Tuesday, June 10, 2008

More Teasing, But This Time From Taiwan

I am a terrible blogger, so busy having adventures that I'm not writing about them! I'm dreadfully behind, I know. But this time, I'm so full to the brim with the most amazing experiences, I will explode if I don't share them!

So...with a solemn promise of many, many words to come, here are a few photos from my current visit to Tainan, Taiwan. As usual, click on the image for a large version.

Fresh tropical fruit juices are made and sold at the open air fish market, just off the beach. The fruit that contains the seeds you see in the jugs has a Chinese name which means "fruit with the good-tasting aroma" -- and honestly, celestial ambrosia couldn't be better than this exquisitely perfumed drink!

When you walk down the alley of this little village outside of Tainan, you see racing pigeon coops, mango trees, shanties and sheds and motor scooters. Then, you come around the corner, and voila, there's the neighborhood Taoist temple. I've never seen anything quite so ornate.

My hosts insisted I try the little spiral-shelled crustaceans piled into plates at the same fish market, cooked with various degrees of spiciness. You pick up the shell, put it to your lips and suck twice, hard, with noise, to slurp out the little creature inside (yes, I ate it, and yes it was good -- but I chose the spiciest plate, so the hot chiles would help if I didn't like the creature's taste!)

More soon, I promise...

(And for those of you following news of Cyclone Nargis and the Myanmar victims, Fearless Husband's ship is finally leaving the area, after almost a month of waiting just offshore with water, food and other supplies. It's a shame that they have not been able to help, and the Sailors and Marines are disappointed not to have been of service. But the silver lining is that they are headed home!)

5 comments:

Mary Witzl said...

Now I'm wondering what that juice is. Before you leave, see if you can find out the kanji for it and put me out of my misery!

In the bottom photo, the plate on the right hand side is labeled 'sacha' (that would be the reading in Japanese, I think), which means 'sand tea.' I'm going to be intrigued by that now too -- I've never heard of sand tea. If you get a chance, see if you can get some High Mountain tea there. Taiwanese tea is fantastic, and that high mountain stuff is wonderfully aromatic. The tea leaves expand into huge, wakame-like leaves and the brew itself is delicious.

I envy you!

Anonymous said...

Hello, friend. Good to see you blogging again. I did receive your e-mail, but am on travel, and did not wish to advertise. I was hoping we could talk by phone next week? I miss you and want to catch up.

Glennis said...

Hi there!

I was just looking over my old blog posts and discovered your comment of June 3 on my post My family's disease

thank you for commenting!! I will check out your blog!

You worked for the BAC? Cool!! I worked for them during their second season, I think maybe it was 1976 or 1977.

Bernita said...

That temple is fascinating.
Thank you for your nice comments at the roast!

Mary Witzl said...

Hi again, Carolie! I'm looking forward to that next posting...