Tainan Olympics Anping Beach

 

The Long Jump

 

 

Award Ceremony

-->

Olympics

I haven’t written in a while, well that’s a lie, infact I did write but I didn’t want to upload it. I was feeling a little depressed about Taiwan mostly work pissing me off. Man can it be annoying. You just got to remember with the buxiban it is business over education. Bum’s in chairs means nt in pockets. But hey whatever that’s the nature of the work. We get paid well to take the shit. I prefer teaching in High school feels like real teaching not like the buxiban baby sitting.

Anyway that’s not what this is about this is about the Beach olympics drum roll. Its only been two years in the making but I forsee this becoming a big festival in future. Everyone gathered down the beach to do our own olympics. The creators were inspired by last years Olympic fever to make their own and this year they put in a lot of effort to make it better. The teams were south Africa, Europe, Asia pacific, and America. I was part of the Europe team surprisingly enough. The whole thing kicked off at 8.30am for cricket which was a little too early for me. I made down at about 11.30. Events included, swimming, penalty shoot out, cricket, rugby, tug o war, long jump and …was there anything else, oh yes sack race and three legged race. It was forcast to rain and rain it did for maybe 10mins. It was a welcome release from the strong sun. Lets just say there were a lot of red faces by the end of it all.

Dog’s weren’t allowed down the beach as there has been a dog disease, not exactly sure of the name of it I think it is Parvo disease. Someone dumped a pack of puppies down the beach and a foreigner has been trying to find them all homes. He found homes for three of them but then one of the people decided it was a bad decision. They then preceded to take the pup to the pound. It was then the original doggy crusader said not to take it to the pound where a lot of dogs gets put to sleep but to take it back to the beach so he can keep looking for homes. Unfortunately the pup got parvo virus in the pound and came back and gave it to the other pups. They all died and this disease apparently can live in the ground for a year so dogs weren’t allowed. A couple of guys didn’t get the memo and brought them down. Hopefully they’ll be alright. The bad thing is there is a fresh batch of pups down there they are really little .I saw a picture of them I want to take one but I can’t poor things probably won’t last long.

Anyway sports and beer was good fun. The south Africans won, maybe because they took everything far too seriously plus a lot of them are massive so gravity is on their side when it came to tug o war. But it was all together a really great day. Everyone was drunk by the end of it. There was one scooter accident a fractured skull so It is definitely wise to take a taxi down there.  Don’t forget Sunscreen aswell!

More pics to come of the olympics

 

Guanziling Mud Hot Springs

Fire meets water, a strange natural phonomenon means that natural gasses ignite upon contact with the water lighting an eternal flame. It was first discovered over 300 years ago by a monk. The flame is unfortunately dying and one day will no longer exist.

We went to Guanziling on Sunday for a relaxing day at the Spa. It was really good, really worth a trip. Its about an hour drive from central Tainan so not too taxing. We went with Mary I hadn't seen her in ages. The whole guanziling complex is based on a mountainside. Hotels and Spa sprawl up the twisting mountainous road. It was misty as we went up the winding serpentine road. the mountains faded into the distance like Japanese ink paintings. There were lots of stalls selling strange wares and foods. 

The famous fire and water natural phonomenom is at what seemed the top of the mountain. It felt really spiritaul and surreal. It looks like a natural hearth the flames dancing on the rocks. Its amazing to think the Typhoons don't put it out. We imagined what it would have been like to be that monk who originally found it. It must have been a roaring bonfire. We decided it must have looked like the gates to heaven or to hell. It is really mesmerising. 

After that we searched for a spa to go and relax. Octav suggested the police spa which is apparently the cheapest at only 100nt. The only down side is you have to be completely naked. We get enough stares being foreigners without my bits on display not really for me, we made a quick exit. Instead we opted for the nicest spa in the place at a cost of 450nt entry. Beware you need a swimmin cap and you can't wear boardshorts in there and as Octav found neither can you wear your boxers. The spa was really nice lounging in warm pools of thin clay and tea. They have the doctor fish which eat your dead skin on your feet, it really tickles. We tried it and my feet felt smoother but then Pra worried me about catching aids from them. I think that is just a rumour. I wonder if you fell in if they could kill you, a slow death that would be. I felt like I was back in 1940's Japan, the decor was very nice all Bamboo and flowers, It was called the 'the kings garden villa' or something along those lines.

On the way to the Guanziling village there are lots of chicken restaurants The area must be famous for this chicken or something. They cook it in a big pot like some kind of potted bbq. We tried it on the way back...delicious. it's like a big rottissery chicken. They serve it with chicken oil which you use for dipping the chicken and with a chicken soup aswell. decadence. the feast accompanied by noodles, rice, bamboo rice, veggies cost us 250nt each nt i couldn't not have stuffed anything more down. 

we kept the bones and gave them to a stray dog on the way home. At first Octav dashed the bones out of the car with the plastic bag on them. The dog just looked scared and bewildered. So I got out the car and ripped open the plastic bag the little dog looked like it was christmas. His expression changed from one of confusion to that of a dog hypnotised by the scent of chicken. 'yo, is that chicken?' We watched him devour the chicken and then drove off.

Food glorious food

Uncle Chicken shit's favourite flip flops cheap, plasticky, blue and very sexy.

Festivities at the Heaven and Hell temple Tainan.

Scooters in the rain.

Try your skill with BB guns at the night market.

We went to an all you can eat bbq and shabu shabu restaurant. Shabu Shabu is hot pot, a big bowl of stewing water heated underneath. Inside you boil all kinds of vegetables and meats. The soup was 'herb' on the menu and contained goji berries, astragalus and other strange things but certainly felt very healthy. But we didn't really go there for the hot pot we went there for the all you can eat bbq and all you can eat we did. There seems like there is quite a few of these all you can eat places around town but this one was definitely the best value. Infact I can't imagine how they make any profit because we definitely got our moneys worth. It cost 450nt which is about 10punds with limitess sushi, sashimi ,beef, prawns, fish, squid and scallops to throw on the BBQ. Delicious. We went with Lisa our landlady and she ticked 1 of everything on the menu. It was a feast and all the protein i would need in a week. I would deifintely recommend it to a friend. It was the the stone bbq on Jhonghua road. Theres always a line so book ahead.

Went clothes shopping yesterday it was fun, for me that is, not for Pra who moped around between the railings playing the part of the bored boyfriend very well. The only problem is the size, everyone is so bloody tiny here. I managed to squeeze literally squeeze into a few things so I am happy with my wares. Infact I plan on doing more clothes shopping. Clothes here are cheap but the quality can also be poor too. 

It's Easter today not feeling very Eastery tho. Had a late one in Armory infact the stragglers came tumbling out of the doors of Armory drunkenly singing at 8am. Then we had spicy beef for breakfast. 5 hours kip then we met up with a friend called Bell who cooked us some traditional Turkish food it was really tasty. I made my very easy Salmon and cream cheese surprise. The surprise is that it is minimal effort with maximum taste. Belle has an oven so we could make it in there. It's just a little tiny thing but it gets the job done I would like to get one. Belle's really sweet. She was telling us how she is the only foreigner on her course at university and she finds it quite lonely. :( She's very good natured so I am sure we will see more of her. And a good cook. 

I've got to plan lessons now loooooooooong!!!