Almost time
Nov. 26th, 2009 01:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
uisceros*cries* My time in Taiwan is almost over. I comfort myself by saying I'll be back soon enough (when, I'm not sure, but I'd miss it too much to stay away fr too long!), but I only have four days before I leave for Korea/Japan, and then only two days back here before I fly home.
*CRIES A LOT*
I'm excited for Korea and Japan, I really am. Korea will be hard (I can say exactly six things in Korean: "I love you", "Hello", "I'm Sorry", "Thank You", "Day", and "Man"... I understand a bit more, but just a bit), but I half don't care. Can't be worse than initially being in Taiwan. I didn't speak/read Chinese before I came here, and I survived. Plus being in Taiwan has got me used to people STARING AT ME CONSTANTLY (which I'm sure will happen a lot in Korea). Seriously, it's like being famous. They stare a LOT, they occasionally take pictures, and often they'll nudge each other and say "美國人!" (Americans) or "外國人!" (foreigners)... Sometimes it amuses me, sometimes I don't notice it, and sometimes it annoys the hell out of me. Honestly though, I'm not that interesting.
Anyway, tomorrow we go to Taroko Gorge. And if we can find a trans mountain bus, we'll go to Sun Moon Lake on Friday (to go from Taroko to SML you need to cross the central mountain range). We won't be able to get to Alishan. I wanted so much to go there, but since the typhoon, the train (which is the #1 thing to do there) has been closed. I want to go to Alishan when I can go on the train. It's not the same without it.
In other news, I've been watching the anime Bokura ga Ita. Lisa told me about it, and I was all like "...I'm not watching anything right now...", so I downloaded it. It's really good so far, but I'm kinda getting sick of the innocent, no-idea-about-sex, wishy-washy girls in animes and dramas. Yes, they're young, but hell, when I was 15 I knew what was going on! I know it's a cultural purity thing, but it really gets old to me. Hopefully my next drama Hon, as suggested by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
darkeyedwolf, will solve this for me!
I also have solved my suitcase crisis! It involves buying another suitcase, but whatev, I needed one anyway. My big suitcase got destroyed on the way here.
Anyway, some random pictures from the last few days here!
Christmas decorations are out full force here (this was outside the Core Pacific Mall). It prompted a very American response of "But it's not even Thanksgiving yet!" from me...
As is standard for us (everywhere we try to go is always closed...), the entrance to Hell Valley in Beitou was closed, so I had to take a picture of it from above. Beautiful, but smelly as hell (sulfur and all). This is the origin of one of the many hot springs in Beitou.
People wading in the hot springs waters off the side of the road. I wanted to go in, but I was afraid of slipping on the wet rocks and cracking my head open. I am not the most graceful creature in the world (to constant amusement of my father, who cracks I should have been named "Meredith Klutz" instead of "Meredith Grace"), and inevitably I would have fallen.
The Grand Hotel. We finally got to go there after seeing it every single day on the way to and from school. It's one of the more famous landmarks in Taipei, a traditional Chinese styled hotel. I would have loved to stay there.
An awkward shot, but one to illustrate how amazing the hotel is inside. At first we weren't sure if we were allowed inside, but lots of others were taking pics, so whatever. It's beautiful inside. Very red and gold. This was taken from the top of the grand staircase.
Guess where this is... I'm going to hide it so it doesn't ruin the surprise... This is actually a tiny model from the miniatures museum. Isn't it goddamn impressive?! Some of the models were AMAZING.
This is the Core Pacific Mall, a huge architetual marvel in the middle of Taipei. It's western-mall styled, and pretty cool. We ate lunch there, and I HATED the food-court. It was weirdly lit (very fluorescent), and the ceiling was super low. Made me uncomfortable. Like being in a coroner's office or something (weird comparison, but it's what I think of). ALSO I totally saw either a small rat or a big mouse down there. (Doesn't bother me that much, I've seen them before in Taipei... it's a city, what can you do)
Outside of the building they had the amazing sculpture thing. I loved it. This was taken from inside of it. And for the first time in about two weeks, the weather was very nice yesterday. I feel so bad forsalimbol and xiaobellsa who came to Taipei at one of the worst times for weather since I've been here. Constantly rainy, windy, and chilly. Just gross. And they say November is one of the best months for weather. I LAUGH AT THAT.
And since it's already the 26th here, I will wish all of my American friends a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
ALSO! Almost forgot! Anyone else want anything from Taiwan/Korea/Japan?
Some things I can easily procure from Taiwan: Tea, tea sets, Chinese charms, cell phone straps, Taiwanese entertainment stuff, calligraphy stuff, adorable stationary, adorable jewelry/hair accessories, bento boxes, bento supplies, Chinese language books/CDs/DVDs, name chops with your Chinese name on them, jade, silk bags, parasols, Chinese paintings, ETC.
*CRIES A LOT*
I'm excited for Korea and Japan, I really am. Korea will be hard (I can say exactly six things in Korean: "I love you", "Hello", "I'm Sorry", "Thank You", "Day", and "Man"... I understand a bit more, but just a bit), but I half don't care. Can't be worse than initially being in Taiwan. I didn't speak/read Chinese before I came here, and I survived. Plus being in Taiwan has got me used to people STARING AT ME CONSTANTLY (which I'm sure will happen a lot in Korea). Seriously, it's like being famous. They stare a LOT, they occasionally take pictures, and often they'll nudge each other and say "美國人!" (Americans) or "外國人!" (foreigners)... Sometimes it amuses me, sometimes I don't notice it, and sometimes it annoys the hell out of me. Honestly though, I'm not that interesting.
Anyway, tomorrow we go to Taroko Gorge. And if we can find a trans mountain bus, we'll go to Sun Moon Lake on Friday (to go from Taroko to SML you need to cross the central mountain range). We won't be able to get to Alishan. I wanted so much to go there, but since the typhoon, the train (which is the #1 thing to do there) has been closed. I want to go to Alishan when I can go on the train. It's not the same without it.
In other news, I've been watching the anime Bokura ga Ita. Lisa told me about it, and I was all like "...I'm not watching anything right now...", so I downloaded it. It's really good so far, but I'm kinda getting sick of the innocent, no-idea-about-sex, wishy-washy girls in animes and dramas. Yes, they're young, but hell, when I was 15 I knew what was going on! I know it's a cultural purity thing, but it really gets old to me. Hopefully my next drama Hon, as suggested by
darkeyedwolf, will solve this for me!I also have solved my suitcase crisis! It involves buying another suitcase, but whatev, I needed one anyway. My big suitcase got destroyed on the way here.
Anyway, some random pictures from the last few days here!
Christmas decorations are out full force here (this was outside the Core Pacific Mall). It prompted a very American response of "But it's not even Thanksgiving yet!" from me...
As is standard for us (everywhere we try to go is always closed...), the entrance to Hell Valley in Beitou was closed, so I had to take a picture of it from above. Beautiful, but smelly as hell (sulfur and all). This is the origin of one of the many hot springs in Beitou.
People wading in the hot springs waters off the side of the road. I wanted to go in, but I was afraid of slipping on the wet rocks and cracking my head open. I am not the most graceful creature in the world (to constant amusement of my father, who cracks I should have been named "Meredith Klutz" instead of "Meredith Grace"), and inevitably I would have fallen.
The Grand Hotel. We finally got to go there after seeing it every single day on the way to and from school. It's one of the more famous landmarks in Taipei, a traditional Chinese styled hotel. I would have loved to stay there.
An awkward shot, but one to illustrate how amazing the hotel is inside. At first we weren't sure if we were allowed inside, but lots of others were taking pics, so whatever. It's beautiful inside. Very red and gold. This was taken from the top of the grand staircase.
Guess where this is... I'm going to hide it so it doesn't ruin the surprise... This is actually a tiny model from the miniatures museum. Isn't it goddamn impressive?! Some of the models were AMAZING.
This is the Core Pacific Mall, a huge architetual marvel in the middle of Taipei. It's western-mall styled, and pretty cool. We ate lunch there, and I HATED the food-court. It was weirdly lit (very fluorescent), and the ceiling was super low. Made me uncomfortable. Like being in a coroner's office or something (weird comparison, but it's what I think of). ALSO I totally saw either a small rat or a big mouse down there. (Doesn't bother me that much, I've seen them before in Taipei... it's a city, what can you do)
Outside of the building they had the amazing sculpture thing. I loved it. This was taken from inside of it. And for the first time in about two weeks, the weather was very nice yesterday. I feel so bad for
salimbol and xiaobellsa who came to Taipei at one of the worst times for weather since I've been here. Constantly rainy, windy, and chilly. Just gross. And they say November is one of the best months for weather. I LAUGH AT THAT. And since it's already the 26th here, I will wish all of my American friends a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
ALSO! Almost forgot! Anyone else want anything from Taiwan/Korea/Japan?
Some things I can easily procure from Taiwan: Tea, tea sets, Chinese charms, cell phone straps, Taiwanese entertainment stuff, calligraphy stuff, adorable stationary, adorable jewelry/hair accessories, bento boxes, bento supplies, Chinese language books/CDs/DVDs, name chops with your Chinese name on them, jade, silk bags, parasols, Chinese paintings, ETC.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
i'll be looking forward to my own experience
Date: 2009-11-25 07:28 pm (UTC)OOoooo, I'd like to take you up on the name chop - I've been wanting one for ages and I can upload a scan of my Chinese name for you.
Re: i'll be looking forward to my own experience
Date: 2009-11-25 11:18 pm (UTC)Sure! Either that or you can just type it up for me. Either way (I just want to make sure I have the right characters, so I don't get you a chop that's all wrong, and then you'll be like "uhhhhh.... thanks?")
Re: i'll be looking forward to my own experience
Date: 2009-11-26 12:23 am (UTC)- my mom says there's a prettier way of writing my name but she doesn't know what it's called - and I never learned all the different calligraphy and anyway, having a chop from Taiwan is cooler than one from Monterey Park or Rowland Heights (where there are huge Taiwanese-American enclaves)
Re: i'll be looking forward to my own experience
Date: 2009-11-26 12:30 am (UTC)Re: i'll be looking forward to my own experience
Date: 2009-11-26 04:42 pm (UTC)Pretty name! I like the characters. My adopted Chinese name is kinda boring character wise (美俐), but it IS easy to write!
I know there are all different styles of calligraphy. My chop teacher would write the characters all weird. I mean, this is my name chop.
the right character is 伍, and while the 美 looks fairly normal, the 俐 is all weird.
ALSO! What type of chop do you want? You can get the ones that have the pretty carved tops, but those are more expensive. And do you want soapstone, or something different like wood/plastic/glass/other stone?
Hehe, I hear you! Having anything straight from a place is more impressive. Like I'm buying stuff I can get in Chinatown, but it's cooler because it's FROM HERE!
Re: i'll be looking forward to my own experience
Date: 2009-11-26 05:26 pm (UTC)Re: i'll be looking forward to my own experience
Date: 2009-11-26 05:37 pm (UTC)ALSO! Do you have any color preferences? I'm going to see if I can get it tomorrow (well, technically today, but many many hours later). If you want I can try to get an idea of the options (granted I might just be like "uh, they have green stones, and one with a rat on it!" because of my lacking Chinese).
Re: i'll be looking forward to my own experience
Date: 2009-11-26 06:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-26 12:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-27 10:28 pm (UTC)gah...if only i was there myself to just shop and take pictures.....parasols and fans are cool. same with jewelry/hair thingys and charms. ...I dont have a chinese name or that would be cool too.