A little accident

Over the weekend, Frankie had a play date with her friends and they went biking around the neighborhood, on their own. An hour later, she came home with both knees badly scraped. Yes, road rash folks, and its painful. We had plenty of those in our boyhood days, but kids nowadays seldom suffer such pain because in these modern times, kids spend more time indoors than kids forty years ago. I'm very proud of Frankie, as she hardly cried. I don't know whether this is good or bad, because holding back the tears will have a price to pay down the road. Yes? No?



And a little accident does not prevent from helping with housework.....It seems that Frankie has matured quite a bit since moving here, perhaps its the Asian influence?

Crocodile dundee again

My friend Alex invited us to lunch at his farm again, and this time we brought Frankie because she wanted to meet the "snake man". True to form, Alex went up to the mountains in the morning and caught the deadliest snake of all. This little native snake to Taiwanese mountains will kill a grown man within five steps after he is bitten. Most poisonous snakes' venom attack the nervous system and victims have some crucial time to get help, but this little sucker's venom attacks the muscular system and therefore, a victim is paralyzed within seconds and has no chance to survive. This is a prized catch for Alex, because according to him, the most poisonous snakes are the best to make snake wine with. Frankie trembled with goose bumps when she saw the snake bathed in sake.........

Alex's wife is not thrilled at all about his wilderness adventure, fearing that one mistake one day and her husband will not come home from the mountains. I asked Alex why he does what he does, and he said it is because he enjoys the challenge. I asked him if he is ever afraid, and he said yes. But in order to conquer and overcome fear, he must challenge fear and the only way to do that is by becoming the victor, and not the victim. What a guy.......My wife warned me not to ever go into the mountains with him, you kidding? I freak upon the sight of a cockroach.......

First week in school

Frankie survived her first week in her first Chinese school. She has homework every nite, which normally should take an hour to do. But because writing Chinese characters is a first, she takes about two hours to complete. Actually, we are pleasantly surprised that she finds this new task interesting, and so far have not complained. It is extra hard for her because she jumped right in to grade three.........

Our friend 趙樹海

Speaking of TV programs, some of you asked how Allen (Chao) is doing. I have not seen him yet, but we did email each other, and when I go to Taipei, I'll call him up. But how Allen is doing is not a major concern, it is how Mark is doing. In Canada, we had no idea how popular he has become. Here in Taiwan, he is hot hot hot. I see him on TV, commercials, pictures everywhere. What surprises me is the wide audience he has and appeals to. He definitely has the potential to become a mega star, not just in Taiwan, but across Asia as he is still young.


Here is a recent picture of 趙又廷

and you can watch him on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0rSPCJbUcQ

and the popular TV show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62mGh3cDa88

I think Allen and Daisy should be very proud........I'm happy for them.

Foreigners in Taiwan

Foreigners are not very common in Taiwan, definitely not like Hong Kong which is a lot more international. But those who do like Taiwan and live in Taiwan do manage to speak Mandarin effectively, and some very well. One of the TV shows I enjoy watching is called "Foreign brides". Every week the show features women who are new residents of Taiwan whose spouses are local Taiwanese. It amazes me that after only a few short years, some of these ladies speak almost perfect Mandarin. This show invites other women newcomers to appear on TV and there is a number to call. I wonder when they will have a same program for "Foreign husbands"?

The show itself is very interesting. Each week they talk about the nuances, pet peeves, likes and dislikes, and their overall experiences in their new chosen homes. I can relate to that.

If you think they speak effectively, wait until you hear them sing......

Taroko national park

Last day of summer today for kids and we finally made it to the world famous Taroko gorge. It is literally in our backyard as it is only a thirty minutes drive from our house. This national park is ranked right up there with the Yosemite NP, which speaks volume. This place attracts a lot of foreigners as they come to hike and bike. Also there is an international marathon here every November. The 42 km course wraps around the entire mountainous road with spectacular sights and sounds. I only wished the clock could rewind ten years when I was fit for such a task......
First video is the ranger station...

then the beauty unfolds....

In this video, we stand over a platform which has a 500 feet vertical drop to the canyon below. Great spot for bungee jumping. My hands were sweaty when I leaned over with my camera......

In this next video, we spotted a cave behind a boulder which swallows flying in and out of. Chinese people love the swallow's nest (燕窩) and I can see why it is so expensive. It is extremely dangerous to climb and hang over a sheer cliff in order to get to the nests, people often die doing this.

Judging from the caves and available water within these mountains, I imagine wild lives are abundant here.

I was hoping to walk across this suspension bridge to see the other side of the mountain, but the sign says.......permits only. So, rather than going out on a limb and risk falling off the mountain, we decided to get back on the road again.........

You know the saying "there is light at the end of a tunnel"? It hit me cold when I turned around while following my family along the caved road. Yes, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and it was bright! It was really weird, a sense of deja vu, and also a sense of enlightenment....kinda spirtual, and kinda spooky.....notice I did not say anything, I was speechless. I just stopped filming and kept walking, seizing the moment, for what, I have not a clue......I spaced out for a moment but snapped out of it fast when a bus honked and I nearly stumbled onto its path. Perhaps seeing the light was a forewarning that I was about to "become" the light! Just not my time yet I guess.

It ain't difficult to feel some what spirtual up here because a lot of Chiang's soldiers died here blasting and building this road. Right after the corner of where I saw the light, we came upon a memorial for the dead.........

What a day. Now back to the future......

Philosophical Differences

The following was forwarded to me, and I say, right on!

I asked my friend's little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be Prime Minister of Canada some day. Both of her parents, NDP supporters, were standing there, so I asked her, "If you were Prime Minister what would be the first thing you would do?" She replied, "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people." Her parents beamed, and said, "Welcome to the NDP Party!" "Wow...what a worthy goal!" I told her. I continued, "But you don't have to wait until you're Prime Minister to do that. You can come over to my house, mow the lawn, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out. You can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house." She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?" I smiled and said, "Welcome to the Conservative Party." Her parents still aren't speaking to me.