Tainan

Friday Night= "Do you want to go to Tainan tomorrow?"

Saturday Morning ( EARLY morning)= On a bus to Tainan.

So, living in Taichung, we are very conveniently located in the center of Taiwan. This means that if we decide to go on a day trip somewhere that we can totally make that happen. So Saturday morning me and my friends got on a bus to Tainan to take in the sights....and take in the sights we did. ( I also practiced my Chinese for real life cray cray situations)

 

9:45- We arrived in Tainan after a two hour bus ride and were about to walk to the train station to get some tourist information when all of the sudden my friend realized she forgot her camera on the bus. Me, being the only one in my group able to speak Chinese, then had the daunting task of trying to understand people on the phone. >< I asked a bus driver of the same company we used where we should go and he showed us a phone number that we could call. Well, I called the company and told them what happened and, thank Jesus, I finally realized that my Chinese has improved A TON! I was able to understand everything they asked me without any problem. :) Well, long story short, we had to wait for an hour for the bus we just barely got off of to get back to Tainan but we just used that time to get tourist info... so no biggie.

After we got my friend's camera back we then headed off to a famous area in Tainan named Anping. While in the cab to Tainan I was talking to my cab driver asking where we should go and explore and he gave many suggestions to me....in a VERY thick Taiwanese accent. Needless to say, I stopped trying to chat. While in Tainan we all walked through the 'Old Street' which had a bunch of shops and food. It was exciting. We all bought some shtuff from this leather store that hand-made everything and so that was fun. After this we ate lunch and then separated. Verena and Martin went to the beach for the day while Magalie and I traveled through the city. So I will talk about what we did in the city :P

 

 

We first visited the rest of Anping and saw some Temples. They were all really beautiful and really close to each other. We also had the sugariest strawberry drink ever, it was....wow. We then got on a bus for an hour to the actual city of Tainan and got off at Art Street. We both really liked this area and just walked around the streets and saw all of the different cool thangggsss. Next, we walked about 15 minutes to a huge temple. I mean it was beautiful. It was probably my favorite area of the day. (Pictures Below) After this temple we were sitting at the front steps decided where to go next and decided on going to this area where there were a bunch of temples right by each other. Well, after about 3 minutes of looking at the map and trying to remember what road we were on and what direction we should go.....we found out it was LITERALLY right across the street. Like, it was the building right in front of our faces. I think this speaks highly of both of our sense of direction. Those temples were also very beautiful and I love the smell of incense so so so so much so it was perfect.

 

After that we met up with Verena and Martin again (after I explained to their taxi driver over the phone where to drop them off) and all decided to go to the "Flower Garden Night Market". We walked for quite a while and then finally made it.

 

 

**If you do not like the thought of crowds... please...stop... reading...now. **

 

Literally guys, this night market was in a parking lot and there were ( I am estimating) at least 3 million people there. You literally couldn't move. If you wanted to walk through the steady line of people you just had to push and shove because grrrrrrl no one was going to stop for you. But good news was that it was a cool night market and I had something very good to eat. (Pictures Below)

 

We then returned.

 

As you can see, I had a lot of energy at the beginning of that post but now I am tired. I know I am bad at writing blogs but I try and that is all that matters. I will just put pictures on now. Also, I am going to link a video that my friends made on the campus of our school because, once again, I have been too lazy to make one of my own. Soooooo enjoy that! :)

 

Feng Chia University Tour w/ Verena and Magalie

 

TTYL dawgz.

 

Old Street

Old Street Shop

Lunch at Old Street

Beans :/



Tainan City

Kewtness

Kewtness + Ocean

Art Street

Art Street

Cute Lady

Benjamin (in Taichung)

Taichung a.k.a where I live

Back to Tainan (IDK why it is out of order)



Obligatory Gay Post

Well guys. Long time no write anything because I am so terribly lazy/busy (if that is possible). Once again, let me apologize in advance for my terrible grammar annnnnnnndddddd let's start.

The Taichung Jazz Festival is happening right now and it has been a total blast to have the opportunity to go to it the last few days. This festival is two-weeks long and they have bands from all over the world that join in the festivities. First off, let me just say that I am aware that I live in a crowded city but lemme tell you....going to this festival just reaffirmed this fact. Me and my friends decided to go to opening night of the Jazz Festival, which was on a Saturday, and it was basically like those 'Where's Waldo' pictures where it is literally just a giant crowd of people who do not know the definition of personal space. We also went two other nights to this festival. One night was this band from Italy which we kinda missed because we took too long to eat dinner, and then this Friday was a band from France.

MINDBLOWN

Guys, I literally loved them. I mean, they were pretty attractive and to top it off they had this girl singing with them in a flapper dress. Needless to say it was pretty magical-ish. Here, just watch this video and it will explain everything

Taichung Jazz Festival

Friday was also really fun for another reason. At my Language Center they had a big Chinese Contest. Which by Chinese Contest I really mean it was a 'make the foreigners run around the University grounds to make foolz of dem-selves' Contest.' Honestly though, it was a really good time. What it was was a bunch of teams competing against each other in several different games that tested our Chinese abilities. For example, the first game our group tried out was the 'Chinese Tongue Twister' game. Yup, it sounds as hard as it was. My team was the best though. It was my classmates and I on one team and we decided to dress up as the 'Pink Pandas'. We were color coordinated and even had panda necklaces. Needless to say, we were the most stylish foreigners of them all. In the end we tied for 4th place and won some snacks....so I would say running around all day in the heat was totally worth that 4th place spot.

Next, I want to talk about yesterday a.k.a Saturday.

Me and my other American friend Terri woke up early Saturday morning and caught a bus to Taipei for the weekend. After a 2 1/2 hour bus ride we were pumped and ready for what was about to go down. We next traveled by MRT to meet up Terri's friends and go to a tea shop in the Ximending area of Taipei. Let's just say it was well worth the traveling because 1- the tea was delicious (and sugary) and B- we were literally sitting on bench swings in an aquarium/fish bowl themed restaurant. I still don't think you understand so let me repeat that. We were in a FISH BOWL THEMED restaurant. The atmosphere was great and not in the least bit fishy (see what I did there..pun and sarcasm all wrapped up into one). Next, we ended up eating at a noodle shop nearby that was owned by yet another one of Terri's friends. I had a big bowl of noodles and pork with a cheese-like soup and it was very delish. Then came time for the real reason we were here in Taipei.

TAIPEI GAY PRIDE 2012: Marriage Revolution — Equal Rights to Marriage, Diversity in Partnership.”  China Post

It was really cool you guys. It was my 1st Gay Pride I had ever been to and let me just say that I was so happy that Taipei Pride got to be my first.When we arrived to the big area that was roped off we saw that it was just a bunch of stands, a stage, and a bunch of happy, carefree people that were just there to have a great time. It was so cool to just be able to see everyone join in on the fun no matter where they were from. I also learned that this gay pride was also special in that no roads were blocked off for the parade. Needless to say, it was an exciting day and I was so glad and proud that I could take part in it. They were mah people! After that we went and got Mexican food, as one does, and just explored and wandered the streets of Taipei for the rest of the night.

Oh, and our hostel was completely decked out with leopard print. Classy.

Now, I have arrived back in Taichung writing a blog post with my declining English skills and with a mind that has literally slept a combined 5 or 6 hours within the past 2 days. So, I am sorry if this post does not reach your high standards but it will just have to do for now.

2 wonderful months down and 7 amazing more to go!

It's been real.

Here are some pictures:

Jazz Festival on Friday

Ditto

Da view

Italian Jazz Musician on Tuesday 10/23

French Band on Friday 10/26

Pink Pandas

Screaming Chinese Game

Water nomnomnom

We is so good

Woot woot, go us.

Japanese Style Noodle Bowl

Creep



Sexy

Friendddss

French Dudez

Taiwan Flag

Festivities

View of Taipei from our Leopard print Hostel

Picturez

Hey.

I am way too lazy and busy right now to deal wit dis. However, I know I have fans that love reading this (maybe?) and are just DYING to know stuff.

What is new??

Well, I am going to Yoga in like two hours so that is cool. I speak Mandarin like a bo$$ now too (not really). Midterms are right now and I am just living the good life.

So ya, that is all I am going to write. DEALZ WIT IT.

BUT.....

Here are some pictures :) So that makes up for it, right?

And I stole the first few pictures from my friend's blog.....so if you see this Verena....Thanks ><

Hot Pot and what-not

Shilin Night Market in Taipei (We are the 3 white ones in the back)

Sitiing on the steps and on a bar in a crowded bus to Wulai

Heading to Tea Center

Sunset Dinner at Maokong

Advertising in Taiwan is baller.

New park in Taichung

Breakfast. Yummmmm

Athena and Logan

Sheng-Ai.... I did a Jenna Marbles face but I just look terrifying



Very simple skit I wrote because we forgot about it and needed to memorize it by the next morningggggg. Whoops.

Panorama at Wulai



Will do.

Are these a thing in America?

I live in da red circle.