Taiwan Top Ten
I realize that my past couple posts, and really my blog in general has only portrayed the negative side of life in Taiwan. It can be rough here, but I am here for a reason, and there are some wonderful aspects to life in Taiwan. As much for my own benifit as to share I am composing a list of the good things about living in Taiwan....
1. Money - I am making more money for less work then I would ever do at home. For the most part I enjoy teaching English and it affords me a lifestyle that I would have to put years in to get at home (although the downside of that is having to leave it and start at the bottom at home - but we are looking on the upside here!!)
2. Travel - Location, location location!! I can jet off to Hong Kong, Thailand, or Japan for a weekend, I am going to go to either the Philipines or Vietnname for Chinese New Year. Before I go home I plan to do a few months through India, and a loop through Cambodia and Laos. Asia is at my doorstep!
3. Tea - Now when I say tea I am not talking about your conventional british style tea and cookies - no, no, no my friend!! Even within this catagory there are sub catagories. First I am not talking about the hot teas but these cold refreshing, often fruity yummy teas.
a. pu tou yo lu cha and bieshung lu cha. grapefruit green tea and passion fruit green tea respectively. The are more of a light juice than a tea and on a hot day there is NOTHING more refreshing!! You can also get the fruity flavours with black tea, I usually prefer the green, but lemon black tea is a nice change!!
b. nie cha or if you are a we bit peckish jin ju nie cha. Milk tea, best cold, creamy rich and the jin ju is the starch balls that take some getting used to, but if you don't have time to eat...
c. bing chi ling hong cha - the piece de resistance!! I was dubious at the sound of it, and I have had to twist a couple arms just to try it but I have not known ANYONE who didnt LOVE it once they tried it...Ice cream black tea. Basicly a black tea float...sooooo gooood!!! I even have one cousin ( I wonder...) that has to limit herself to one a week in the summer or she would be drinking them every day.
4. GoldClass - from what I understand Bangkok and Taichung are the only 2 cities in either Asia or the world to have this and if you don't have it- I gotta say, you are missing out!!!! It is the pimpin' est movie theatre going. You walk in the doors and they seat you in the lounge area where you are handed a menu to order from. Anything from popcorn to cheesesticks, blackforest cake to champagne is at your fingertips!! After you place your order you are personally ushered to the theatre. The theatre only holds about 30 seats. 30 plush, reclining, lay back and enjoy the show seats!! Not a lot more expensive than the regular theatre, and well worth it for the 'big' shows! (Like Harry Potter this weekend!!!!)
5. Pampering - (comes in 3 catagories)
The first time I went for a hair wash in Taiwan was after the first big typhoon after I arrived. Our water was off for almost a week. We had a huge pail of water that we had filled before the water got cut off that we used to flush when we had to, a couple loads of dishes, and a bit of a 'mexican shower' in the morning. The water in the area of my one school was still on so about 4 days in I was going nuts and booked at the hairdresser to get my hair washed. I was going just for a hair wash but what I got was sooooo much more. It is a full shoulder, neck and head massage!! It only costs like 10 bucks, and it is at any of the ten gazillion hairdressers in Taichung. The one place we go to lie you out on a bed with your head propped up in the sink on the end of it. It is 30-40 minutes of pure bliss!!! Any time we have a big night out, or you're feeling down, or having a girlie day - hair wash!!
24 hours a day,7 days a week I can go to a 'massage parlour' and actually get a massage. Full body, foot massage whatever you fancy. All over the city there are massage parlours to fit your "I have been teaching all day, children who have no desire to learn" muscle aches!
I had heard about the 24 hours spas but you can't really appreciate them until you go. Seperate for girls and boys, and I think a lot of the male ones are gay pick up spots - but the ones for females...sweet! For like 10 bucks Canadian you can stay for 12 hours, and it is just a series of hot tubs, cold pools, saunas and steam baths. You can get all kinds of massage, order food, of just hang out watching movies, there are little berth type beds you can go to sleep in if you like. Pretty much a bunch of naked woman hanging out pampering themselves.
6. Mango Bing - Again bigger than the sum of its parts, but pretty much what I live on in the summer. On the bottom they put some shaved ice, and when I say shaved I don't mean like slushy I mean like snow! Then some sweetened condensed milk topped with fresh mango...OH MY GOD!!! It is pure heaven! I am counting the days until mango is back in season. You can get other fruit bing, but it just doesnt measure up!!
7. My neighborhood - I live in the heart of a city of over a million people that, for the most part, don't speak the same language as me, and I am a part of my community. I remember when I first arrived and didnt have a scooter yet I was walking back from an interview. It was lashing rain and I was dripping! The middle aged lady that sells betul nut on the corner called me under the awning with her to stay dry. Ever since then I get the biggest smile and wave from her daily. She weekly tells me how piaow liang (beautiful) that pao pao is, and has even tried to give me food before. As I walk Pao Pao people call her name and wave to me. The ladies down at the breakfast place on the corner know us all, and have even been know to give me a massage or smack on the ass as I dunkenly inhale dem bing (later) at 5am! And I would like to package Alli from the coffee shop up and take him home with me...I LOVE him!!! I could go on and introduce you to the man in the wheelchair that runs the store downstairs, and our local tea guy and so on, but my point is I like the people in my neighborhood- the people that I meet, as I am walking down the street, the people that I meet each day!
8. Driving - yes, I know that it is also on of the worst aspects of living in Taiwan, but it is also one of the best. I drive a scooter because I can't brink Pao Pao on a motorbike. But even scooter driving is SO MUCH FUN!! When you are not angry, it is like a video game. There are no real enforced rules, so you can zip in and out of traffic, honking all the while to let people know that you are there, pausing at the red lights to see if someone is coming, and off again. My mp3 player playing some nice relaxing tunes piped into my helmut -good times!!
9. Porn Motels - They have these 'love motels' that you can rent by the 4 hour chunk. Drive through reception and underground parking - ideal for the married man out for some fun without his wife...but they are so fuckin sweet. I took the boy before I went home to Canada and once for break up sex. You go up the stairs, expecting plastic sheets and flourescent lighting- instead you see the classiest looking room ever- soft springy bed, nice muted colours, seriously classy rooms. Big screen TV, and then the bathroom - big hot tub with disco lights and of course a built in TV. On this TV is some sweet porn! I am not a big porn chick, but I definitely can appreciate some good porn, and some good porn with a sweetie can make for a pretty good night. Now good porn in a hot tub of a classy motel room makes for a GREAT night!!
10. Night life - Any night of the week, if you are looking for a party, you can find a party! There are always a group of ex-pats numbing their issues somewhere. And it is not just sitting around drowning sorrows, it is full on partying until 5,6,7,8 in the morning. Several of the clubs you can order E at the bar. After a hard night a drinking you can either go get 24 hour teppenyaki, or hit one of the breakfast places that open up about 3. MMMM dem bing - an egg and cheese rolled up in a rice tortilla mmmm!
ok, I could go on, but 10 is such a nice round number!!
1. Money - I am making more money for less work then I would ever do at home. For the most part I enjoy teaching English and it affords me a lifestyle that I would have to put years in to get at home (although the downside of that is having to leave it and start at the bottom at home - but we are looking on the upside here!!)
2. Travel - Location, location location!! I can jet off to Hong Kong, Thailand, or Japan for a weekend, I am going to go to either the Philipines or Vietnname for Chinese New Year. Before I go home I plan to do a few months through India, and a loop through Cambodia and Laos. Asia is at my doorstep!
3. Tea - Now when I say tea I am not talking about your conventional british style tea and cookies - no, no, no my friend!! Even within this catagory there are sub catagories. First I am not talking about the hot teas but these cold refreshing, often fruity yummy teas.
a. pu tou yo lu cha and bieshung lu cha. grapefruit green tea and passion fruit green tea respectively. The are more of a light juice than a tea and on a hot day there is NOTHING more refreshing!! You can also get the fruity flavours with black tea, I usually prefer the green, but lemon black tea is a nice change!!
b. nie cha or if you are a we bit peckish jin ju nie cha. Milk tea, best cold, creamy rich and the jin ju is the starch balls that take some getting used to, but if you don't have time to eat...
c. bing chi ling hong cha - the piece de resistance!! I was dubious at the sound of it, and I have had to twist a couple arms just to try it but I have not known ANYONE who didnt LOVE it once they tried it...Ice cream black tea. Basicly a black tea float...sooooo gooood!!! I even have one cousin ( I wonder...) that has to limit herself to one a week in the summer or she would be drinking them every day.
4. GoldClass - from what I understand Bangkok and Taichung are the only 2 cities in either Asia or the world to have this and if you don't have it- I gotta say, you are missing out!!!! It is the pimpin' est movie theatre going. You walk in the doors and they seat you in the lounge area where you are handed a menu to order from. Anything from popcorn to cheesesticks, blackforest cake to champagne is at your fingertips!! After you place your order you are personally ushered to the theatre. The theatre only holds about 30 seats. 30 plush, reclining, lay back and enjoy the show seats!! Not a lot more expensive than the regular theatre, and well worth it for the 'big' shows! (Like Harry Potter this weekend!!!!)
5. Pampering - (comes in 3 catagories)
The first time I went for a hair wash in Taiwan was after the first big typhoon after I arrived. Our water was off for almost a week. We had a huge pail of water that we had filled before the water got cut off that we used to flush when we had to, a couple loads of dishes, and a bit of a 'mexican shower' in the morning. The water in the area of my one school was still on so about 4 days in I was going nuts and booked at the hairdresser to get my hair washed. I was going just for a hair wash but what I got was sooooo much more. It is a full shoulder, neck and head massage!! It only costs like 10 bucks, and it is at any of the ten gazillion hairdressers in Taichung. The one place we go to lie you out on a bed with your head propped up in the sink on the end of it. It is 30-40 minutes of pure bliss!!! Any time we have a big night out, or you're feeling down, or having a girlie day - hair wash!!
24 hours a day,7 days a week I can go to a 'massage parlour' and actually get a massage. Full body, foot massage whatever you fancy. All over the city there are massage parlours to fit your "I have been teaching all day, children who have no desire to learn" muscle aches!
I had heard about the 24 hours spas but you can't really appreciate them until you go. Seperate for girls and boys, and I think a lot of the male ones are gay pick up spots - but the ones for females...sweet! For like 10 bucks Canadian you can stay for 12 hours, and it is just a series of hot tubs, cold pools, saunas and steam baths. You can get all kinds of massage, order food, of just hang out watching movies, there are little berth type beds you can go to sleep in if you like. Pretty much a bunch of naked woman hanging out pampering themselves.
6. Mango Bing - Again bigger than the sum of its parts, but pretty much what I live on in the summer. On the bottom they put some shaved ice, and when I say shaved I don't mean like slushy I mean like snow! Then some sweetened condensed milk topped with fresh mango...OH MY GOD!!! It is pure heaven! I am counting the days until mango is back in season. You can get other fruit bing, but it just doesnt measure up!!
7. My neighborhood - I live in the heart of a city of over a million people that, for the most part, don't speak the same language as me, and I am a part of my community. I remember when I first arrived and didnt have a scooter yet I was walking back from an interview. It was lashing rain and I was dripping! The middle aged lady that sells betul nut on the corner called me under the awning with her to stay dry. Ever since then I get the biggest smile and wave from her daily. She weekly tells me how piaow liang (beautiful) that pao pao is, and has even tried to give me food before. As I walk Pao Pao people call her name and wave to me. The ladies down at the breakfast place on the corner know us all, and have even been know to give me a massage or smack on the ass as I dunkenly inhale dem bing (later) at 5am! And I would like to package Alli from the coffee shop up and take him home with me...I LOVE him!!! I could go on and introduce you to the man in the wheelchair that runs the store downstairs, and our local tea guy and so on, but my point is I like the people in my neighborhood- the people that I meet, as I am walking down the street, the people that I meet each day!
8. Driving - yes, I know that it is also on of the worst aspects of living in Taiwan, but it is also one of the best. I drive a scooter because I can't brink Pao Pao on a motorbike. But even scooter driving is SO MUCH FUN!! When you are not angry, it is like a video game. There are no real enforced rules, so you can zip in and out of traffic, honking all the while to let people know that you are there, pausing at the red lights to see if someone is coming, and off again. My mp3 player playing some nice relaxing tunes piped into my helmut -good times!!
9. Porn Motels - They have these 'love motels' that you can rent by the 4 hour chunk. Drive through reception and underground parking - ideal for the married man out for some fun without his wife...but they are so fuckin sweet. I took the boy before I went home to Canada and once for break up sex. You go up the stairs, expecting plastic sheets and flourescent lighting- instead you see the classiest looking room ever- soft springy bed, nice muted colours, seriously classy rooms. Big screen TV, and then the bathroom - big hot tub with disco lights and of course a built in TV. On this TV is some sweet porn! I am not a big porn chick, but I definitely can appreciate some good porn, and some good porn with a sweetie can make for a pretty good night. Now good porn in a hot tub of a classy motel room makes for a GREAT night!!
10. Night life - Any night of the week, if you are looking for a party, you can find a party! There are always a group of ex-pats numbing their issues somewhere. And it is not just sitting around drowning sorrows, it is full on partying until 5,6,7,8 in the morning. Several of the clubs you can order E at the bar. After a hard night a drinking you can either go get 24 hour teppenyaki, or hit one of the breakfast places that open up about 3. MMMM dem bing - an egg and cheese rolled up in a rice tortilla mmmm!
ok, I could go on, but 10 is such a nice round number!!
posted by Ang @ 7:30 p.m.
6 comments
6 Comments:
At 3:30 p.m.,
Anonymous said…
GREAT list. mmmm....bing chi ling...
At 6:05 p.m.,
Ang said…
can you think of anymore to add??
At 6:52 a.m.,
Anonymous said…
I was looking at recent posts and came across this. It's pretty interesting. I live in Arakansas, but have been thinking about teaching English in Japan, but Taiwan is looking better.
Aren't you in Asia? Or do you mean that the rest of Asia is at your doorstep? or, Asia is your home? Is Taiwan not a part of Asia?
Wouldn't a trip through India followed by a loop through Cambodia and Laos be difficult? Is traveling that cheap there?
After reading your diary I think that moving to Taiwan would be fun, and there aren't enough women who admit to loving porn, masturbation and cheap hotels at home. Keep up the good work. --- just passing through
At 10:32 a.m.,
Ang said…
HILARIOUS!!!
Yeah, I did mean that the rest of Asia is at more doorstep. Travel can be pretty cheap. Flights to Thailand get especially cheap. As for the rest the bulk of it is your flight and then travelling around is cheap like borsht!
The India trip and the Cambodia Laos trip will be seperate!
I have had friends that did both Taiwan and Japan. Pretty even split to which they thought was better, but all acknowledged it is a very different experience. Money wise- definitely make more in Japan but cost of living is insane and end of the day it pretty much evens out...Good Luck with whatever you decide!
At 12:46 p.m.,
Steph said…
Never wanted to go to Taiwan, but now i do. It sounds hella cool.
At 1:16 p.m.,
Ang said…
Steph- Maybe not so much cool, as really interesting with some really cool things to do and eat! It is definitely a very different culture than I have ever experienced..but if you ever want to come I would show you the top 10 personally!!!
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