Page's Book of Travel

This is typical picture of a market. They have quite a bit of stuff packed into a little store. These stores are just about on every block. People here don't shop once per month, they go every day and just buy what they need for the day's meal. So everything they make is fresh. Also another reason for this is because of the heat and humidity almost all the food must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Last night after dinner we went for dessert to a Taiwanese ice house. They take shaved ice and put it in a bowl then pour sweetened condensed milk over it. Sabrina is having red beans, which are sweetend and only eaten as a dessert over here. I am having chocolate with pudding. The pudding is not very sweet. Some people next to us had the mango so I asked if I could take a picture of it. Right now is mango season so it is very fresh. One bad thing about this dessert is that you get about six times the "freeze brain" compared to having an ice cream sunday.

On Saturday we drove upto the mountains to one of the most costly temples in Taiwan. Chung Tai Chan Monastery. It was raining quite a bit on the way up so I don't have any pictures. If you click on the title of this post though, it will take you to their web site. Also, I thought it was very interesting that they were buildig this highway up through the mountains. If you look closely next to the tan building, the road is not complete. It is very high and I think it would make me a little nervous to drive on it.

I know, not the most flattering picture of me. They want to see your belly so that the teacher can tell if you are moving like you are supposed to. The teacher is the one in the white top. Harry's mom is in red pants. It is amazing how they can move their hips. Also, it is sooooo hot that the hair has to be up. You are just sweating all the time. The class has been fun and I hope to continue doing it when I return back to Utah. I have taken video pictures of the two dances I was learning so that I can finish learning them. Let me know if any of you are interested in learning with me. LOL We could be the "Country Lane Belly Dancers"

On our way to the yarn factory we stopped at a ribbon factory. Sabrina's mom's company supplies ribbons (like shoe laces, bag shoulder straps, hair ribbons, etc) to companies for their products. The two machines are weaving tiny threads into straps. It was amazing. One minute we were driving up what looked like a back alley and came to a garage door that was open. That was the factory. They had about a dozen machines like this operating. The one that has red and pink in it looked like a hair ribbon.

Driving is very crazy here. They do have speed limits and most people obey those, however I still cannot figure out why they even paint lines on the road. No one follows them or uses turnsignals anyway. Part of the reason for all the weaving in and out of the lanes though is so that you don't hit a motorcycle. Fun Huh??

I have also been doing nails while here. I have done them for two girls in the office as well as Herry's mom. One of the girls brought me some Japanese magazines that showed many kinds of nail art. Therefore, I took a stab at creating an acrylic flower. Not bad right? A set of nails costs around $50 US - with nail art someone here could expect to pay up to $100. Not a bad career. Here you don't need to have a license and you don't have to pay tax.

Nothing special has happened this week for me. Justin is attending school each day and participating in some activities in the evening. I only see him on the weekends. In order to keep myself busy, I have been crocheting dishtowels for the kitchen and giving them to the office girls and putting them in the office. Here, for example is one that I made and put in the office kitchen. If you look real hard there is also a washcloth and a hotpad, which you can't see. When I am not crocheting I am reading books. So far I have read two 400 page romance novels.

I was able to get some of Justin's pictures of the National Palace Museum. Unfortunately, they do not allow pictures to be taken inside. Most of the artifacts consist of carved jade and other early carved day wear. They are very beautiful and delicate. It took us about two hours to complete a tour. They give you a headset that will give you information on specific exhibits by just punching in a number. Click on the title of this post for more information and pictures of some of the artifiacts at this museum.

This is a picture of Justin and Herry on the observaytory floor of the 101 building. Kind of reminds me of the top of the Empire State Building. The elevator to the top of this building, however, is the fastest in the world. It is listed in the Guiness Book of World Records.

We visited the 101 Building in Taipei,which is the tallest building in the world. It sways a little when you are at the top, but has some very amazing structural designs that make it very stable. There is a _?__ ton ball that hangs inside the building that absorbs the movement. See the attached link by clicking on the title of this post.

On Saturday, June 7 we spent the entire day in the capital city of Taipei. We rode the HSR (High Speed Rail) which is similar to Frontrunner except for the fact that it reaches speeds of up to 230 miles per hour. We visited the 101 Building and the National Palace Museum. After all the walking we also decided to have a foot massage. More postings will follow with pictures from this adventure.

Hot pot restaurant. Went out to dinner with Andy (Sabrina's brother) and Sabrina. Everything you eat is fresh (vegetables, meat, seafood). You just place it in the boiling broth until it is cooked and then dip it in sauce and eat. It is very good and filling. Having a drink (water, soda, etc) with your meal is very uncommon among the Asian people, but I have to have something just in case I eat something I dont recognize or like and need to wash it down.

Here is a picture of inside the theater. It had to be after the show because they wouldn't let me take any pictures before while people were seated.

I have kind of lost track of the days because I don't really have any deadlines or pressing jobs. This past week we have been to a movie theater where you watch the movie from recliners and the hostesses bring you refreshments that you have pre ordered. Justin and I separated on Monday. He is now staying alone with Herry and his family and I am staying at Sabrina's office, which is a house that has been converted into an office. I will now submit some additional postings with pictures for your enjoyment.

We went to chuch this morning. It was nice. I had to have interpreters for all the meetings to understand what they were saying, but there was a couple there where he had been on a mission to Taiwan about three years ago and returned and married a native girl. They had us come up during sacrament meeting and introduce ourselves and bear our testimonies. Scarry!

We also went into Taichung for dinner and a little shopping in the evening. It was a mall and kind of like a night market. They had a shop that was kind of like build a bear except for that is was for perfume.

More to come later.

Front view of the entire temple.