Sun Moon Lake (日月潭)

This past Chinese New Year's holiday, I went to Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) with my parents and girlfriend. I really like the lake because it is peaceful and beautiful. When we arrived there in the afternoon, it was cold and foggy. We couldn't see the lake because the fog was so thick. We went from our hotel to the "town" and had lunch. There weren't many people there so we enjoyed our time together in relative quiet.
If you have ever been to Sun Moon Lake, you will know that it is a special place. On a clear day, you can see across the lake to the other side. At night, you can see the lights, feel the fresh breeze blowing over the calm water, and smell the freshness of the mountain air. If you are venturesome, you can take a boat across the lake to the other shore or just paddle around. There is also a path that circles the lake. The total circumference is fairly large though.
One thing I don't really like about the lake is the lack of good restaurants. All the restaurants are family run and not very good. If worse comes to worst, you can go to 7-11 and get some familiar food from there.
Despite this, it is still a great place to visit for a weekend. I highly recommend a trip to Sun Moon Lake.

Day Bike Ride to Dabangen ( 大板根)

As some of you know Teacher Orion likes to ride motorcycles and recently bought a new bike. You can read about it in his blog. This allowed me to borrow his old bike and let us go riding together with his roommate. It had been a long time since I had ridden a motorcycle so I was a little cautious at first. The three of us headed south of Banqiao. 30 minutes later we were in Dabangen ( 大板根). After riding up a windy road, we ended up at a large pink temple. Although it was a sunny day, the view from the temple was not clear. However, the weather was warm. Orion mentioned he knew of a nice place to hang out near a riverside. We drove back down the narrow windy road. When we reached the spot, I was surprised at how nice it was. It was so relaxing lay in the sun, feet dangling in the cold water. It was a very tranquil experience. We rode home in a very good mood. I had forgotten how fun it was to ride a motorcycle!

Reading: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I know all of you like to watch movies. Most of you have seen the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But did you know that it is also a book? Often times, a book will be turned into a movie. If you know this, then you also probably agree that the book is usually better than the movie.

The story is about a poor boy named Charlie. He lives with his poor old mother and four grandparents. The are extremely poor and eat cabbage soup and bread for dinner every night. Charlie's grandfather tells him a story of Willy Wonka, a candy maker that lives in town. He used to make the most delicious candies for all the world to enjoy. Then the factory closed. But recently, it started production again. Then Willy Wonka makes a contest to visit his factory. 7 lucky people will find a golden ticket in a Willy Wonka candy bar and get to enter the factory. Charlie is lucky and gets one. That is where the real fun begins!

You can imagine what the inside of a rich candy maker's factory looks like... it is every child's dream! Read the book to see what happens in the end.

The book was written by Roald Dahl, a great author that has written many childrens stories. I have personally read almost all of his books and recommend each and every one. Another book of his that was turned into a movie was Matilda, a girl who could move things with her eyes! He has a great imagination and is able to captivate young minds. Read one or all of his wondrous tales and you'll never be the same.

Flower Markets

One thing that I really enjoy about the weekends in Taipei are the flower markets. As Friday approaches, they push the cars out of parking lots, then they fill them with plants and flowers. At the intersection of JianGuo and Xinyi, you can find one of the larger "flower cities" (建國花市) in Taipei.
These flower markets host a range of plants from miniature cacti to full-grown trees. I prefer the smaller ones that I can put on a table or near a window. Actually, I don't like the flowers that much. I like the green plants, the ones that are help me breathe a little better. There are many plants that clean the air.
Having plants in your house provides many benefits. They provide a sense of warmth, living art in your house. They are aesthetically pleasing and nice to look at. If you have trouble being responsible, plants are a low risk way to learn how to take care of something (besides yourself). It's like a pet, but without the crying if you don't feed it, and no sadness if and when it dies. Like I mentioned before, they can help clean the air in your house or room. Living indoors, there are many things that can pollute the air: dust, paint, building materials, etc. In some cases, plants can reduce these things and make living indoors more enjoyable.
Depending on where you live, there is a flower market near you. I live in Banqiao so I will sometimes go to the market near Xinpu MRT station. If you are looking for something to do, you can go to the flower cities and buy some plants to spruce up your room.

Going to Danshui (淡水)

Yesterday, Sunday, was a very nice day. I decided to go up to Danshui (淡水) with my girlfriend and friends. After having brunch in the Shida night market, we headed to Danshui on the MRT. 45 minutes later, we arrived. Sun shining, we stepped out of the station and joined the crowds already bustling about. On nice days, everybody has the same idea: go outdoors. We sat on the steps near the edge of the water (or where the water would usually be). It was low-tide so all the debris, usually underwater, was revealed. We watched as crabs dug their homes in the mud and the birds catching small fish.
We then decided to stroll down the boardwalk. What a mess! So many people walking into each other! Thankfully most are in a good mood so there are no problems. Danshui is a popular place for trying Taiwanese snacks, so we had to try some. Along the walk, we ate some fried fishballs, grilled lamb skewers, tall ice cream, and small fried eggs ( I think they're quail eggs). I also played a game where I shoot balloons with a gun. With my superb aim, I was able to win a batman piggy bank.
We spent several hours there, milling around, stopping when we saw something interesting. Going to Danshui, however, is always tiring. So we left and headed back home. It was a nice Sunday afternoon spent with good people.