Happy Halloween!

Its the day of the Halloween, and its a Saturday. Like most weekends, we want to explore our community and the nearby towns. Today we are visiting a small farming town about 30 minutes from our home. It is a very old town with not one single tall building. There is one main street and on it, houses one ancient ice and ice cream store. In Hawaii, they have shaved ice, and in Taiwan, we have just simple ice. The ice is sweetened and you can add any toppings of over a dozen selections such as: tapioca, red or green beans in a paste, jello, fungus, etc etc....

What makes this shop so special is the cooling equipment. It was built over seventy years ago by the Japanese who occupied and ruled Taiwan for fifty years, from 1895 to 1945.

The coils and compressors are visible and they are huge comparing to today's technology. The owner of the shop has to maintain and rebuild on his own since the company who manufactured this outlandish piece of equipment has been long gone. I asked him why he has not switched over to modern refrigeration, and he simply said, people come from all over the world to see his strange looking dinosaur which runs like a charm, and it would be a shame to destroy such good history just for the sake of modernization. He has a good point. His place is jammed packed all day, even on a cooler day in late October. But what is also a nice surprise is that the ice made from this ancient equipment is very different, because it has a very smooth and fine texture to it, unlike the modern crushed ice which is rough and crunchy. I have very sensitive gums and normally when I eat something cold, my gum hurts. Not with this nearly century old ice. It does not have that freezing feeling upon contact with my mouth and gums. Weird.

We had a great time exploring this little quaint town, and look forward visiting others. Everyone is unique, and time stands still in most of them. Its like going back to my childhood when seeing places like this. Old farm equipments, rotary dial phones, phone booths!!! Old barber shops with the leather straps, coffee shops with booths and counters, open air restaurants, night markets, the list goes on........

For dinner, we went back to the organic beef farm. We first went there shortly after we arrived. But because we have been trying so many different restaurants, we have not been able to re-visit many of them. Good thing that eating out here is so reasonable, otherwise we could go broke. I have never tasted beef like this, it literally melts in your mouth and the meat has not been tenderized or processed in any shape or form. Thin strips of almost fat free beef come slightly marinated in a bowl, with a small chuck of beef fat which is used instead of cooking oil, in a pan with a small propane stove. We pan fried it ourselves for about two minutes, and we eat it with steamed rice. We spooned the juice (sauce) from the pan onto the rice and sprinkle some green onions and chopped cayenne pepper, man, it is as close to heaven as we can get........

After dinner, we went home and had our own little halloween party......Taiwanese people do not know and do not care for halloween. We only see a few signs about Halloween in some cafes and a couple of 7 elevens where ex pats hang out. Anyways, this is how we spent halloween, nothing like Canada, but a nice change.....

settling down

Its been four months since we arrived here in Hualien. We are getting to know the city, and we have picked an area where we want to live. There is a new development right across the Meilun hotel and golf course, and two blocks from the waterfront.
We went to the open house, and not wanting to be known as from out of town, I camouflaged myself with some local colors by wearing an aboriginal head band. Here I am looking like an Indian chief in this picture......

Then we were invited inside to view the building plans.....and guess what, the meeting room was called "MCC". Folks from Hong Kong are killing themselves laughing now.....MCC stands for "mone cha cha" in Cantonese, meaning "ain't got a clue"; a perfect place for a meeting!

All jokes aside, here is the site plan for our new home:

Our townhome is on lot D, which is directly across from the Parkview hotel and Hualien golf course, to the north of us. Then two blocks south is the Hualien harbor, and the Fisherman's wharf. There are eleven attached homes on lot D, and it is phase 4 of this sprawling development. There is a phase 5 to come, and that will be it.

Like most buildings here, they are steel and concrete, therefore, any changes must be done before concrete is poured. We were fortunate to have a deposit down before work began, so that we can customize our house the way we want it. Rebecca hired an interior designer to totally custom build the interior of 2800 sq ft. Total construction time will be about nine months, and the final cost should be near 12 million NT, which is $400k Cdn at today's exchange rate. Something similar in Victoria should cost at least double that.

Fisherman's wharf

Almost every coastal and port city in Asia now has a fisherman's wharf these days, as a major tourist attraction, as well as a local favorite spot to bring the family for some delicious and succulent locally fresh fruits of the sea. Well, Hualien is no exeption, and it has taken us a while to find it because it is literally hidden away. There is no advertising, no directions how to get there, just an old fashioned kind of fishing village nobody seems to notice. For generations, fishing is a way of life and life simply carries on....

Being a port city with the Pacific ocean at her doorstep, Hualien is blessed with abundance of clean air, clean water, and no sewage problems, and therefore, very high quality of seafood and fish.

What is different about Hualien's fisherman's wharf from most others, is that this one is very rustic and has very little developement around it. No high rise condos, no chintzy fake fountains, no tourists rip off mega stores, and definitely no "Hualien fisherman's wharf" T shirts. Just an old port with hundreds of old wooden fishing boats which appeared to be passed down from previous generations.

There are no fancy seafood restaurants here. In fact, there is only one indoor restaurant and it does not seat more than fifty people. But the seafood is very good and very fresh. The highlight is a local fish served sashimi style. It is very buttery similar to tuna belly but has a firm texture and very little fishy taste. Its heaven. There are also tuna, sword fish, and salmon sashimi filets you can buy and take home. Also fish balls made at the spot and they are DELICIOUS! A big bowl of rice noodles with fish balls and cilantro in a fish broth, right by the ocean, what more can I ask for???

And the price for the seafood feast? The eight of us, $100Cdn. In Hong Kong, three of us ate at Tun Mun and it was nearly $300Cdn. Why such a huge difference? Supply and demand I guess. In HK, you have eight million people eating seafood. Here in Hualien, there are 400,000 people. Bon appetit!

A brand new mall

Opened today in Hualien, and everyone in the city is here.
It is a very modern department store with a supermarket in the basement, plus a food court, with underground parking. There is only one other such complex here in Hualien. What we like about them is that underground parking is absolute paramount during hot summer months, because the inside of a car is hotter than an oven when parked outside. And when it rains, it pours here. It only take a few seconds to be soaked, therefore, parking outside sucks, and thus the reason we are buying a new house with a garage.

and the winner is........

趙又廷! 2009 金鐘影帝.....

Folks, what an incredible achievement for Mark in such a short time!
Allen and Daisy must be so proud, in fact, we saw a picture of a teary eyed Allen in a local newspaper.......Congratulations also for their decision to leave their comfortable environment in Victoria, and start all over in Taiwan in the entertainment industry.
Its funny but expected: a few years ago, if you mention 趙樹海, most folks remember him as the famous TV host. Today, when you mention 趙樹海, folks say, 他是趙又廷的爸爸....just the way it is. Allen, 您要加油!!!
Here is the link to the award announcement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2Gd6C_Le4M
For those who read Chinese, here is more: http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1083837&lang=tc_news

A villa for sale

We came across this villa which is being used as a B&B, a very nice property. Asking 400k Cdn, has an annual sales of 80k cdn. Therefore, after expenses, should still net 15%, which is a decent return. Here is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/djsony/sets/72157600913347200/show/

Excellent location. Its down the street from our condo, across from the tennis club, in the best part of Meilun. It is very unique because the outside walls of the building uses a blend of coral and cement, which gives it that whitewashed look similar to the Meditteranean villas.

Weekend outing

Its Saturday and we continue to explore Hualien.
We are back at Liyu lake where it held the "water dance" during the summer. The lake is very serene and the surroundings are quite isolated but still only 20 minutes from town.

After the lake, we went downtown for a bite to eat, and then hung out for a couple of hours people watching, visited a book store, had some Chinese dessert, and enjoying the balmy autumn evening.

The weekends are quite busy in Hualien because many come from Taipei and other parts of Taiwan, to escape the big cities. You can easily identify the out of towners as they are usually more fashionable. Folks here in Hualien are very down to earth, and mostly shorts & T shirts, which suits me fine. Since we landed in July, I have not worn long pants.

We are quite fortunate to meet the Pongs, as their two daughters and Frankie get along quite well, with sleep overs on the weekends. Most importantly, they get a chance to converse in English. We get stares everywhere we go with some folks asking where the kids take English classes to be able to speak so well.......

Here are some local young people doing hip hop at a town square....

Another discovery

There are so many restaurants here. We now have a few favorites but continue to search for new ones which are distinctively different. There is this kind of hippie place which we drive by almost everyday but somehow have not patronized. Today is the day.

My first impression is that we are back in Canada. The whole place is built on wood, which is highly unusual due to the humid weather, and the presence of termites. But upon a closer inspection, the woods are made from driftwood. According to Rebecca, driftwood is naturally treated by being in seawater for a long time, combined that with the high salt content in the wood makes it a natural deterrent to insect infestations.

The food here is distinctively different, but common with a local trend which emphasizes on all organic and locally fresh produce and meats. The presentation is first class, something I would expect from a five star hotel. The taste is decidely oriental, but with a western influence, and very unique. Portion is perfect: about four ounces of meat, one small bowl of multi grain rice, four different types of veggies, and a bowl of clear broth with some meat and melon. Instead of dessert, we are served a hot Chinese medicine tea which is bitter sweet, and to counter that, there is a small dish of natually sweet plum jello. And the cost? Under $20 Cdn for the two of us. This is by far the best discovery: top notch quality & healthy eating in a very clean and relaxed wooded cabin, with excellent but unobstrusive service.

Its quite big inside, with private rooms for small parties.......this place is three minutes drive from our condo.

Change is good

Making changes in our lives is not easy. We wonder what the outcome will be, and the hesitation often prevents us from making that decision. Moving to Asia from Canada is obviously one big decision, which changes our lives, and affect the lives of those close to us. But regardless of how this will turn out, we must learn to live in the "now". I often remind myself of this quote I read long ago: Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift, that is why it is called the present.
Anyways, enough BS, of all the changes which are happening in our new surroundings, what affects Frankie the most is what we are most concerned of. Yes, she misses her friends, her school, her playdates, and the easy lifestyle of Canada. One thing we have all noticed is that the kids in Canada are a lot happier, free spirited, and innocent. Kids here are a lot more serious, restrained, and more mature for their age. It would be perfect if somehow we can have a balance of the two. And living in both countries in different time frames may allow us to achieve that.
Take piano for example: in Canada, it is quite a challenge and often a struggle to get Frankie to practise. But since school started here, she takes her piano lessons at school, and she practises three times a week in a studio inside her school. Playing piano is no longer a hobby, a leisure, it now becomes part of her schooling. This provides a structure she badly needs, which is already showing positive results.....

This morning, I heard her playing the piano on her own will. Must be a lesson with the teacher today........

Grocery shopping

One of Frankie's favorite restaurants here is "I love sushi", which is located in Hualien's only indoor mall. After we ate, went grocery shopping at Carrefour, which is the largest supermarket chain here in Taiwan. It is similar to T&T in Vancouver, and if they don't have it, nobody will. Here we find lots of imported foods, such as pastas, sauces, Campbell soups, real Canadian maple syrup, pancake flour, skippy peanut butter, etc etc.....at a premium price of course.

Indoor shopping is the only way to go when it rains, because you are soaked in seconds if parking outdoors. Here is looking out at the rain from my office window.....

Folks here have no idea what "hydroplaning" is, and I see that often when rainwater begins to pool on the road and highways. What is even more amazing is that the rain does not stop folks on scooters, or even bicycles! They wrap themselves in plastic sheets and cut a hole for the face, and voila. If the rain is not heavy, some even hold an umbrella on one hand and steer the bike with another. You have to see to believe. I suppose looking from my point of view, it makes no sense. But if you have a family to feed and you have to go to work, and your only mode of transportation is a bike, then comes hell or high water, you just do it. Hualien city has no public transit. No buses. Taxis are busy on rainy days..........

TGIF again

Its Friday again. After lunch today, we took a stroll along the beachwalk, enjoying the warm sunshine and the tropical breeze......

Frankie continues her piano lessons here, with her new teacher at her school which she has lessons once a week. She also has access to the music studio in the school three times a week where she practises. She seems to enjoy that more than practising at home, which is fine with me.

In the evening, we were invited to Dr Pong's house for a hot pot dinner. He is 39 today. His lovely wife, Lisen, has breast cancer and has been in treatment for the past three years. So far, she is doing quite good, better than what the doctor had expected. She is a fighter and is determined to do all she can to lick the disease. A very brave lady indeed.

Fankie's school field trip

Today, Frankie's school has a field trip to see the stone sculpture festival at the local cultural centre. Rebecca and I, along with two other parents were volunteers to help out. It was fun......


Frankie is doing very well in school. She can now write many Chinese words and can read a lot of them. It is actually quite amazing watching her write, it is like drawing pictures! Still has a long way to go to catch up with other grade three kids, but both the teachers and we are very happy with her progress. School is now 8am to 5pm, with the last hour being extra so that she can do her homework at school with the teacher's help. Its a long day and she is exhausted when she comes home, never has a chance to be bored like she was in Canada. She does miss the easy life in Canada, the short days and short weeks in school, the lack of homework, the amount of play time.....but in the end, what is better for her? I think we made a good choice. She also misses her friends in Victoria, no doubt about that. But with emails and personal blogs, she is keeping in touch with a few who communicate with her frequently; and summer is just around the corner...

Tsunami!

Well, not quite. But its a great day to watch the waves at the beach as Typhoon Parma is helping to whip up some pretty angry waves. Some waves are coming in around 10 to 12 feet which could be ideal for surfers. For safety precautions, local coast guards have closed the beaches and are patrolling them.

Typhoon Parma is weakening and has been downgraded to a tropical storm, and the sky is clearing after two full days of downpour. Surprisingly, there are no reports of flooding in Hualien, although there is serious flooding up the coast about sixty miles in Yilan. Hualien has once again escaped the wrath of God......

Waking up to a typhoon

Back to reality today and it ain't pretty. Typhoon Parma is approaching Taiwan and ahead of it, we have a torrential down pour. Weather bureau is expecting 1100mm of rain in the next few days, that is over three feet of wawa coming our way. We live in Meilun which is a hilltop residential area, and should have no problems as the storm drains are capable of sucking all that liquid suhshine and funnelling it into the Pacific. Folks in low lying area, and those down south who are still recovering from Typhoon Morakot will have another nightmare stowed upon them.

Lets have a walk in the rain...

So far, the schools are open. I'll go wake Frankie up and find her some rain boots........But first, I'm going downstairs next door for some quick breakfast.

BBQ party

We are invited to a friend's BBQ today, as it is Taiwan's tradition during the Mid autumn festival. As soon as you walk down the street, you can smell the enticing aroma everywhere. What makes it smell so heavenly is the fact that most Taiwanese still BBQ the old fashion way, and that is using charcoal instead of gas or propane. It takes longer, but when the dripping fat from the marinated meat hits the red hot charcoal, you hear the sizzle and the wonderfully delicious smell rushes up your nostrils, enough to bring the staunchest vegetarian to her knees..... grab a few cold beer and some French red, and we'll have a party, all nite long........

中秋節

今天是中秋節，這裡的傳統，在台灣，是燒烤，和煙火。
Mid autumn festival here in Taiwan has a tradition of BBQ and fireworks.
Of course, there are mooncakes and pomelos also.


We went to a local beach park where there is a night market, as well as many fireworks vendors.

Rebecca and Frankie are shooting Roman candles off the beach, lots of fun....

The night market is full of food vendors, and some are quite good. Here I am eating an oyster pancake while some guy is singing his heart out in an open karaoke. You've got to have balls singing in front of hundreds of total strangers......The temperature is perfect, in the mid 20s in the evening and high 20s during the day. It should stay this way until Dec and Jan when temperature can drop to the mid teens, and that is considered cold here.

Here is Rebecca enjoying some local fried squid....

Fireworks here are a lot cheaper than Canada, well, what else is new.......we bought 12 Roman candles, 3 spinners, a big bag of giant sparklers, all for $16 Cdn. In Victoria during Halloween, that would cost about $100. Anyways, we took home some leftovers and fired them off our roof top. Rebecca was deeply worried because there is a military compound across from us, and wondered if they would fire back at us. War games, anyone?