duncanjsmith.blogspot.com
Taiwan Tales: September 2006
http://duncanjsmith.blogspot.com/2006_09_01_archive.html
Monday, September 18, 2006. Is it a Vegas hotel? Is it Microsoft HQ? No; it's a Buddhist monastary. From there we popped in for a drink in a nice BBQ bar with Sam and Katie(US)before home. On Saturday, I remembered that Nic had said he wanted to get into cycling while he was here, so i lent him Pascal's bike and took him on a leisurely ride up the mountain. well I thought it was leisurely! I thought. We reached the main door and stood in awe of the statues inside. We were the last to leave the monastary ...
duncanjsmith.blogspot.com
Taiwan Tales: August 2006
http://duncanjsmith.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html
Friday, August 25, 2006. Last weekend Pascal and I thought we'd make the most of the nice weather and go back to Kenting for a cycle and a swim. as last time, we set off after school and arrived at 1am ish; but eager to learn from our mistakes, this time we carried on round the seafront and i pitched my tent on the clifftop (in pitch blackness); had a good nights sleep! After an hour or so we got to the foot of the hills. and followed our map down the A159; now in England A means big/fast. here i...I tho...
duncanjsmith.blogspot.com
Taiwan Tales: May 2006
http://duncanjsmith.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html
Monday, May 15, 2006. Taiwan tales part 3: Hei Sun Wood and that song. This week we got our first typhoon warning which was exciting; went on to the met office website and watched it circle in . and then miss the island entirely. We got to the site on Satdy morning a little tired after a Friday night spent with some Australians and Canadians in Yuan Lin. The site was massive, we needed to drive between the chalets and the restuarant. Jim had brought with him a '5 in one' games set and we spent most of th...
duncanjsmith.blogspot.com
Taiwan Tales: July 2006
http://duncanjsmith.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html
Saturday, July 29, 2006. Now I know i've commented on it before but i felt this topic warranted a post of its own. It's a world of contradictions:. All adults must wear a helmet when driving scooters. but any helmet will do. and children don't have to wear a helmet at all. be there 1 or 4 clinging to the back of the scooter! Drink driving is closely monitored by the police and people are regularly breathalised. yet there seems to be no rules against driving reckless driving without. Give way to those in ...
duncanjsmith.blogspot.com
Taiwan Tales: June 2006
http://duncanjsmith.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_archive.html
Sunday, June 18, 2006. Sun Moon Lake Rain. Crazy kids do the Sun Moon Lake. The crazy travellers prepare for the journey. After over 2 hours drive the lake came into view; a clear bright blue despite the fading sun and total cloud cover: must have a sulphur contamination. I was pleased to find I was still dry knee up and neck down; until I lifted my arm an sent a pool of water that had collected in my sleeve down my sides. The lakeside village with ample scooter room Sun Moon Lake by moonlight. Well; hav...
duncanjsmith.blogspot.com
Taiwan Tales: October 2006
http://duncanjsmith.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html
Tuesday, October 17, 2006. Today was Rita’s wedding part one. The part where the groom’s immediate family come to the brides house and meet the bride’s immediate family for a gathering and then moving on to restaurant for a meal with well everyone that knows the bride. The second part is with only the grooms family and friends and the bride’s close family. This includes the actually ‘marriage’ part. I think this system is a great idea as you get twice the food than in most Western weddings. I also handed...
duncanjsmith.blogspot.com
Taiwan Tales: November 2006
http://duncanjsmith.blogspot.com/2006_11_01_archive.html
Friday, November 17, 2006. Last weekend, we were invited to Tom's (guy who used to work for Shane, went back to uk to do masters, then came back and stayed at Pascals for a week) new flat for a BBQ. There were about 20 there, mostly Taichung English teachers (I'm yet to meet a westerner who isnt) and a few local friends of Tom's including his ex? The BBQ was held on the roof with great illuminated tower blocks filling the skyline. Whereas everyone else in the place had been given purple and green slip on...
duncanjsmith.blogspot.com
Taiwan Tales: December 2006
http://duncanjsmith.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html
Tuesday, December 26, 2006. Merry Christmas and a room rocking boxing day. Christmas has been brief but nice and today i was shaken to my senses again by a 7.2 Richter earthquake. The very kind Taiwanese girls let me kip on their floor for the night. Pascal's Chinese friends were mainly late twenties early thirties. While we'd been inside we'd learnt it was Gareth's bday the same day and they were having a party somewhere;. Sadly by the time we left we weren't in much shape to go anywhere else. So yo...
duncanjsmith.blogspot.com
Taiwan Tales: January 2007
http://duncanjsmith.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html
Tuesday, January 23, 2007. Big news this month: To celebrate Katrina recovery, I took her down to Taichung last weekend for a spin with Gemma, she was leaking oil a little on the return leg, but has since been patched up. As good as new! A new member has arrived at the Pascal household, Peggy the shiny-new laptop. It's a Taiwanese make Asus (short for Pegasus-the flying horse). She's a computer, she's a telephone, a TV, a video recorder and so much more. Chocolate: Too hot to drink! Would you believe it!
