New Transportation

This past Tuesday, I purchased my first new vehicle. I bought a brand new out of the box Giant HB3 bicycle. Now you may think that its not too exciting to get a bicycle, but I have been riding an old bike, and to get a new one is great. I spent a pretty penny on it, but as things go, you get what you pay for. There were more expensive bikes, but I didn't want to spend all my money on a bike either.

I plan to go riding much more, although we have begun the rainy season in Taiwan (however late it may be). Summer is here and that means long days for long rides... and lots of pictures. Some of my friends also like to go riding, so it can be a group activity.

I encourage you to get a bike too. It's fun, good exercise, faster than walking, you don't need a license, and best of all, after buying it, it's free to use! So take the time to enjoy the outdoors on a bike.

International School Journal Association Trip to Hualien

This past weekend (June 7 and 8), the International School Journal Association went on a trip to Hualien, and I was fortunate to accompany them. The association planned a great trip and we visited many special places while we were there.

We met too early at the Banqiao train station to catch the 6:45AM eastbound train. The mood was light and all were in high, if not sleepy, moods.

We first went to a Clam Farm where they raise fresh Hualien clams. They are very tasty and from what the guide said, very clean. We had a nice lunch there consisting of clams and various Hualien dishes.

We checked in at the Promised Land Hotel., which was very special. It is very large and has a nice canal that runs through it. You can go on a tranquil boat tour and enjoy the peaceful scenery.
After that, we returned to the hotel and rented bikes. We rode from the hotel to Dong Hwa University, a new school in Hualien, about a 30 minute ride. They have a beautiful campus and majestic buildings. As far as the landscape, it is what Taiwan National University could only hope to be. We rode back to the hotel for some rest and swimming.

Before swimming however, teacher Orion, Danny and I decided to play on the trampoline they had at the hotel. This was exhilarating while also being quite painful due to the g-forces we were getting.

We ended the long day with dinner in the evening and a concert of local taiwanese music. It was an exhausting, if not thorough first day in Hualien.

The next day began promptly at 7:30AM for breakfast in the restaurant. Shortly after breakfast, we packed up and left the land that was almost promised. We were headed for an aboriginal swamp village where they catch shrimp and fish and serve it to tourists like ourselves. It was a humid day, but the village was exceptionally relaxing made me feel like I had stepped into the Taiwan of a several hundred years ago.

This place was pretty cool. They had many interesting things to show us about the local culture and environment. I would like to go back and also encourage you to check it out.

After this we got on the train and went back home. Like I said it was a long, but fun-filled trip.

Insect Pet: Praying Mantis

Last week, I had the notion to have a pet. It wasn't a "normal" kind of pet. Here in Taiwan, beetles are a popular student pet. What I wanted was something a little different. I wanted a bug that would eat other bugs. I wanted a strange looking creature that looks like an alien. I wanted a praying mantis (螳螂). This odd looking insect is called the praying mantis because it often looks like its praying. Here are some interesting facts about mantises:

-they can turn their head 180 degrees
-the female will sometimes eat the male after mating
-they will eat all kinds of bugs including cockroaches, crickets, and other mantises
-they have even been seeing eating mice, snakes, frogs,etc.
-they will "molt" or change their skin several times in their life
-they live for about a year
-females are larger than males

I borrowed a terrarium tank from my friend and outfitted it with plants and soil. I then put in some cockroaches to crawl around. Hopefully the mantis will catch them before they find a way to escape the tank.