September in Taiwan

I feel like I have done a lot since I last posted.  I have gone on a few hikes, played a bit of tennis, took a few cooking classes, shopped "Halloween Street", gone on many lunch dates, started yoga, found new workout buddies, went to Kenting beach resort in southern Taiwan........I am sure I can come up with a few others. 

I love going on these hikes!  It is always with a different group of gals, and always an adventure.  On the start of one hike, we encountered a pig.  It  started walking toward us on the street,  "Are you a friendly pig or a mean pig?",  we wondered.  As it turned out, it was friendly...so was the adorable puppy romping about.   The hikes usually last 2-4 hours (I prefer the shorter hikes!) and take you up (meaning many sets of stairs with no handrail) into the mountains where the air is cool and the views are gorgeous.

Tennis leagues are starting up next week.  I have had a few refresher lessons, but I have yet to play a full "real" game.  My shoulder and knee are not cooperating fully with me right now, so I hope I will be able to play.  I'm nervous, afraid I won't be good enough, or forget how to score....gotta start somewhere.

There is a community center called, The Center, that offers classes and tours.  I have just finished 2 cooking classes.  The first one was Thai cooking, and the second one was Indian paneer.  I think I died and went to heaven after tasting the dishes these ladies made.  The great part about all of this is that the dishes are very easy to make.  I have already made a Thai meal and will make the Indian meal in a few days.

I went with about 8-10 ladies to a place in downtown Taipei that is called "Halloween Street".  At other times of the year, it is Christmas Street, Easter Street, Chinese New Year Street, etc.  I think we walked 3-4 blocks in one direction, crossed the street and came back the other way.  Most of the shops were filled with Halloween costumes and decorations.  Some of it was expected, others from another place and time.  It was fun and goofy....who knew?

The weather has finally broke.  We are now in the 80's for highs, still humid though.  What a relief!  It feels awesome.

Friendly pig!

Too cute!

This part of the hike reminded me of the enchanted forest, it was beautiful!

Made it to the top!

The great gals I hiked with that day.

Thai cooking demonstration.

My version of Chicken Curry and Glass Noodle Salad.

Emma loved the Curry,  Lily ate canned soup for dinner.  I can never please everyone!

This is Indian paneer.  I just learned that this is basically ricotta cheese and if you add a little salt and cream, cottage cheese.  You can also press it and then you can cut it into cubes.  It took all of 2 ingredients (whole milk and vinegar) and a few minutes to make!  It tasted fantastic!!

The bathing caps were a requirement to swim, "3 bathing beauties, all in a row".

At least we weren't wearing the latest in chinese swim fashion, the all over monokini.    The monokini covers the entire body from ankle to wrist to the top of your head, there are cutouts for eyes nose and mouth (like a ski mask).  There is a huge aversion here to getting tan.

Walking to the beach.

Having dinner in town with a few great families!

A teeny tiny shot bar on the sidewalk.  It was about as big as a port-a-pottie.

Stinky tofu!!!!

MMMMMMMM!  I need me some of that fried squid-on-a-stick!  A new idea for the Minnesota  State Fair.

Pretty dresses that the girls bought at the street market that night.  We did not pay full price, but I am sure we were still overcharged.

Very cool sculpture at an aquarium that we visited in Kenting.

Ice cube seats in the penguin exhibit.

Ouch!

I thought it would be a pineapple brown sugar cupcake, was I horribly off  on that guess.    The bottom of the cupcake tasted "beefy" with a very strange texture, it was soooo gross!

Sidewalk outside of Starbucks, tables filled with food for loved ones who have passed away.  The fires in these metal buckets are for  burning fake money.  This set up is in front of 7-Elevens and dry cleaners, coffee shops, etc., very strange.

Negative cosmetic g body beanty paylor.....what?  No thank you.

I keen appetite for pleasure even in its simplest and most modest forms, so how about your appetite?

Lily learned how to do nice dives off of the diving board.

Emma's first trumpet lesson, I think she enjoys it!

A "Chinese" Halloween hat, should of bought it.