it was nice!

Sign at the other end of the night market/street.

Alright, so I overate. Now I needed to walk it off or do something. I needed to go to bed 'cause I was quite tired.
Anywho, it was a pretty good day. I arrived, figured out how to get around on my own, made it to my hostel, and got to go up to Taipei 101 and see both day- and nighttime views.
I'd say it was a successful day.
Now, to get some much-needed rest.

Taiwan 1: Arriving to Taipei (16. Jan. '18)

Arrival in Taiwan

Tuesday, 16. January 2018 at 11:00 . . . Goodbye Jeju.
12:15 (1 time zone back) . . . Hello Taiwan!

Moving to Korea this time, I had a layover in Taipei for 3 or 4 hours. I decided I needed to return for an extended visit.

Fortunately, I was able to this past week.

There are lots of pictures to share, so please bear with me.

Welcome to Taoyuan International Airport (not in Taipei, but very near to Taipei).

Wow, my compliments to the architect--and those who clean the floor.

Just in case you're wondering where you were.

Getting food at the airport

After getting through immigration and arrivals, getting an EasyCard, and buying a SIM card for 5 days of unlimited data, I needed to get rid of my hunger.

If you arrive in Terminal 1, go down one level, and you'll come to the food court (there's another in Terminal 2, but with different options). There, you'll have a plethora of choices. Below is an off-focus picture of mine.

My 1st meal in Taiwan--and completely vegetarian!

Where I got the vegetarian meal--Food Court of Terminal 1.

That meal was TWD 158/ USD 5.44

So vegetarians, Muslims, Jews, low-protein, and any others with other dietary restrictions . . . You CAN  find food you can eat here.

I don't eat pork or seafood (except for fish). 

I've learned that in East Asia, pork is a vegetable AND a seasoning. You will find pork everywhere, even in items that claim to be "vegetable." With that said, even I found plenty I can eat here.

I've been informed a couple of times how a food item did not have milk or eggs (ya hear that, vegans?).

I see Taipei indeed is the Foodie Captial of the World (this conclusion was after checking out the food at the night markets as well as the airport food courts).

Off to Taipei via Airport MRT

Fed and "full-filled," it was time to make my way to Taipei--and find my hostel. There are plenty of ways to get from the airport to Taipei.

I chose the MRT train line connecting the airport to Taipei Main Station.

I happened to have gotten into an Express MRT Train. Totally unplanned, yet just as welcomed.

Taking the Express Airport MRT from the airport to Taipei Main Station

A short video of the Express Airport MRT train.

Was this your idea of Taipei?

As you see below, this large city has space a large park.

Development never stops.

Inside an MRT station, at a platform.

Inside an MRT train.

It can get quite crowded--it got much worse.

My hostel was Taipei Livepal Hostel, about a 5 min. walk from Songshan Station (end of the Green Line/Line 3), Exit 3.

I reviewed it too. Just look for my title: "Cool, quiet, capsule-like experience in Taipei."

View of Taipei 101 from around the corner to my hostel

I checked-in, got my day-bag, and left to catch the attraction I wanted to see in this city--if possible, in daylight and nighttime.

Winter Vacation '18_Part 2: Jeju (13.-16. Jan. '18)

A few changes

Some of you know I used to teach and live in Jeju. I visited Jeju last August, but I wanted to meet up with a few people now in the winter, hence why I went.

Having in mind I moved out 5 years (!) ago, things understandably change. Somehow, things tend to change much faster in Korea.

One such change was the addition (or transplantation) of the city bus stops from the side of the road to the middle of the road. Below are a few pictures of what I mean.

Jeju City Hall bus stop--in the middle of the road.

Stop lights for the cars and the buses.

Other changes included the buses themselves. They were newer.

The bus routes changed to include other areas outside of Jeju city, even down to Seogwipo. Before, if you wanted to go anywhere outside of Jeju City, you had to go to Jeju Bus Terminal. Not anymore!

The bus numbers themselves were changed too--and this was the one that threw me off the most. When I was there in August, the buses had the same numbers as before. I come back 4.5 months later, and they are COMPLETELY different! It took me a while to understand my beloved 500 bus was now 365. It's equally dear cousin, the 502, was now 360.

Things never stay the same.

Other random sightings

So I took the 365 (formerly the 500) over to the end of its route (Jeju Halla University). Why? For memories' sake. On my way there, I was quick enough to catch this sight from the bus that caught my attention.

Is this the hair salon's idea of advertisement, two poodles?

Near the Halla University is a park they recently finished (maybe it was finished when I was there in August, not quite sure). Something there caught my eye. Here it is.

Comfort Woman Statue, lovingly covered up from the cold.

Close-up

You should check out this cafe

Down a side alley near City Hall, you will find a cafe called, "Lee SeongPil: Acidity & Full Aroma & Sweety Roastery Shop."
I kid you not.
I liked the atmosphere and the natural lighting coming in from a good 1/3 of the property. I forgot what kind of tea I ordered (maybe Rooibos?), but it was just right. The huge muffin I ordered was also plenty--but the good kind of plenty.
I took a few pictures--and a short video--you can see here.

There's the name.

Opens 11:30 - 22:00 Tue. - Fri., 13:00 - 22:00 on weekends, and is closed on Mon.

The menu

I don't remember ever seeing a wooden certificate before--paper certificates don't count.

Wanna get away?

I just came across this mural near my hostel and thought it was very well done.

Wanna get away?

Those are all the pictures I can share from Jeju.
I met with former colleagues, former students, and current friends. We got caught up in each other's lives. I did not take many pictures with them, but I'd rather keep those between them and me.

I left Jeju Tuesday morning. Where did I go?
Not back home! I still have the rest of the week as vacation and I want to go somewhere.

I did just that. From Jeju, I flew straight to Taiwan and stayed there until 3 am Monday (22nd) morning.

Let me show you how Taiwan was like.

Winter Vacation '18_Part 1: Jeju (13.-16. Jan. '18)

"Vacation's all I ever wanted..." 

Do you know that 80s song?

After my 2-week English Winter Camp at my main school, it was time for my week-long winter vacation!
Man, was I ready! Don't get me wrong. I liked my camp and loved seeing the students get really into it, but everyone needs a break to do their own thing.

Technically, my break was 5 days long because the schools don't count weekends. Wait, so my vacation was only 5 days? Screw that! I need to get the weekends involved too!

Which I did.

Close-call to Jeju

I was not aware that I might not be able to start my vacation until my co-teachers brought it up. Apparently, a ton of snow was dumped onto Jeju Island. It got to the point that the international airport closed Thursday night, leaving about 3,000 passengers stranded overnight.

Oh.

That's a problem.

They checked right then and there for me. Fortunately, the airport was open and running again that day--Friday. My flight to Jeju was scheduled the following (Saturday) morning. That was close, but I was able to fly as expected, without the slightest hiccup. *Whew* 

Piles of sleeping mats used in Jeju International Airport, just one night and two days ago.

Mini-Reunion in Jeju SDA International Church

From the airport, I took a taxi directly to Jeju SDA International Church--where I used to work and worship for 1 year about 6 years (!) ago. 

I visited before, during the summer this past August. Strange thing: in August, I left just as the sermon was going to begin. This time, I arrived just in time for church (which was my plan). I got to see some of the same church members who were there when I was there. Just like any other place, Time took its course. Some moved away, others moved in. The children I remembered were much older--some even about to enter university! Man, I never felt my white strands of hair as I did then.

The institute/church/etc., just a block behind the district court.

My hostel in Jeju

At around 16:00, I wanted to go check-in to my hostel. I chose Greenday Guesthouse in Jeju City (not for the band) for the location. I was familiar with the area. I knew it was quiet and that it was not far from Jeju City Hall (took me about 10 minutes to walk it), where I'd meet most of the people I was going to see.

I do not regret staying there.

Entrance, plus bathroom under the stairs for those needing it after 23:00.

Wanna know the policies? Here they are, in English and 한국어로.

My single room. I wanted to be alone in a hostel room for once.

Three nights in this room cost me a total of 78,300 KRW.

The breakfast included toast, cereal, milk, juice, jam, 1 egg per person, and 미역국 (Miyeok-gug, seaweed soup, an excellent source of iron).
They have a library I was not able to enjoy. Most of the books were in Korean, but there was one in English, but it was way bigger than The Bible, and I knew I was not going to read it all during my stay.
Most importantly, they have 1 thing that is always a nice extra in any hostel I stay in . . .

Why was it so serious though? The girls working there said it was sick, but it still had the energy to climb onto the top bunk of their beds . . . 

Snow at Masan! (10. Jan. '18)

On Wednesday, January 10, during the first half of the day in Winter English Camp at my main school, we were interrupted.
It was snowing.

My co-teacher was explaining a grammatical point in Korean. As I was waiting for her to finish, I scanned the room, trying to read the students' faces. Then my peripheral vision caught sight of something out the window. I stared for a few seconds before it registered what I saw: snow.

Before I could stop myself, I pointed to the windows and said, "Snow!"

My co-teacher and the kids immediately followed my index finger and saw the snow. That's how I ruined the learning environment.

Or did I?

My co-teacher and I decided we'd let the kids go out and enjoy the snow a bit AFTER we finished the section we were working on. After accomplishing that in 15 minutes, we all grabbed our coats and poured out the school doors to see and play in the snow.

It was during this time my co-teacher informed me that it had not snowed in Masan last year--at all.

So we were in the same boat. My last winter was in Florida, and it hadn't snowed there either (at least not in the part of Jacksonville my family lives in).


Let me show you how it was.

"SNOOOOWWWWW!!!!"

Panorama of the schoolyard dusted in snow.

I shot this short video too. Gives a clearer picture, don't you think?

No, that's not dandruff! Yay, snow!

Back in the classroom. Class did not resume quickly.

From the hallway window across from my classroom. Nice, eh?

Video taken from the same window like the picture above.

Looking at the gym from the 3rd-floor stairs window.

Interestingly, the snow stopped falling around 2pm, and by quitting time (16:40), it had basically melted away.

But it was nice to see this beautiful, clean, pure cotton glide gracefully to the ground. It was also refreshing to take a break and enjoy this moment with the kids.

Masan Teachers Chorus Concert (20. Dec. 2017)

Happy 2018!

In my last post, I mentioned the Masan Teachers Chorus and their concert. I decided to write a post exclusively for that concert because I now have access to the recordings and I want to share them with you.

Again, a few things about this group and concert...

First off, this concert was the 10th annual concert, so now we know the chorus has been around for at least 10 years (probably with different directors and members throughout the years).

All the members are teachers (of various subjects) in Masan's public schools.

This time around, I was the only non-Korean in a 30-strong chorus.

The chorus had been learning and practicing these 8 (+/-) songs since I joined the Chorus in September--if not before.

We did not have the music with us on stage. We had to memorize the songs. All the songs, except 1, were in Korean. The one different song was in English.

I was given 2 solo parts in the one English song. I don't believe that was a coincidence.

The English song ("Can You Hear Me" by Bob Chilcott) was the first song of the program. I don't believe that was a coincidence either (i.e., get the harder stuff done and out of the way quickly, then be able to enjoy the rest of the program).

A few other teachers had solo parts (or three). One played two songs on the trumpet, and another accompanied the pianist and us on her flute.

We learned the choreography for four songs. Some of it was fun and "cute."

The Teachers Chorus was not the only group that performed. Three or four other schools joined us and did their own thing too. We all came together at the end for "Colors of the Wind" in Korean.

Here are the videos (Remember, the program is entirely in Korean):

*Want to know which woman is me? Easy! Look for the tallest/largest woman. That's me. Also, you'll see me step down for my solo in the 1st stage video at 3:29.*

Introduction

The "1st Stage"

(It really starts at 3:46)

Trumpet Soloist (Between "1st" & "2nd" Stages)

The "2nd" Stage

(Dress change and choreographed songs)

I don't know in which order the following clips went, but here they are:

And here is "3rd" Stage

The Finale

That's all folks!
I hope you enjoyed it--and be gentle, please.

Update before the end of 2017

So I haven't shown any signs of life on my blog in over a month.

Let me change that now.

Since the earthquake, there have been a few eventful happenings . . .

1. I had plantar fasciitis (click on that name to find out what it is).

I like to walk and walk long distances. I enjoy dancing (nothing too crazy). As a teacher, I stand just about the entire length of the class period. I also have high arches. 

According to this website, I'm a prime candidate for this condition.

I went to a hospital and had treatment for 3 days a week for 6 weeks. The doctor told me I needed to walk and stand as less as possible. It was hard, but I did what I could. I did not travel at all during that time.

As far as the treatment, Mondays and Fridays were when I had a series of them (i.e., sonography, shockwave therapy, heat treatment, and something that seemed to target my muscles) on my right heel, where it hurt. Wednesdays were the days when I got my weekly shot--into my right heel. Not fun, but over with within seconds.

One of my treatments outside the clinic.

After my treatment period was over, I tried to be careful, just to not relapse.

Seriously, I was scared to death of having a relapse and have to go through more weeks of the treatments.

But then I tried walking back home from church one Sabbath. It's about 5 stops away from home--up and on a hill. I walked back. My heel didn't hurt. What a glorious moment.

Speaking of a glorious moment, that brings me to number two . . .

2. Masan Teachers' Chorus Concert

The concert's poster

We had all been practicing a lot for this event. We memorized 8 or 9 songs--only 1 in English. The others were naturally in Korean. We even learned the choreography for 4 of those songs.

That was a lot of fun.

I might write a post about that. I need to get some pictures to go with it first.



Christmas was nice but bad at the same time.
I visited a family I know in Seoul. They'll move to the States in Spring, so  I wanted to spend time with them before they left for good. The bad thing was that the micro-dust levels in Seoul were very high that weekend, and I got sick. But as soon as I left Seoul and returned here, I started getting better. I'd say I'm just about cured now.



I've been contributing a bit to Google Maps.
You know I like to explore restaurants and cafes, as well as places.
Here's a little of what I've shared so far on Google Maps.

That's basically it.

See you next year!