Plum Rained Out

A little over a week ago marked the start of what they call the "Plum Rain Season" here in Taiwan, or as it's known in most other places just "the rainy season". This is a little climatological phenomena we're spared in Canada wherein it rains, and rains, and rains some more for about 3-4 weeks almost continuously. Imagine looking outside and seeing the hardest rain you have ever seen, a good torrential downpour, and imagine it doing that for hours at a time, every day, and you will know what it's like to be in the Plum Rain Season.

I've actually be through it before when I was in Japan, of course that was a little over 7 years ago now and I'd forgotten what a lovely experience it is. Of course, living in Taipei where there are a large number of sheltered walkways it's not too bad, the city is actually built for this since it's a normal part of life here. I carry my folding umbrella with me and it does the job for rushing between sheltered walkways, dashing to buses and getting back to my home.

Today, however, I went out to my weekly assignment in DanShui, literally the end of the line for the local transit system. I love it out there, and it's nice to get out of the city, but what's not so nice is when my 15 minute walk to the office I teach at turned out to be during a particularly hard bout of rain. Needless to say my poor little folding umbrella turned out to be nigh useless as water came at me from all directions, and by the time I got to the office the term "soaked to the skin" just didn't do me justice.

But, as they say in entertainment, the show must go on! So, after putting my shoes and socks out to dry and slipping on some borrowed flip-flops I proceeded to teach my two and half hours of class with a smile.

Speaking of which, I must tell a story.

Today in class we were practicing describing foods, and when it came to local foods it turns out a lot of the local special foods eaten on Holidays use peanuts as a sweet element. No problem, but as one of the students was explaining the food to me the first time he kept dropping the "t" sound in Peanuts, which makes it into 'Peanus". And, I was trying to figure out why he was telling me this dish used "chopped penis", not entirely far-fetched given the Chinese tendency to waste no part of an animal. When I realized he meant "peanuts" I corrected his pronunciation and went on with the class, but slowly realized that almost the whole class was pronouncing it "Peanus".

At this point, I had to stop the class and explain to them very directly what happens when you drop the "t" from Peanuts, and what the word "penis" meant. Actually, when I wrote it on the board, being the bunch of biologists they are, they knew that English word so I didn't have to define it. I told them in no uncertain terms they need to pronounce the "t" sound, and practiced it with them.

That said, I have no doubts it's not the last of "chopped penis" that I hear of. Shades of Lorenna Bobbit.

Rob

Feeling Blue

Check out these Shades of Blue animated video entries.

How to profit from the encroaching Oil Crisis!

So, we'll peak production in 2008 and oil will become more expensive than ever, possibly causing a whole lof of financial problems for the Western world. Why is this happening, and better yet, how can you profit from it? Go here for a few ideas!

Rob

So, today Connie, her mother and I decided to get out of the city proper and visit one of the national parks to get some fresh air. We caught a bus, hopped on the MRT, and then grabbed another bus for the long drive up into the YangMingShan mountain range. I was shocked to find a whole city-sized community living hidden beneath the trees up in the mountains I looked at fondly each day from the MRT as I worked. This picture is the bus terminal which marks the point where the residential area proper ends and a national park begins. Being a beautiful day, the park was filled with tourists and sightseers, but it's so big that hardly matters. 

At first, Connie, Her mother (in black behind the woman in orange) and I were going to take a park tour bus. But, then we decided we didn't have time so we left this place next to the bus station and started to walk to one of the garden parks. 

Welcome to YangMingShan national park! The place is huge, and we were only going to one garden park. If you look closely at the picture you'll see there are actually many mountain peaks indicated, and those grey lines are full roads. To say the park is huge is an understatement! 

My personal tour guide Connie indicates that it's time for us to move on into the park. 

On the way into the park we passed this stand selling hats to those poor souls who were foolish enough to come out today without one, or didn't bring umbrellas like us! 

Rob pauses to look dignified in the garden. 

We stopped to eat ice cream, the day was a scortcher at easy 34 degrees with the hot sun beating down on us between the trees. Eating ice cream was more of an exercise in trying to eat it before it flowed down over our hands and escaped! 

What garden would be complete without a giant green rock dragon to guard it? 

As we sat eating ice cream, we watched the man in red in this picture, who must have been in his 60's, doing cartwheels to impress the grandchildren. All I can say is, Tai Ji works wonders! 

Another picture of the green rock dragon. 

Rob stands in front of the statue of a famous Chinese philosopher. 

White flowers with a flower in white.  

Scattered along the mountainside walkways you will find these traditional style Chinese structures to rest under and get out of the sun. 

It's almost 4:30 as Connie and I pose in front of a giant flower clock, a must have for any gigantic mountain garden. 

Just past the flower clock we find a Taiwanese snack seller. Now, not only do they have the traditional Ice Cream stand, but they also have a variety of Taiwanese eats for sale. In the foreground you can see dried squid next to two types of jerky and shredded dried meat. Above them are fried tofu squares on a stick to be heated on the barbecue and there are sausages and hard boiled eggs next to them. Two types of pogo dogs are waiting to go, and above the wooden chest (lord knows what's in that) hang a special rice mix wrapped in leaves. Whew! I feel tired just listing them all! 

Connie raises a cheer at the base of a walkway, you can see a long simulated wood trellace in the background. 

The beautiful simulated wood trellace pathway that Connie was standing near the entrance of earlier.