HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

November 27,2008
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY AMERICAN FRIENDS!!!! Unfortunately, I am not celebrating Thanksgiving this year because of course Taiwan does not have such a holiday. So please eat enough Turkey and Stuffing for me which is my favorite food on Thanksgiving Day!!!!!!
Yesterday I was in the Kenting Elementary School Marathon. No I did not run but walked and finished!!! No I did not run but walked and finished!!! It was a 4 km which in miles is 6.44 miles. However, I really think it was actually closer to 3km which is 4.83 miles. My time was 48 minutes, not bad for the oldest one in the race! Plus I finished before a numerous of students.

Biking and Ocean Seminar

11/16/2008 Sunday afternoon here and it is cloudy and 82 degrees. Saturday I spent the day and evening with 41 Taiwanese Teachers in an Ocean Seminar. The places I experienced were to go to a coral area to see sea creatures, where I saw black star fish,which are only found in the Kenting area, sea cucumbers, and a variety of other sea life that they identified only in Chinese. Lunch was Gushan and the view was spectacular, next was off to learning how to kayak which I did attempt! After kayaking they took us to Elunbia which is the most southern tip of Taiwan where the lighthouse is located and still in operation. Dinner was at a Thai restaurant and then shopping at the night market which is well known here Kenting.
On Wednesday I accomplished the 27 mile bike ride of the southern Taiwan peninsula. I even found the Chikung waterfalls that you had to climb up the gorge to get to the water falls. The only problem I had was the next day I knew I had biked a long way with sore leg muscles and hands!

Ocean Seminar Pictures



Pink line the route I biked on Wednesday
A few pictures from the bike trip

First Cool Day in Taiwan!!!

November 11,2008 Oh my goodness you would have thought that it was 40 degrees fahrenheit here today in Kenting! It was around 73 degrees fahrenheit today and very comfortable! In fact it is the first day that I did not sweat and I have been here for 88 days! People had on winter sweaters, heavy jackets, layers of clothes and I even saw kids with winter jackets you wear when it is below 32 degrees fahrenheit! Sorry no pictures this time! My plan for this past weekend was to bike the southern loop of Taiwan which is 25 miles, startiang from Kenting , up the East Coast of Taiwan over the Southern part, to the West Coast of Taiwan and then back down to Kenting. Unfortunately in rained the entire weekend so I was stuck in my dorm room and did not take any pictures! Bummer!!!!

Sun Moon Lake

11/3/2008 Spent the weekend at Sun Moon Lake, which is in the North Central part of Taiwan. It was very peaceful and beautiful! It is hard to believe that it is November because today in Kenting the heat index was 99F, and I am still wearing summer clothes. Also I found out the snake that slithered in front of me last week was very poisonous! For those who do not have luck in keeping Poinsetta alive at Christmas I have attached a picture of one in full bloom and it just happens to be a tree not a small plant!