Sunday Funday

Sunday is the only day Nils has off, and so Sunday has become our special day. The day that we go out and explore as much as we can in a 14 hour period. We've only had two Sundays thus far, not counting the day I arrived, and both have been gorgeous. It's winter here and so weather-wise you see a lot of clouds and rain. But so far Sundays have been nothing short of amazing.

This sunday we rode bikes along the Danshuai River, and then visited Ping Xi to see the lantern festival. The bike ride was a great time. But really when isn't a bike ride a great time?

Nis told me we needed a tourist shot.

The part of town (Datong) near the wharf was really charming. I think we stumbled the best place to buy groceries in Taipei. There was produce, candy and spices all over the place. At the time I thought I'd taken way too many food pictures, but in hindsight I wish I had taken more. There were literally duffle bags full of mushrooms.

There comes a time when you need to just point to something on the menu and pray you don't get blood or intestines. For lunch we decided to just go where the crowds were. There was no English so we just pointed to what other people were eating.

The roll was fried and filled with pork. The tofu wasn't bad, but I like my tofu more firm and crispier on the outside. I love tofu and have had it a lot since being in Taipei, but this wasn't my favorite. The noodles had a special sauce that was really different for me. It wasn't bad, just unfamiliar. Since eating here I've picked up the flavor in various dishes but I can't pinpoint it. I think in time I could grow to like it more.

The lantern festival in Ping Xi was nothing short of amazing. I feel so blessed that I got to see this in my lifetime. Historically the lanterns were used to warn other mountain villages, but now people just use them to write wishes and messages on. There were people everywhere buying and decorating their own lanterns, setting off fireworks and eating lots of yummy food.

What happens when you ask a kid who doesn't speak English to take your picture? You get really shitty photos! Poor thing he took like seven and every one was worse than the last. Oh well.

Of course hundreds of fire lanterns being sent out into the night are great and all, but my favorite part of the evening was stuffing my face. Nom, nom, nom. The food here is just so cheap. You can walk around and try as many things as you want without worrying about money. Back home it seems you need to strategize your meal at any street fair or carnival. "Okay you're going for the cheesesteak then? Okay let's just get the big order of fries then and share it. This way we can have the funnel cake. No, I'll just drink tap water. I'd like to have some money left over for cotton candy." It's ridiculous!

Not in Taiwan! I was just jumping around from one vendor to the next trying things. My greedy little paws were all over the place.

We tried one of these beauties for the first time at Yangminshun. I have to admit, they're pretty friggin' amazing. They're pork; a little sweet with lots of fat and garlic. The buckets of sauce even come with a paintbrush for smothering. $1

I thoroughly enjoyed these. Nils spotted them and you should shave seen his eyes light up when he saw the cilantro. Fried tofu stuffed with the Taiwanese sausage and a big chunk of cilantro. Three of my favorite things for only $1.

We kept walking past the fried squid and wanted so badly to try one but we couldn't justify the portion size. In the end we decided to just go for it. What did it taste like? Well, imagine Colonel Sanders came to Taiwan and started frying up squid. Seriously, I think someone stole the recipe. The little guy was really tender and not chewy at all which Nils and I both appreciated. $3. Check out the blur!

Don't worry, they have a grilled version if you're counting calories.

Oh my these were good! Pancakes stuffed with cabbage and bean sprouts!

As one last hurrah I made Nils eat quail eggs. It was fascinating watching her fry them up and you could say I got caught up in the moment. In the end I wasn't sure why I had been so intrigued. It literally was just miniature fried eggs on a skewer, and that's what it tasted like. $1

Also at the stand were these little guys. Its popular here in Taiwan but I've yet to try one. Of course it's often just chicken eggs that you see in the sauce.

My only complaint about the festival; too many westerners. In Taipei we're a minority. Big time. Sure a fair amount of people speak English but its rare to see someone walking around who isn't Asian. I like that. It makes me feel more anonymous and removed from what I'm used to.

Although I will admit that during the festival it was nice to speak to strangers in English. I even got to use the word "dude".

That was nice, but I'm glad Taipei is less Western. It's so easy for cities to feel the same. They're all made up of essentially the same ingredients and really it's the people and the culture that make the big difference. At least that's how I see it. Besides if I get homesick there is still a McDonalds every few blocks and as of last Thursday I know where to find a Dr. Pepper.

In reference to the Dr. Pepper, I went out looking one day. A man told me that the Taiwanese aren't crazy about cherry flavor. Nils pointed out there were 26 other flavors to enjoy in a Dr. Pepper. I thought that was a good observation. My Dr. Pepper cost me $2 for a small can. It was more than my meal.

This is a long post, but it was a long day! I also have great videos that I will try to upload soon!