It seemed like once we got into the rhythm of living in Taiwan, it was already time to leave. Before Pu Bear left (a week before Christmas), we made the most of our last few weeks here by going on more awesome adventures!
what her outfits look like when it's time to do laundry again :)
Pizza Hut Pizza rocks my socks
stickin with the classic Hawaiian's a good option too :)
a guilty shopaholic...
we're now forever immortalized on the walls of one of our fave shaved ice spots
i was ready to drag this tree back to my dorm room... i want!
visited a part of ximen we never knew existed
it's a museum inside.. showcasing ancient hair accessories!
3....2....1.... blastoff!
check out those aliens!
interactive puzzle games outside
it became more of a stomp...
found the gay district in Taipei... it was an intimate atmosphere
just wanted to show off the webcam I bought at the technology district in Taipei...I kinda wish I bought one for functionality, rather than show... she has a hard time free-standing on the edge of my lappertop
Pu Bear's been talking about the most amazing buffet that we needed to try... this buffet had at least 11 stations... there were so many options
you can see the pulp in the grapefruit juice! ....definitely from concentrate
hot pot is an option here!
food's so good i can't speak!
an open alcoholic bar with mixed cocktails... this buffet's the real deal
the ingredients for the hot pot
she went easy on the dessert
We did some damage in there before we got kicked out 2 hours later :)
we went to watch Avatar
One weekend before Christmas, Karen, Erica, and I got an opportunity to be part of a live audience for Taiwan's equivalent of American Idol. This show is so popular, it's my mom's favorite show :)
We had hook ups for the taping, so we got to choose our seats before the rest of the audience came in... we also witnessed the setting up of the show
4 hours for an hour long show... that's a lot of work... even for the live audience!
One day after my classes, I met up with my aunt at Miramar.
the christmas tree changed colors.. if you couldn't tell
for dinner, we dined at a fancy restaurant. I tried some local dishes...
native edible grass!
chunky taro cake!
and we also ordered some dim sum...
a super fancy Haagen Dazs... it looks like a coffee spot
Pu Bear & my last BIG ADVENTURE!
this was at the bus station
we're headed to FengJia night market, located in central Taiwan, because it's the biggest night market in the country... it was a necessary trip for our last major splurge!
she looked essited!
We each had our own entertainment system! just like on a plane... snazzy!
the nicest and most colorful sink i've ever seen in a bus stop
we made it to the night market!
cows!
fresh strawberries by the cupful
someone stole her idea... a cart/shop serving only taro products
Pu Bear's not discouraged though... she's gonna outshine this stand with better offerings
guess what we found??
this was also the perfect time to get her nails did!
are you really cold or just showing off your nails?
... i'm going with the latter
one nail didn't even make it a night...
this is a pretty loungy bus stop... and we made it home in one piece... minus the nail
EAP BANQUET
The program was winding down.. so it was time to celebrate before all the kids left!
the banquet was held at a classy restaurant in a hotel
some of the lovely ladies :)
my favorite part of the program... buffet!!
i did not touch any of these.. but it looked so pretty!
sweeeet!
cubes of cheese... different colors = different flavors!
leedia being a fatty :)
lobster bisque!! .. and hot pot soup from the buffet!
chunky!
natasha & Karen bear!
oh heeeeeeyyyy jonathan!
wei!
looking sharp!
oh jeff!
casey!!! one of our program coordinators!
so yes, good times and super stuffed.. it was a successful night! Afterwards, most of the kids went to Luxy, which was right across the street... i had to go back and study, because unlike all the EAP kids who were already done with finals, mine were coming up in 2 weeks... :/
Although the streets and public venues were decked out in Christmas decorations, the locals do not really celebrate the holiday. Our dorm made an effort of doing so, by filling stockings hung on students' doors on 14 floors with candy :)
Pu bear and I helped distribute the candy, but we also kept a lil haul for ourselves :)
this was our reward for volunteering to help fill the stockings!
we had a lot of cake that night!
A few nights later, one of Papa Pu's underlings chauffeured Erica to the airport back to LA :'( I'll see you back in LA soon!
One day, I third wheeled a movie date with Jing & DT! :)
saw these little critters as I walked towards the Taipei Train Station.... decorations for the international floral expo
a shopping plaza right next to the Taipei Train Station
very green!
i was a little preoccupied while waiting for them to show up...
we had some lunch first
this wasn't mine, but it looked really good.. .and it was so colorful!
DT & his Japanese barbeque :)
so in Taiwan, you can eat ice cream while watching a movie
did a bit of shopping waiting for Sherlock Holmes to start... giraffe!
lava lamp hourglass!
so it looks like you're always eating ramen.. i was very tempted!
it was dark when the movie was over... so pretty!
i think this is the high school right next to our dorms... otherwise, i don't remember why i took this pix
home sweet home!.. or close to it
kinda splurged on guavas and squishy apples... i'm pretty sure all this was gone within an hour
I went on another adventure with Jing and DT... this time the baby came with :)
the baby slept all the way to Danshui...
小崗 is the quietest baby ever!
can i have that onesie... it looks super warm!
what a stud!
sugar coated strawberries!
all the Danshui delicacies! the fish balls there are famous!
he's awake now!
:D
I love how Jing & DT treat me like a relative... they're the epitome of Taiwanese hospitality :)
There were a few EAP kids who did stay for the holidays. Karen Bear was still in Taiwan, but she was entertaining her visiting mother for a few weeks... the rest of us went to check out Hwahsi night market...
I liked this place already! yes... i'm the bomb
Mahjong is like a game booth here... you can win dolls
Winnie's feeling lucky :)
we wandered down the infamous Snake Alley...
this dude did not appreciate tourists taking pixes of him/his ginormous snake
Winnie's a brave soul for trying snake skin and finishing the whole bag... i had a piece... the texture was interesting
James posing in front of a famous temple
so ornate!
i like waterfalls
Winnie & Karen!
waving always makes pixes less awk :)
he spotted the waterfall!
lighting incense!
there were practically 50 Buddhas people could pray to... one guided love lives... another for studiousness ... and 48 more for other different reasons :)
chillin behind Snake Alley with stinky stinky tofu and popcorn chicken! We also witnessed a bunch of hookers in their 40s loitering around... we were in the red light district of Taipei
greeted by the sight of this little tree back at the cozy dorm... home only for a few more days :/
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