Traveling educators: Taiwan: First Days in Taipei

Deanna and I arrived late Friday evening, July 1 after hours and hours of travel. But no rest for the weary--we had a full day of touring planned for Saturday.

A classmate from Grad School lives nearby and he graciously fielded many a question from me and he was our guide for our first day.

Dragons are bearers of good fortune. Or rather, they symbolize power, strength, and fortune, and they are associated with air and water. They adorn many a temple.

Offerings. Sending wishes, spirit money to the heavens

Offerings to love deity.

Matchmaker, matchmaker! The global marketplace at work to help lonely bachelors find international brides. This one even promises that the bride won't run away. (post a note below if you'd like to discuss the gendered implications of the global market place in the modern/postmodern world) Next to the matchmaker is a small altar to the "mayor of the spirit world." (see larger temple pic below). There's a "real world" and a parallel "ghost world." This altar is for the spirit who administers the parallel world--a mayor of sorts. One way to avoid the negative effects of mixing the two worlds--when you enter a temple, go out a different door than the one you entered. The ghosts can't follow you into the temple, but they'll hang around waiting for you to exit. If you go out through a different door, you confuse them!

This temple is around the corner from the matchmaker and adjacent altar. It's dedicated to the mayor.

We visited several temples, all in 100+ heat and humidity. I made time to stop off for a visit to a Chinese Astrologer who shared the books that had been passed down from Grandfather to father to son to determine one's "secret number" and prescribe ways to improve fortune. My 'script? It would be helpful for me to wear a pendant of a chicken (preferably of gold or jade) and obtain small ram figurines to place in my office for positive feng shui.

We also visited the Chang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. Click the learn to learn more, including its controversial renaming. The history provides insight into Taiwan's recent history.

Here's a glimpse of Taipei 101. The second tallest building in the world. Its style is inspired by bamboo.

Sunday we hired a taxi to take us on tour of the Northeast Coast of Taiwan. Highlights were Bitou Cape and Yehliu Geopark.

Bitou Cape.

This is the line to be photographed with "the Queen's Head" (see the figure in blue posing in front of a rock looking vaguely like the profile of a woman a Marge Simpson -do?). It was more than 100 degrees, and even the shade of my umbrella wasn't cooling enough. So we stayed in line long enough to snap this shot and then took a couple more photos from the other side. It can be more interesting to explore the spectacle around a phenomenon than the phenomenon itself. Speaking of umbrellas: I brought one upon reading that summer rains are common in Taiwan. It didn't take long for me to be using umbrellas as protection from the sun as is common--as evidenced in this photo. This, combined with rapid development of the habit of making twice-daily visits to 7-11, meant I was well on my way to being an honorary Taiwanese.

7-11's are WAY cooler in Taiwan. And they are everywhere. Every block. Maybe 2 on a block.

You can buy BBQ Buns