A picture of us being scared. Argh, the train is coming!
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
More Pictures from the JiJi Adventure
These are some pictures that Molly took and I pinched them from Facebook :D
A picture of us being scared. Argh, the train is coming!
A picture of us being scared. Argh, the train is coming!
Cicada Singing
So here there are Cicada beetles in Taiwan that are pretty noisy. They like to 'sing' and they are very loud.
It was amazing when driving through Zhong Shan village which isn't far from Nantou. It was a huge chorus of singing. I loved it. Zhong Shan village is a residential area that is beautiful. The streets are flanked by wonderful old trees. I'll take some pictures next time I go there. (Once I get Zach's scooter).
But at the moment i'm not so fond of them because there is one, only one, outside of my apartment somewhere which is bloomin' loud! It is irritating me so much because no matter where I am in my apartment I can hear it. And it is pretty constant.
This is a picture of a Malaysian Cicada.
It was amazing when driving through Zhong Shan village which isn't far from Nantou. It was a huge chorus of singing. I loved it. Zhong Shan village is a residential area that is beautiful. The streets are flanked by wonderful old trees. I'll take some pictures next time I go there. (Once I get Zach's scooter).
But at the moment i'm not so fond of them because there is one, only one, outside of my apartment somewhere which is bloomin' loud! It is irritating me so much because no matter where I am in my apartment I can hear it. And it is pretty constant.
This is a picture of a Malaysian Cicada.
The Dragon in Chinese Culture
Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs. They traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, and floods. In yin and yang terminology, a dragon is yang (male) and complements a yin (female) fenghuang "Chinese phoenix".
The dragon is sometimes used in the West as a national emblem of China. However, this usage within both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan) as the symbol of nation is not common. Instead, it is generally used as the symbol of culture. The dragon is also a symbol of power, strength, and good luck.
In Chinese culture the number nine is lucky. If you look closely at a Chinese dragon picture, you will notice that there are generally attributes that number nine or a multiple or divisor of the number. One example is that the scales often consist of eighty-one male and thirty-six female. They also have nine attributes and nine mythical sons. In Chinese culture there are also nine varieties of dragon. These are: the Celestial Dragon, the Spiritual Dragon, the Dragon of Hidden Treasures, the Underground Dragon, the Winged Dragon, the Horned Dragon, the Coiling Dragon who lives in the waters, the Yellow Dragon who came from the River Luo to teach another mythical creature how to write, and of course the Dragon King.
Nobody really knows where the dragon comes from. The dragon looks like a combination of many animals. For the Chinese people, Dragons were described visually as a composite of parts from nine animals: The horns of a deer; the head of a camel; the eyes of a devil; the neck of a snake; the abdomen of a large cockerel; the scales of a carp; the claws of an eagle; the paws of a tiger; and the ears of an ox. The Chinese word for Dragon is spelled out in roman characters as either lung or long.
In China, the Dragon was credited with having great powers that allowed them to make rain and to control floods (by striking the river with its tail, causing it to open and thus divert the floodwaters) also Dragons are credited for transportation of humans to the celestial realms after death. They are symbols of the natural world, adaptability, and transformation. When two dragons are placed together but turned away, they symbolize eternity via the famous Yin-Yang.
Chinese emperors think they were the real dragons and the sons of heaven. Thus the beds they slept on were called the dragon beds, the throne called the dragon seat, and the emperor's ceremonial dresses called dragon robes.
Dragon Boat Festival
Tomorrow is the 16th. Which is my half birthday. haha. So in six months i'll be 25...scary stuff. That and it is Dragon Boat Festival which means it's a public holiday. YAY! I get the day off work.
So the plan for tomorrow, if no rain, will be to go to Lukang 鹿港 (Lù gǎng). I will hop on a bus and meet folks there for a good wander. Also, I think Geoff has his hopes set on getting to the ocean. I hope that happens. It would be nice to see the sea.
Dragon Boat Festival
In China (and Taiwan), the Dragon Boat Festival memorializes the Chinese patriotic poet Chiu Yuan (340 BC-278 BC or 343-290 B.C.), who committed suicide by jumping into a river after tying himself with big rock on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
Chiu Yuan was the number one advisor of the kingdom of Chu. But people were jealous his position. The king wouldn't take his advice in the end and was killed by the enemy of neighbour kingdom. The new king continued to enjoy a luxurious life and didn't like Chiu Yuan. Later, Chiu Yuan was exiled. He wrote many patriotic poems after then.
Chiu Yuan met a fisherman, who never cared about the country and was quite satisfied with his life. Chiu Yuan thought that the king wouldn't run the country, people only cared about themselves, nobody cared about the future of the country and so to live was meaningless. So he killed himself by drowning himself in the river. Many fishermen tried to rescue him, but the body was never found. Fishermen were worried that fish would eat his body. So they threw food into the river to feed the fish. Plus, they tried to scare fish away by splashing the water with their paddles and beating the drums on the long narrow boats.
Then the dragon was added into the story. Fishermen believed there was a water-dragon under the river. One man poured down a big jar of strong yellow wine (made of rice). Later, a drunken dragon-like fish floated on the river. One piece of Chiu Yuan's clothing was found in-between the whisker of the water-dragon.
So to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival there are races and people eat Zhong Zi...Rice dumplings because they were thought to have been the food that was thrown into the river to feed the fish.
(Not my pictures of dragon boats)
This is a rice dumpling that my friend Melody gave to me. She made them at home...or her mum did. I'm not sure. She is a good workmate of mine.
Zong zi (糭子; pinyin: zòng zi) is a traditional Chinese food, made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. They are cooked by steaming or boiling
So the plan for tomorrow, if no rain, will be to go to Lukang 鹿港 (Lù gǎng). I will hop on a bus and meet folks there for a good wander. Also, I think Geoff has his hopes set on getting to the ocean. I hope that happens. It would be nice to see the sea.
Dragon Boat Festival
In China (and Taiwan), the Dragon Boat Festival memorializes the Chinese patriotic poet Chiu Yuan (340 BC-278 BC or 343-290 B.C.), who committed suicide by jumping into a river after tying himself with big rock on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
Chiu Yuan was the number one advisor of the kingdom of Chu. But people were jealous his position. The king wouldn't take his advice in the end and was killed by the enemy of neighbour kingdom. The new king continued to enjoy a luxurious life and didn't like Chiu Yuan. Later, Chiu Yuan was exiled. He wrote many patriotic poems after then.
Chiu Yuan met a fisherman, who never cared about the country and was quite satisfied with his life. Chiu Yuan thought that the king wouldn't run the country, people only cared about themselves, nobody cared about the future of the country and so to live was meaningless. So he killed himself by drowning himself in the river. Many fishermen tried to rescue him, but the body was never found. Fishermen were worried that fish would eat his body. So they threw food into the river to feed the fish. Plus, they tried to scare fish away by splashing the water with their paddles and beating the drums on the long narrow boats.
Then the dragon was added into the story. Fishermen believed there was a water-dragon under the river. One man poured down a big jar of strong yellow wine (made of rice). Later, a drunken dragon-like fish floated on the river. One piece of Chiu Yuan's clothing was found in-between the whisker of the water-dragon.
So to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival there are races and people eat Zhong Zi...Rice dumplings because they were thought to have been the food that was thrown into the river to feed the fish.
(Not my pictures of dragon boats)
This is a rice dumpling that my friend Melody gave to me. She made them at home...or her mum did. I'm not sure. She is a good workmate of mine.
Zong zi (糭子; pinyin: zòng zi) is a traditional Chinese food, made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. They are cooked by steaming or boiling
Football Madness
At the weekend I stayed with Renee and Geoff in Taichung. It was so much fun, even though it rained most of the time. On Saturday evening we had tacos for dinner. Yum. Then chilled out and headed to the Londoner (a bar) to watch the England v US game.
Oh my goodness me. It was an interesting experience. I never thought i'd get into a football game, but I did. Though I think it was mostly in reaction to a very loud mouthed American lass who was sat next to me. She was so foul mouthed it was unbelievable. It made me quite angry, so I was happy that England scored in the first five minutes, it was a shame that they didn't score more.
In fact towards the end there were a few foul mouthed Americans. Oh it made me so mad that people were like that. In fact it gave me an insight into how easily things can turn violent. I can understand a little more that if people care so much for the game and the outcome that they can be so rude and that will p**s off other folks, with the aid of alcohol I can imagine things getting nasty. As it often does.
I still think folks shouldn't care so much over a game. But such is life.
On Sunday we relaxed and didn't do much. It was raining pretty much all day but we made it out for dinner to Gordon Birsh (I don't know how to spell that) and met Matt, Lynn and Zach. It was nice chilling with good friends and having a laugh.
Oh my goodness me. It was an interesting experience. I never thought i'd get into a football game, but I did. Though I think it was mostly in reaction to a very loud mouthed American lass who was sat next to me. She was so foul mouthed it was unbelievable. It made me quite angry, so I was happy that England scored in the first five minutes, it was a shame that they didn't score more.
In fact towards the end there were a few foul mouthed Americans. Oh it made me so mad that people were like that. In fact it gave me an insight into how easily things can turn violent. I can understand a little more that if people care so much for the game and the outcome that they can be so rude and that will p**s off other folks, with the aid of alcohol I can imagine things getting nasty. As it often does.
I still think folks shouldn't care so much over a game. But such is life.
On Sunday we relaxed and didn't do much. It was raining pretty much all day but we made it out for dinner to Gordon Birsh (I don't know how to spell that) and met Matt, Lynn and Zach. It was nice chilling with good friends and having a laugh.
Saturday, 12 June 2010
Thunder of dooooom!
Last night/this morning I was woken up by the loudest thunder storm ever! I have never heard such thunder before. At first I thought it was bombs going off. That loud.
Once I got over the initial shock I thought 'awesome' :D
Once I got over the initial shock I thought 'awesome' :D
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Stupid o'clock for training
Today I had training in Taichung. I had to get up at stupid o'clock to get ready and get a bus then a taxi to the branch in Taichung. I was so sleepy on the bus but was very proud of myself when I spoke to the taxi man and told him where I wanted to go in Chinese. Yay!
Training was good. Afterwards I went for lunch with Dave (a fellow HESS employee), Geoff and Renee. Dave was saying that Betty (my boss) would probably welcome me changing my mind and asking for a teaching position in Taichung, even though I have said I want to leave.
It was really nice seeing different people than I usually do, and it was nice to have a brief catch up with Dave. It has made me feel a lot more positive about Taiwan and staying. I have the option for changing my mind. Argh! So many decisions to make. I'll mull it over for a couple of days and see how I feel.
I have another training session tomorrow because I forgot to go to my 6 month training. After that is done (another day of rising at stupid o'clock) that is all the training finished. Yay! And I get my unrecognised TEFL certificate. Still, at least it shows what training i've had through work.
I am so tired, I think i'll hit the sack now :)
Training was good. Afterwards I went for lunch with Dave (a fellow HESS employee), Geoff and Renee. Dave was saying that Betty (my boss) would probably welcome me changing my mind and asking for a teaching position in Taichung, even though I have said I want to leave.
It was really nice seeing different people than I usually do, and it was nice to have a brief catch up with Dave. It has made me feel a lot more positive about Taiwan and staying. I have the option for changing my mind. Argh! So many decisions to make. I'll mull it over for a couple of days and see how I feel.
I have another training session tomorrow because I forgot to go to my 6 month training. After that is done (another day of rising at stupid o'clock) that is all the training finished. Yay! And I get my unrecognised TEFL certificate. Still, at least it shows what training i've had through work.
I am so tired, I think i'll hit the sack now :)
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