Taiwanese religious ceremony

Again .... its been an interesting day ... didn't do speed walking this morning as my toes have got blisters between them! ... i think it comes from showering 3 times a day .... however i still have a little lavender gell left (Danny (the other volunteer ripped half his big toe nail off so I put some gell on a tissue held on by the white medical sellotape ... 24 hours later he described it's healing effects as miraculous and indeed it was!) however I was up and about at 5.30 so went out on my bike ... headed in a direction haven't been to before ... pretty but not spectacular .. then came back and had real coffee and a bowl of oats with full cream milk (good for putting weight back on so I understand) then went out again in the opposite direction but stopped after 5 minutes as there was a Chinese ceremony 'happening' and at first I took photos and a video but then I got so engrossed as it became more symbolic with chanting .. incense and the members participating that it seemed crass to carry on snapping so I stopped ... shortly afterwards someone provided me with a seat and I sat spellbound as one of the dancers went into a trance and started shaking and speaking out and I noticed that some of the members were close to tears  ..  then they all went fifty yards up the road with their 'ship' and after more chanting etc the members started taking pics so I did as well and then they set fire to the ship after which it was back to the dining room with vast quantities of fruit and I was made to feel so welcome throughout the entire time in spite of my lack of the language that I came close to tears but left with others at an appropriate moment and reflected upon how lucky I am to be here! ....

Sorry about the abysmal quality of the video ... blame it on blogger! 

  

Taiwan .. thoughts .. impressions and photos of Taichung

When I first started planning this trip I never even thought about Taiwan but how glad I am that I'm here and in the second biggest city of Taichung.    I have been getting over food poisoning contracted in Malaysia and struggling since then to regain digestive normalcy and although the  workaway project is beset by problems which I'm unsure how they are going to work out, the  nine days that I have been here and able to get out and wander about have been very positive and enjoyable.   The Taiwanese as a race are unbelievably hard working but once work is over they appear to be as determined to enjoy themselves as they are to work.   Having lived in France for the last ten years and appreciated french cuisine it has come as a surprise to find that the Taiwanese have just as much appreciation of food and eating as the french albeit their supply method is street vendors rather than restaurants but for  just a few euros one can eat really well with a wide variety of choice and tastes. (interestingly I have read that the Taiwanese diet is very low in fibre although generally they have a slim physique)  As a race they are very much family orientated as were the Malaysian's and the phrase "the English prefer their pets to their children" has often gone through my mind! ..so far I have never seen a child being smacked shaken or scolded and yet children generally are extremely well behaved and polite to the extent that two young men of sixteen or so who I had approached to ask help with a map insisted on showing me to the bus stop ... getting on and then off when we had reached the  appropriate street and then walking with me until I recognised the building where I am staying.  Two days later I happened to get into conversation with a local man who was teaching at the high school where these two young men were students and I related this story to which he commented that their actions were not unique and the level of helpfulness they had shown was only what he would have expected them to do.  

Today (Sunday) I have been to the Taichung botanical gardens which to quote a phrase has been "like an oasis of calm in the urban jungle" ... on the way I walked through a back street market with a difference being that not only was it jammed with people but scooters as well! 

Street market with a difference!

Theft is rare in Taiwan

Inside the botanical garden greenhouse

I got in for free as I'm over sixty

This display of offerings to ancestors is opposite a Chinese temple and on a plaque it reads "glorify the kind spirit in traditional culture, be merciful especially to the poor and needy,  know right from wrong and lead your life with this in mind, cultivate a peaceful land in your heart"

View of Taichung from my bedroom window

We are on the 19th floor

Does anyone know if this true?

It's rather lucky I've lost a lot of weightThree lanes of traffic on either side!

Wandering around!

At one point before I left France someone asked me what I was going to do in Malaysia and I replied "just wander about"!  below are a few photos taken while doing exactly that. For some reason the text below the car won't display so it was going to say that in UK this MG would be worth a fortune! 

There are lots of restaurant halls in Malaysia with different proprietors offering different food

This was my choice for breakfast today total cost £0.40

Sunset on the beach just fifty yards away

Beginning of the Penang National Park

Pork bun, hot cucumber with spices & the local coffee ... total cost £0.80

The local fishing fleet

Washing up area at my favourite restaurant

Where rich kids go to play

My next garden!

Fortunately very expensive!

One day when I was wandering about an Indian family insisted I came to share in their festival

One morning a Chinese street vendor apeared selling these pancakes which were exceedingly good

Believe it or not these are flowers

The front garden often becomes a cafe

More stunning flowers 

Local Chinese cemetery

Hammock heaven! 

More stunning ....

Traditional house

While swimming in the sea yesterday I watched a very touching little ceremony whereby some members of this place of worship (I think Bahai) were wading fully clothed into the sea to 'launch' small bundles of flowers. 

Walking in Penang National Park

I made my second visit to the Penang national park today and walked a different trail ... although its arduous walking it really is stunning and this time I had the pleasure of meeting up with some monkeys who were hanging around a bridge.  As I hope you will deduce from the photos the jungle comes right down to the sea and once you get into the jungle itself the paths are a good mix of artifical and natural. The walk took me to the other side of the island where the turtles nest (unfortunately none were around and I sat on the beach and eat my lunch which consisted of half a kilo of the small local bananas which are really delicious and the bottle of water which I had refilled at the hostel.   When I got back I was drenched with sweat which is normal during the day over here and  probably accounts for why my weight is down to sixty kilos!

There is more information about the park here

Moving on .. and on!

Leaving the yoga centre was more sad than I had imagined it would be ... having been there just a month it never occurred to me that the friendships formed in such a short period of time could be so strong.   This was particularly so with the two Malaysian women .. one Chinese (volunteer) and one Hindu (long stay visitor) who were without a doubt the most  hardworking of all of us.  For some reason the three of us clicked mostly because we were usually last to leave the kitchen after washing up even if was not our turn to do so.   They were both at a turning point in their lives and they both had to break many taboos and boundaries of their own culture simply to come but they both were of the opinion that it had been a good experience and felt that they would take the next step in their lives following their dreams as well as the wishes of their parents.  On our last evening together the three of us plus a Brazilian chap who had become my very innovative assistant went out to the local cafe for iced drinks and the two women gave me cards with heartwarming comments about our time spent together. We have exchanged email addresses and I really hope that we keep in touch.  .... For me the other inspirational experience has been in meeting so many young European women (18 - 25) who are travelling on a budget throughout south east asia on their own as I am.  Most state that the comments .. whistles etc which they receive from young men have been no worse and often less so than in their own respetive countries .... when I remember my own anxiety and fears before I set out they now seem rather embarrassing in comparison to what these young women are doing .... Fortunately I had managed to accomplish most of the list of jobs I was asked to undertake at the centre including getting a toilet to drain properly which hadn't done so for many months!!

I left the yoga centre at 9.30 by taxi to Sugnai Petani .. a short wait and then an hours bus ride to Butterworth .. another short wait to catch the ferry to Georgetown and finally the number 101 bus to the home of my next workaway host who greeted me enthusiastically and effusively in that all American way.!!  After a minimalist lunch of potato salad (I wondered where the protein was!) we got in the car for the half hour ride to the beach to see the cattery which it was hoped I would be able to turn into a palace! .... on the way there the conversation turned to "where are the local suppliers of building materials" and at this point it emerged that 'my host' hadn't got any money to buy materials due to a mix up in bank transfers .... hmm !!! ... still we carried on and arrived at the beach where the shed plus the sea with small local fishing boats bobbing about convinced me that maybe a miracle would occur and something might happen in the way of restoration and repair ... I was formerly introduced to all the cats by name having been solemnly informed that my host believed in having a close and personal relationship with all her thirty odd moggies !  ... and then returned to the town house where I was then informed that she was leaving in one week to take up permanent residence at the cat house ... hmm !!  (nothing about this in our correspondence .!) dinner was spaghetti with a meatless sauce (having just had a month of vegetarian food with no meat, onions garlic etc I confess to a little disappointment !)   Next morning was spent in loading the car with cats .. tools (minimal) an old step which the host hoped I would be able to use for making the current staircase less lethal and generally fulfilling the role of lackey ... hmm!!  ... Still eventually we got going and upon arrival I got going to try and do something with the step which eventually I managed but let's hope the building inspector never pays a surprise visit!!   I volunteered to stop the night at the cattery and after an evening swim and local curry I was feeling very positive.  Next day I continued with the list of work which could be done without going shopping and managed to coble together secure fastenings to doors and windows and mend a table lamp ... again after an evening swim and some local curry etc etc .. I went to bed that night hoping the financial problems could be resolved and my host would give up trying to convince me of her feminine charms!!  .. (she had seemed particuarly interested in the fact that I had sold my house!!) ..... While swimming I remember thinking that it was hotter than usual but thought no more about it .... at three o'clock in the morning I woke to the most amazing and awe inspiring thunderstorm with continuous sheet lightening.. literally howling winds and rain falling like I have never seen before ..... then I began to realise that water was also pouring through the roof ... the cats were going berserk and overturning water  and food bowls ... I then trod in several pools of vomit and when I started to climb back into bed i realised that one of the cats had shit on my sheet .... next morning i discovered that my rucksack with all my clothes was saturated .... the vast quantity of food left out by the host (for the cats) the night before was swimming in water .... there was no food in the house for breakfast ... (the workaway deal is the host provides three meals a day and when I tried to focus on what work I could get on with after I had cleaned up everywhere it was apparent that nothing could happen as there was no money to buy materials ... with some, but not much guilt I phoned the host and told her I was quitting and now I'm round the corner in a quiet cheap and clean dormitory (see motel ckurtysrd photo below) enjoying the peace and also enjoying the realisation that with street vendor food and cheap accommodation I can actually have a few days holiday and be well within my budget.

Iced drinks with Augusto, Mei and Krisna

The last breakfast

Sunset while waiting for restaurant

Roof extension

Ramadan sweets

The cat sanctuary by the sea

Me and new friend

Motel courtyard in Georgetown

Sunset over Penang national park