Guided Walking Tour of Tainan
Temple Entrance
Wishing Tree
What did three Americans, 1 Mexican, a Filipina and a passel of Taiwanese folks have in common on a Saturday afternoon? A guided tour of Tainan!
It rained through the majority of the tour, but only in irritating spitting fits and starts, so we mostly ignored it. Our guide was so excited about the history and art of Tainan that we couldn’t even get her to bother with an umbrella or raincoat. Someone would offer her one and she would start to reach for it, but then get excited about some tree or ribbon or God-knows-what and wander off to talk about it.
Although we made fun of her at times, her enthusiasm was truly contagious, because she made the history come alive. I could practically see the faces hear the conversations and feel the energy of the Tainan of old as we strolled amiably through grand temples and tiny alleys. It was overwhelming in its intensity, though, so I listened intently to her stories for 5-10 minutes at a time, and when my brain felt full I would start talking to one of the other tour-goers about life, the universe and the squiggly little lines on the window-shade which apparently point to Arabic influence on the city.
It rained through the majority of the tour, but only in irritating spitting fits and starts, so we mostly ignored it. Our guide was so excited about the history and art of Tainan that we couldn’t even get her to bother with an umbrella or raincoat. Someone would offer her one and she would start to reach for it, but then get excited about some tree or ribbon or God-knows-what and wander off to talk about it.
Although we made fun of her at times, her enthusiasm was truly contagious, because she made the history come alive. I could practically see the faces hear the conversations and feel the energy of the Tainan of old as we strolled amiably through grand temples and tiny alleys. It was overwhelming in its intensity, though, so I listened intently to her stories for 5-10 minutes at a time, and when my brain felt full I would start talking to one of the other tour-goers about life, the universe and the squiggly little lines on the window-shade which apparently point to Arabic influence on the city.
Arabic-Inspired Window Designs
 |  Flower Name Game (finished product) |
Our fearless leaders shared traditional tea and treats, and engaged us in a great team activity at one of the temples. First they divided us into two teams of ten people each. They handed each of us a tiny flower. First we traded flower stems within our team and learned the names of our team members. Afterward, the two teams competed to connect the flowers of all ten team members into a ring, which is much harder than it looks!
The whole tour was a huge social win. I met a bunch of cool new people and had great fun. I even dragged my shy new Filipina friend to dinner with some of my other friends, and enjoyed that as well.
As we were finishing up our dinner, another friend called and invited us to learn Hula dance. I love my friends!!!
The whole tour was a huge social win. I met a bunch of cool new people and had great fun. I even dragged my shy new Filipina friend to dinner with some of my other friends, and enjoyed that as well.
As we were finishing up our dinner, another friend called and invited us to learn Hula dance. I love my friends!!!
Hula Dance and the Hookey-Lau
Naturally, I join in for the Hula dance class. It is gorgeously fantastically tear-inducingly magical. I immediately recognize this as a peak moment in my life. If I hadn’t been dancing, the realization would have paralyzed me with its intensity. I had no choice but to keep going, though, so I choke back the joyful tears and focuse on being present in the moment:
An invitingly warm breeze whispers in through the window and I shiver in awe, stunned by my good fortune. Here I am, living in Taiwan, randomly invited by a friend to learn traditional Hula dance from a Hawaiian who is studying here. I am joined by my friends from Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan, along with several other Americans. I know some of these individuals well, and some are new friends.
Our teacher breaks off her demonstration to launch into a mini history lesson that explains the cultural tidbits that underlie the movements of the hula dance we are learning. Listening to her share about her upbringing, the dance and the village life that inspired it, is again magical and humbling. The world is so big, so unique, so beautiful. Thank you, Universe. Thank you.
An invitingly warm breeze whispers in through the window and I shiver in awe, stunned by my good fortune. Here I am, living in Taiwan, randomly invited by a friend to learn traditional Hula dance from a Hawaiian who is studying here. I am joined by my friends from Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan, along with several other Americans. I know some of these individuals well, and some are new friends.
Our teacher breaks off her demonstration to launch into a mini history lesson that explains the cultural tidbits that underlie the movements of the hula dance we are learning. Listening to her share about her upbringing, the dance and the village life that inspired it, is again magical and humbling. The world is so big, so unique, so beautiful. Thank you, Universe. Thank you.
Rain Rain Go Away... (or: Travel Hacking Saves the Day)
Kaohsiung International Airport
According to several medical specialists, my super power is that I’m insanely sensitive to changes in barometric pressure and light levels. Because of this, I get whiney, headachey, cranky, asthma-y, and generally miserable and sad in dark and rainy weather.
I have been able to put up with these feelings and changes in the past, though frankly they are a major part of why I have much of my adult life in the desert. Last year’s monsoon season in Okinawa landed me in the hospital, though, and this year’s monsoon in Taiwan wasn’t boding well either.
It rained almost all day every day for two weeks straight, and I was heartily sick of it. I was acting like a complete pill with my roommates, and I hated myself for it. One day, I checked the weather forecast, looking for some projected relief, but my eyes bugged out and my jaw just about smacked the ground when I saw a ten-day forecast of straight-up rain, rain and more rain.
But then I realized: “there is something I can do about this.” So I did.
The following day, I hopped on a plane back to the desert, some 8,000 miles away. Yep, I ran away to Arizona.
I have been able to put up with these feelings and changes in the past, though frankly they are a major part of why I have much of my adult life in the desert. Last year’s monsoon season in Okinawa landed me in the hospital, though, and this year’s monsoon in Taiwan wasn’t boding well either.
It rained almost all day every day for two weeks straight, and I was heartily sick of it. I was acting like a complete pill with my roommates, and I hated myself for it. One day, I checked the weather forecast, looking for some projected relief, but my eyes bugged out and my jaw just about smacked the ground when I saw a ten-day forecast of straight-up rain, rain and more rain.
But then I realized: “there is something I can do about this.” So I did.
The following day, I hopped on a plane back to the desert, some 8,000 miles away. Yep, I ran away to Arizona.
Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounge Shower Room (one of six)
The shower room even has an amenities drawer!
The lay-flat business-class seats from Taiwan to the US were a hundred fifty bucks (and 50,000 American Airlines miles), and I have enough miles with another airline program to fly back to Taiwan when I have baked in the sun long enough, and after the oppressive dark and rain have lifted in Taiwan.
Instead of working my online job in the early morning local time, I will work in the late afternoon and evening local time. My clients don’t even know the difference, but I’ll be enjoying the desert heat and sun, breathing free and will stop sniping at my poor unsuspecting deserve-better-than-this roomies.
This sort of solution is exactly why I started travel hacking in the first place, and I am highly grateful for the opportunity. I even got to take my first-ever shower in an airport, thanks to the Hong Kong Cathay Pacific Business lounge, and play with a 15-month-old whose parents appreciated the short respite from child-care duties.
Here’s to Sun, Mexican Food, Friends and Opportunity.
Instead of working my online job in the early morning local time, I will work in the late afternoon and evening local time. My clients don’t even know the difference, but I’ll be enjoying the desert heat and sun, breathing free and will stop sniping at my poor unsuspecting deserve-better-than-this roomies.
This sort of solution is exactly why I started travel hacking in the first place, and I am highly grateful for the opportunity. I even got to take my first-ever shower in an airport, thanks to the Hong Kong Cathay Pacific Business lounge, and play with a 15-month-old whose parents appreciated the short respite from child-care duties.
Here’s to Sun, Mexican Food, Friends and Opportunity.
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