Mulloskeys Adventures Abroad

For the better part of six months Katie and I have been enjoying a view of Mullin and Jordan… from the back. We’ve managed to admire this view against a variety of scenic backdrops, always with them locked in intense conversation from the moment we meet up. No complaints from me, my company was great.

Jordan, thanks for providing Mullin with the scintillating boy-talk that he was missing.

Thanks for playing dress up with him… 

Throwing various balls with him…

Cuddling strangers with him…

Singing your heart out with him…

Flashing him and making fun of him when he’s sick…

Hanging out in gorges and climbing to places I was too chickenshit to go with him…

Not being freaked out by him crawling into bed with you and your wife.

Biggest thanks of all… thanks for lending me Katie.  She’s the best.

I’m not writing this to make sure you know how much he loves you. I’m pretty sure he explained it in detail every time we saw you guys.

Cheers to an epic bromance. 

More on McMullorkat fun to follow Thailand and Laos…

Doesn’t this just sum him all up?

We regret that this post is from so far back, but for reasons explained in the previous post you will just have to suck it up and deal with it.

During December we continued to have memorable times with our dear friends and Korean life-mates Jordan and Katie. We have decided to dedicate a full post to them and our 5 months together through summer, fall and winter after their final departure next month.

For this post, we will focus specifically on my mother’s visit and activities in and around Christmas in Korea.

And what is Christmas in Seoul without a visit to Meyong-dong? Crowded as ever, we found ourselves at home in this alley of mass consumerism, neon Santas, and broken English renditions of our favourite carols. More on Meyong-dong Christmas chaos here.

One of my mother’s best friends, Julie, also has a daughter teaching in Korea. This was the perfect chance for my mom, Julie and her other 2 daughters to make their way across the Pacific.

With only a 2 days off to show them around Seoul one must go with the obvious choices: Geyongbukgung Palance,  Insa-dong (ancient cobble stone alley of many treasures), temples galore, and, of course, Dr. Fish.

Our first stop was the palace. It was a beautiful brisk day and all were in good spirits. The guards with the taped on goatees (there’s no way that facial hair is real) once again serve to greet camera-happy foreigners.

Next stop, Jogyesa temple. I love this place because it is right in the downtown core, acting as a tiny sanctuary for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. Our timing was perfect… having arrived right in the middle of a ceremony. This gave my guests a truly cool Asian experience.  I felt like a great tour guide until they started asking questions I had know idea about; like ‘who is that big gold guy?’

Next stop, Dr. Fish (see previous outing with the Breech family here). This is where a special type of tiny fish eats the dead skin off your body. Due to an expose about questionable hygiene of these places, they have almost all shut down across Korea (now open everywhere in Thailand). We have only had pleasant experiences in the past and I chose not to share potential concerns with my guests. Shock of all shocks, my mother loved it!!!  I was so impressed. She didn’t take her feet out for a second. Julie’s daughters on the other hand lost major street cred for their lackluster efforts and loud shrieks that head everyone in the place staring at us.

As I explained to our guests, Christmas traditions in Korea are much different than those at home. For one, it’s not even a day off for most Koreans. Second, it is considered a ‘couples’ or friends’ holiday’, not a family one. Last and most important, there is less focus on gift exchange as cake eating remains the activity of choice. It seems everyone goes out and buys a cake. Every store, bakery, variety store and telecom store is selling cakes. The competition is so high that random mascots are hired to lure in the sweet-tooths (teeth?).

I consider myself above that kind of photo op.  Unless we are at the grocery store and there is a live Power Ranger show. Then all bets are off. Merry Christmas to me!

Christmas Day. What a great treat to have family and friends from home to make us feel less far away. We had our traditional make shift brunch and Love Actually/Star Wars marathon. Exchanging gifts is a new thing for Erin and I. We agreed to keep the budget low and make it just for fun. Apparently, I was the only one who listened. (She protests to this day that she kept to the under $30 budget). Keep in mind that in 4 months Erin and I were only apart for about 3 hours (terrible for some, my idea of bliss). How much can I get in that time? Well how about real Diet Coke (only available in 1 foreign market in Seoul), a blue hat and some hideous pink velour gloves (I think I was drunk when I bought them). The piece de resistance: a handmade necklace from Insa-dong that turned out to be the SAME one I bought her 2 years earlier – all wrapped in tin foil. Our guests were howling at my expense. Notice both necklaces here.

No problem right? Turns out Erin had ordered my gifts back in August. Of course they were the most thoughtful gifts ever (definitely over budget) and quite effective at making look like a complete douche in front of my mom, Julie’s family, and Jorkat. First is the Phish sweater that I have yet to take off.

If you have read this blog or know me at all, you will recall my obsession with trains. When I was an elementary school student I spent every recess watching trains go buy, losing friends by boring them with each countless minute detail I recited about each train. Twice a week, from grade 1 to grade 8, our class would go to the library for reading time. There we would sign out a book and sit for half an hour or so. There was only one book I would ever get. It was an old book (c. 1937 it turns out) with charcoal illustrations about an engine that runs away and the townspeople go to find it and bring it back. When I graduated high school, I went to visit my former elementary school and some of my teachers. While there, I found my way to the library. I managed to find the old book way in the back. The sign out card on the inside cover still had my name from top to bottom. Though I mentioned it only a handful of times during the last 7 years, and with vague details, Erin found the book. She had me open my most treasured long-lost childhood relic in front of everyone – gee thanks.  I maintain that the emotional outburst that followed was due to an excessive amount of champagne and OJ.

Thank you Erin. I cannot believe did that for me. I hope you enjoyed your diet coke, blue hat and a second copy of the same necklace.

I would like to finish this post on a light note. So here is a van picking up students at our apartment building to the ‘Popcorn Art Institute’. The door opened to load the youngsters… Popcorn was suddenly not how we read it.

Our deepest apologies to our loyal readers for our unfortunate hiatus of the last 3 months. It has been a rough and tumble roller coaster as we tried to sort out our lives.

From October – November, we were working hard to find a job in New Zealand while I began taking some online courses. A fresh look the overall expenses left us with the heartbreaking choice to postpone our dream for a few years, and return to Canada in Sept 2010 for teacher’s college.

Now that we were staying in Korea, we had to find another job. My mother was visiting at the end of December and together we traveled Thailand (post to follow). Adding to that, packing up to move out was yet another task on our list that kept us from this blog. Saying goodbye to our students added to the list…

We arrived back in February to a new job that was the epitome of a hell hole.  We had no choice but to leave it. Since then we have been contacting countless schools and recruiters. It was in the 2nd week of February that we finally found our next job. During the last few weeks we have been splitting between the couches and single beds of our kind, generous, and hospitable friends Jordan, Katie and Rob and Caitlin.

So we have been homeless for several weeks now. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and some of the best posts yet to follow. Thanks for your patience and continued support of our travels.

Cartoon characters abound in Korea. Be it at the hospital, subway station or simply riding the elevator, one can always find an eye-pleasing character advising or warning of what to do or not to do. Some are outright ridiculous like these from the hospital.

Also a fave are the totally absurd or confusing cartoon characters… take this set of burgeoning lovers… will it work out? Only time and habitat will tell..

It is yet another of the million charming aspects of life in Korean culture. So it makes sense that happy little characters adorn the signage of restaurants, bars and establishments of all sorts. Recently, Erin and I were exploring a nearby neighborhood neglected by our travels the last time around. With risk, comes great reward; the reward of newly discovered restaurants and shops to visit in the near future. Erin came up with the idea of documenting a set of characters for our blog. This area (no more than 4 square blocks) had an assortment of seafood restaurants, many specializing in octopus – a Korean delicacy. We made documenting as many different kinds as we could the focus of the next hour. My favourite is the “graduate/academic” octopus. Clearly the scholar’s choice.

As previously described in past blog postings, Korean food is advertised uncooked. At home, we are used to seeing ads for the Keg steak house with a cooked steak in the photograph. In Korea, it’s all about the raw ingredients, most likely because the cooking is done yourself. I like it that way. Here is the posted menu for one of these restaurants:

Now when it comes to the “cartoon character” form of advertising I confess myself somewhat immune. These characters and their attempts to solicit my business have no effect beyond that of evoking a light chuckle and enhanced love of this country. There are, however, exceptions to every rule. There is one happy character that never fails to draw me into a new establishment. Long may it be that way.

What an amazing day!!!  But it didn’t start that way….

We woke up to no water in the building and no explanation. No showers, no brushing teeth and no flushing the mess they guy in 206 left in the toilet. It was not looking good.  There was a bit of relief as the latest Typhoon reports showed we wouldn’t be hit directly. However, we should expect rain and severe whether in the afternoon and through the next day.  We didn’t care. Our plans for a full day hike would not be deterred.

Earthquake! When we emerged into the lobby of the hostel, all the guests were talking about the mild earthquake that woke them up during the night. “My bed was shaking across the room” one said. Damn it! Not only was I going to miss a typhoon but I had slept through my only earthquake. Alas, despite my all my hopes and desires, it seemed we would return home safely in 2 days.

We treated ourselves to a Starbucks breakfast. Once again Erin successfully procured our tickets for the train out of town. Best travel companion ever. The local train took about an hour to get to our stop. We were the only ones to get off. There was barely a platform to walk down, and one sleeping ticket agent to greet us. It was starting to rain. We were totally alone in this utterly remote station.

The only directional guide to the trailhead was from 2 lines in the lonely planet: “Cross the tracks at the fork. Follow the tracks on the right “trailhead in 2km”. We had no idea if we were headed the right way, but we didn’t care. The solitary, serene surroundings and our sense of adventure brought a state of euphoria over the entire group. We couldn’t have been happier.

We finally approached this sleeper town. It was like something out of a movie set. There was not a person to be seen. No sounds of cars, dogs, anything. It was like a ghost town except for 4 dumb, completely out of place backpackers. Finally! A sign pointing us up. Not to a trail but to some houses. After a few circles we finally found some stairs up someones back yard that looked promising. It was so eerie.

The first leg of our journey was incredible. Lush jungle, bamboo forests and giant ferns. Did I mention we were completely alone? We didn’t see a person until back on the train 5 hours later. As the rain intensified so did the sounds of water all around us, both from the falling on leaves and the countless tin streams rolling down the mountain sides. Katie had the genius idea to take one of the giant leaves and fashion an umbrella.

We finally reached our first waterfall. There was a viewing platform to take a few picks. After the next two you can understand why we deleted many of this (the first) one.

As I leaned closer to focus the camera I almost stuck my face into a web of the biggest spider I have ever seen (shiver). Can you see it in the foreground of this photo?

By now we were feeling very hardcore and quite proud of ourselves. Then the trail crossed a river. Nothing to do but take off our boots and get our feet wet. Awesome!

We barely put our shoes back on before we reached a bigger, deeper river crossing.  There had been a bridge there recently but it had been washed out from heavy rain. An ominous sign. We were feeling too good to turn back now. We just had to hope the water level didn’t rise too much when we crossed back in a few hours.

The further we climbed the more beautiful and intense the jungle got. The rain continued to intensify and and with it the flow of water down the mountain. There were tiny waterfalls and streams all around us. Often the path itself was the stream. I know I say this often but it was one of the most naturally beautiful settings I have even seen. It was amazing.  I’m so glad I got to share it with Jordan and Katie and her awesome leaf umbrella

Erin didn’t fall the whole time. Despite the slippery wet mossy rocks, shaky stones on ever more river crossings, she made it.

We had been hiking for 2 hours now (the distance marker at the trailhead really underestimated the distance to the waterfall) almost entirely in water while on our rocky trail. A combination of the canopy and rainclouds began making it more and more dark. By now we were soaked; Katie’s umbrella a mere fashion statement. Just when morale felt like it may be slipping (not really), we heard it. With renewed vigor, the four of us silent and in awe, arrived at the highlight of our trip. Like something out of the “Last of the Mohicans”, our reward revealed itself to us with astonishing power and beauty. All photos are large size because they should be.

Could it get any better? Indeed loyal reader, it did. A low cave allowed us to get right behind the waterfall (see, it really was like LOTM). Jordan and I ventured there first. It was the perfect place to take a set of new profile pictures. Spot Jordan in the cave to get a true appreciation of the scale.

The girls joined us.

Also, the rocks had marine fossils embedded in them. These walls were once under the ocean. Cool.

Could it get even better?  The girls headed back down first. They were barely in earshot when Jordan and I discovered a rope along the far side leading to perhaps the continuation of the trail. It was easy to see why not many went further. We did. Up the rope to a landing, we found a seriously intimidating ladder. Strait up, slippery wet wood no safety net. What choice did we have?

At the top, the trail flattened. 50 metres later we were at the top of the waterfall. My fear of heights was suddenly gone as we leaned over the edge and shouted down to the girls to observe how impressive we were.

They couldn’t see us but the shouting made them think the worst. Soemone was hurt or dead. In the meantime, we followed the water back an discoved a 3rd, equally impressive waterfall. What a spectacle. What a day. I am so grateful to Jordan for making me climb that ladder. And to both Jorkat halves for the most magical moments of an amazing trip.

When we returned to the formerly worried, newly pissed ladies, Jordan and I still wanted to go swimming. It was getting darker and we were wet and cold. The proposal did not go over well at first but we knew it had to be done. And so we swam in paradise. Seeing our half naked perfectly sculpted bodies eased the tension and the ladies forgave us.

We safely navigated the trail and river crossings back to the sleeper town and were all riding a natural high that can only be compared to , well, it can’t be. We triumphantly walked along the tracks like we were in “Stand By Me” recounting what we had just experienced for fear of losing a single micro-bit of it.

Walked back to the station and woke the guard to sell us a ticket. It’s amazing what you can get done when you don’t speak a lick of Chinese and they don’t speak a word of English. We managed to determine that the train was coming in 20 minutes. Erin took some of these shots from around the station. P.S… T he train ride was an hour with no seats. Our legs were like jell-o.

Like cold, wet animals we emerged from the station. We could see the storm worsening. Winds of the distant typhoon gusted wildly as dark clouds continued to impose themselves on the city. You can see the base of Taipei 101 in the distance.

Much to our relief, the hostel had water running when we returned. It was one of those sweet long showers where you just stop scrubbing after a while and jut let the water warm you body for what seems like an eternity.

One of the best aspects of a life-changing experience is that it takes the pressure off for the rest of the day. All we cared about was food, sitting and maybe a martini or two. We returned to our trusty food court and as expected Jordan plowed down two platefuls of noodles. We had some dumplings, soup and curry to supliment our own noodles. It was an emotional goodbye for Jordan, knowing those delectable delights would never again cross his palate.

After dinner we went looking for a bar. We hadn’t had a reason to find one in Taipei before so we were not at all expecting to NOT find any. There was respite from the rain as we found ourselves at the entrance to a park. This park, we knew from the previous night’s taxi ride, would take us to Taiwan’s “white house”.  Luckily there was a 7-11 store where we would grab some “road pops” for the park and the government building.

By this point it was too close to cab it to the other cool plaza we had seen the night before. We walked as the rain returned. The courtyard, which one enters through an impressive arched gate, was massive. We were alone again, due mostly to the weather, with the exception of some break dancing teenagers under the protective awning of one of the buidlings. The lights made for some nice photos.

And so we were spent. We had given up finding a bar but for one last hope – the high class hotel next door. This is not the place ragged backpackers hang out and we got some funny looks heading to the second floor lounge. Baseball playoffs were showing on the large screen behind our table. Jordan was on his way from the washroom, the TV on commercials, when we intentionally seated him into facing the opposite direction. We enjoyed about 4 minutes of nice Jordan time before he figured it out, switched seats and left the 3 of us to talk amongst ourselves.

A highlight here, Jordan and I teaching the bartender how to make a dirty martini. The whole esxperience has left me craving them ever since.  It is now my drink of choice – Thanks Jordan.

Bed time.

DAY 5

We had the morning to pull off one last item on our to do list before the airport.  The weather was nasty. Heavy side-ways rain. The typhoon had dissipated on the southern coast. Now we were getting waves of thunderstorms instead. Our last stop was an outdoor public hotspring on the edge of the city. In this rain it would be perfect! We got off the train and I felt I knew where we were going (obviously). Due to the rain and time constraints the group convinced me to take a cab. Despite perfect pronunciation, a map in hand, and the street sign overhead of the parked cab telling where to go, he had no idea. Nothing like directing a cab driver, in his own city, to go somewhere you have never been before, to fuel your own ego and self pride at navigation.

It continued to rain on and off for a nice outdoor tub experience. The place was very cool. You pay less than a dollar for a 1.5 hour session then they empty all the tubs, refill with hot spring water, and then the next group of patrons come. The water was rich in sulfer and minerals. We had to remove jewelry before hand. Not only were we the only foreigners there, we were the only ones under the age of 65. There were a couple of dudes there for what seemed like the last time. There is a strict no picture taking rule, so I only managed to get 2 shots on our way out.

Back on the train, back to the food court and an encore meal of the noodles.   At this point I don’t remember anything else we ate, perhaps there was nothing else. The bus from the station took us right to the airport. A scotch or two later the flight landed in Seoul and it was time to say goodbye. Group hug.

Thank you Jordan and Katie for being amazing travel buds, hilarious and fun-loving people with good advice about fantasy hockey.

We woke early to catch the first train back north. Our plan was to stop in a famous hot spring town, Jiaoshi, for our first taste of the naturally hot and mineral rich water bubbling under Taiwan. This topographical map gives you an idea of just how drastic the mountains are here. (More importantly, note the sign on the floor).

The volcanic activity below the surface makes for an abundance of hot springs, suiting this author just fine. The train ride was about an hour, more than enough time to enjoy the 7-eleven coffee and pastry from Huailen station. We took our first steps off the train and into Jiaoshi. This was defiintely a hot springs town – even the station had a public foot bath, though not currently open for some reason (left of the photo).

We had been hoping to find something rustic, like pools on the side of rivers, deep in the mountains and all the rest. They exist but most were too far from Taipei for us to reach on a 4 day trip. Jiaoshi wasn’t what we expected, it was full of hotels. It would seem that the spring water has been harnessed and pumped into the spas and buildings in town, who share the resource. Our only hope at a truly organic experience was a river park described in the Lonely Planet guide book. We stopped by the tourist information centre where they didn’t speak English (amazing), so were of little help. However, we were able to get some free internet access and check the hockey pool so it wasn’t a complete loss.

We found the park in the middle of town. It was modest but had a natural spring running through it and built a mini-boardwalk for people to sit and soak their feet. You could smell the minerals from the water throughout the park. (These pics aren’t ours… ‘borrowed’ to show you the scene…)

Up the riverbed, Erin led us to a semi indoor, public hot spring house, that was perfect. We had to get naked, and obviously separate to men’s and women’s sections, but this place was right on top of the hot spring. Best of all, the tub was a huge wood basin with the huge wood beams and walls had a really Japanese aesthetic. One could sit along the side, marvel at the architecture, while having cool raindrops drizzle atop one’s head. All the while having your skin enriched by healthy minerals and talking to Jordan about the hockey pool without boring the girls. Toss me a morning beer and that would be about as close to heaven I’m ever going to find. Unfortunately (or fortunately),  I couldn’t take photos inside the bath area so I scanned these from the brochure to give you an idea. Also here are some from the spring under and beside the bath house.

These next ones aren’t ours either but they give you the idea…

We got out feeling extremely relaxed, and dazed. It was merely 10am at this point and we could have slept for days. We headed back to the train station to book tickets to Taipei and potentially grab some food while we waited. I went to pay and realized every traveler’s worst possible fear. My money belt was gone. In it cards, money and most importantly our passports. There was only one place it could be – in an open locker back at the bath house – a cozy 4 kms away. I ran like the mother effin’ wind, let me tell you. I found it thank god! Thank you everyone for not freaking out.

In the meantime Jordan, Katie and Erin had realized there would be no time to eat so they grabbed an assortment of snack foods from one of the eight hundred 7-11 stores nearby (are you picking up a theme here?). In the confusion (slash not really confusion so much as him not trying very hard to help us), the ticket agent wasn’t able to get us seat sitting on the same train car. Erin insisted we just get on one together and move if and when people boarded and claimed the seats. I will admit that (surprising for many I’m sure), I am a bit of a prude at times, but only when it comes to my own pleasure. I wanted to relax (especially after my lost passport heart attack and 4 km run), have a nap and not worry at every 5 minute stop that I would have to switch seats. Jordan agreed with me, but only because minutes earlier he had come up with the idea of doing a “snack food draft” for the items in the bag. We drafted Doritos, roasted cashews and some jerky, for the record, and hurried off to Erin and I’s train car. I looked forward to proving my point to her, and it being a full train, that I had saved us from having to switch, and so on. Below is a picture of our train car. It stayed that way the whole way to Taipei. I ate my words, along with some zesty nacho chips.

Someone, I believe Katie, came up with the brilliant idea of eating at the Taipei train station food court. Don’t let the ‘food court’ word association fool you. This place was high class, high quality with incredible variety. In fact we’ve visited a few cities in Asia where the food courts in upscale malls are the place to find all the good nosh. It was drool city as we turned each corner of the vast, edible expanse. Inevitably, we all had to split up. Jorkat got some shwarma, Erin some noodle soup dish and I, by great luck, or intuition, found the noodle dish to end all noodle dishes. It was exactly what I had been craving for the last, say 3 months. One bite made Jordan put down his shawrma and go order some.  In fact, we came back once a day for the rest of the trip so Jordan could order it. If we were very hungry, he simply ordered 2. He’s a machine.

Back to the hotel and some showering up. Did we mention there was a TYPHOON coming? Everywhere we turned, screens, papers and people were talking about the typhoon heading our way. It was currently ravaging the Philipines and now seemed intent on making life difficult for us. Now I’m all about being part of a big storm, but the idea of being strandred and not being able to fly out was something we all wanted to avoid. I didn’t know what to cheer for. Here is what we were seeing (Taiwan is the big island at top of the circles):

Due to the impending danger, and poor visibility a typhoon would bring. We opted to visit the Taipei 101 building while there was still time and go to the top this time. On the way there we took some more pictures. This thing was high.

It wasn’t a clear day, but it certainly wasn’t getting any better, so we went upanyways. The base of the tower was a sprawling boutique mall, with high-end clothing stores galore (kinda like the Petronas Towers for all you Malaysia travellers). At the last minute Katie and Erin said they would rather have Haagendaas ice cream than to come to the top with us (the trip up was a little pricey… $13). So it was just Jordan and I. Awkward. The first part of the experience was the elevator – the word’s fastest. 1,010m in under a minute. There is a Guiness plaque to prove it:

Up above the visibility was poor, as expected. But I still enjoyed a good freak out from the height. It took a while to have the guts to stand right up to the window and look down (shiver).

Around the top two floors was some cool art and other interesting dispalys. It was, however, refreshingly educational – especially to a Discovery Channel junkie like me. For one, the design on the building, which I never would have figured out, is in the likeness of bamboo. Check it out:

Next, they have a brilliant counter balance system. Being prone to earthquakes and typhoons, a bulding of this size requires some pretty ingenious countermeasures. One such measure, is the counter balance taking up 5 of the top floors. Essentially it is a huge weight that is suspended by hydraulics. When the building leans one way, the huge heavy ball pulls it back the other way. Check out the video of the video and some pics.

After the 101 building we headed over to the university district for dinner. There was much about the alleys, markets and odd cafes that seemed familiar to how they do things in the coolest areas of Seoul. If I were Asian, university life here would seem pretty sweet – though I have no idea what an actual classroom is like. Our first stop was this super cool bistro-like place. Artsy, funky and with a sick menu. We just ordered some appetizers and cocktails. The setting was so cool and we reminisced about the awesome trip so far. We had such a great time there we only to took this one pic.

Next we wandered the market area. What’s the first thing we notice? Another 7-11. I would have complained if not for the wonderful selection of cheep walking beer they had available.

By this point we had seen our share of markets and thought nothing of cruising the streets in a non-committal manner.

The highlight of our night came when we discovered this quirky pizzeria. It wasn’t the delicious food or $3 Coronas that made it memorable, it was the menu itself. Whoever made the menu took liberties with the descriptions to target us as a customer base. We were in stitches:

After dinner and some more Coronas we hopped a cab back to our hotel. The great thing about taking cabs is you can discover places you didn’t even know about and make plans to go there later in the trip. We passed 2 such places, one a huge open square, wonderfully lit with giant palace like buildings. The other, as the driver pointed out, was the Taiwainese “White House”… more on those the next day.

Back at the hotel there was only one thing on 3 of our minds: massage! I decided to sit this one out and chat with the locals outside while the rest of us soaked it up – literally.

We resisted to lure of a triple cheeseburger and headed to bed knowing the next morning would hold the answer to the question on all our minds all day: will the typhoon hit us? We would know in only a few hours. Sweet dreams on the 26th floor.

(Warning – lots of pics and video)

The only place open for food at 6:00am was McDonalds and we sold our souls once more. From there, back to the train station. Before I forget to write about it later, there are some interesting anecdotes from inside. First is the clean air display that is kind of self explanatory; at the same time, not at all. There were holes in the plexiglass where you could suck in the ‘best air you can breathe’. Weird.

Also, as one travels you begin to recognize the universal use of certain symbols. For example toilet, elevator, hospital, airport, departures, exit etc. One that has yet to catch on, is the Taiwanese symbol for shopping centre/mall. Since there is a huge underground mall below the main station, there were signs a plenty from all around the station displaying what might soon be the universal symbol for shopping. Looks pretty exciting to me.

To our new readers, I am a huge train buff. Everything about the process is so exciting, as Jorkat now know at length. I like to get pictures with the train engines as the enter the station. Erin just missed it by milliseconds and my reaction is obvious.

Along the route we relaxed and took in the sites, including “turtle island” off the coast. See if you can make it out. The visibility was poor.

Quick sidebar here. Imagine how aweful having a ‘Stage 5′ digestive emergency feels… We’ve all been there. Now imagine that in a foreign country. Pretty bad. Now add to the horror you must use a squattie pottie for said emergency. One’s idea of hell right? Now add in a moving train for good measure. Oh, did I mention there’s nothing to hold onto? Have fun. Well, poor Erin did have some ‘fun’ on that train ride. (Note: this photo was taken to capture the pottie in the next car. The pottie in question was now closed.)

We arrived in the charming seaside town of Huailen. As usual, the first thing we saw was a seven eleven. God they were everywhere. But they had Slurpees!!!!!! (There are no Slurpees in Korea – that’s why we were thrilled). As expected we were hounded outside of the station to hire drivers or book in at nearby hotels. We “bee-lined” it straight to our hostel, but not before the last thing a taxi driver said to us resonated. “Did she say a typhoon was coming?” One of us said to the group. Awkward silence fell. The silence was broken by the roar of jet fighters overhead, landing at a nearby base. The boys reacted as expected – “Wicked!”

We proudly negotiated the a driver down from $2400 TWD to $1600 TWD ($55 CND) for the whole day to take us to Taiwan’s best attraction – Toroko Gorge. Basically a whole bunch of volancic stuff and ocean stuff, pressure, plates etc. Google it on your own. The product is soaring mountains and deep gorges all with marble stone walls. It was truly one of the most impressive natural wonders I had ever seen. Here is our arrival to the first (Shakadang) trail.

Check out the warning sign. Bears I can handle. Poisonous snakes – delicious! Falling rocks no problem here. Killer Bees????  Oh crap.

The land is protected as both a national park and reserved land for indigenous persons. We were virtually alone walking through a carved cliff wall along the most beautiful river I had ever seen. Beautiful marble stone; boulders the size of large buildings sat motionless amidst the neon blue rushing water. The blue was so bright. I wanted more than anything to touch it but there was no way down.

Further up the trail, our hopes were realized. A small souvenir table stood manned with two beautiful older indigenous women who welcomed us. We exchanged broken English comment on the beauty of the park and they invited us onto their land and down a path to the water. AMAZING!  I couldn’t wait to dip my head in it. I only wish we had our swim suits – but it wouldn’t have been appropriate or respectful to full swim in it.

Next stop – the Eternal Springs or Martyrs’ shrine. This is a shrine built to commemorate the 250 or so workers who died to build the cross country (cross/mountain) highway. The first impression, of the waterfall flowing through the structures, was Rivendell-esque. More modest, but no less impressive when seen up close.

The entrance to the trail offered us an unexpected set of large white Buddhas situated in a cave. They looked more like giant chess pieces. The floor was entirely marble. Pretty cool if it wasn’t in a cave and consistently wet. It was like walking on ice. Loyal readers will be shocked to learn Erin did not fall. There were some close calls.

It was a slippery and sketchy hike to the first landing. It’s tough to find the words here. So I will just throw out a bunch adjectives that come to mind but are grossly insufficient: amazing, awe inspiring, huge, majestic, humbling, beautiful, terrifying, wicked bad ass, et. al.

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I’ve added a page break here because I have writen the rest of this post 4 times over the past 2 weeks. It seems the “safe draft” button is now “delete”. Even the hours taken to add photos – gone – arrgghh! If the rest of this post is brief, or has undertones of frustration – please forgive me.

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From behind the first shrine emerged stairs carved into the walls of the massive cliff face. We ascended the cliff not knowing how far it went, not realizing until too late how high we got. I am not good with heights. Here we are over a thousand feet up a wall with a humble chains to keep us safe. The pics just don’t do it justice.

At several points one is required to crouch and walk. Katie captured my worst moment when the foliage returned to the flat part of the trail near the top. The ground was wet,  overhang was low, and the side… straight down.

Often I try to think about how places like this were built. How some poor dudes had to carry concrete and materials up this cliff each day to make these stairs and the shrine itself. The shrine was to honor those who had died buidling the highway through the gorge and mountains to the other coast. One could not help but think of the irony: how many died building this shrine to commemorate those who died building the road? We neared the top..

On top we were rewarded with a magnificent view and deep satisfaction for the pain and fear endured to get there. Our time at the shrine can be summed up in this 1st photo of Jordan and Katie:

I almost forgot about a little detour Jordan and I took on the way down. We took this side trail and explored, against the better judgement of our wives and our ever more sore legs. A small memorial to not sure who – we deemed him the namesake of the Gorge – “Joe Toroko”.  Be it exhaustion or being alone with an equally immature buddy, we had some fun. No disrespect to ”Joe” intended.

Getting down was just as hard as getting up. On the way down, near the end, Jordan did us the service of running ahead to our driver and then running back so he could take some pictures of us across the gorge. It gives you some perspective of the size of this place. You can make out Erin’s pink shirt in the first photo. Remember this is the BOTTOM of the cliff.

Back in the car, we snaked our way though winding mountain roads and tunnels. It was easy to appreciate what this place looked like during monsoon season. A raging torrent flowed down these banks 2 months a year. Our driver told us that several sections of road are simply washed away annually. That sucks. In fact, we were hoping to visit a popular hot spring but it had been closed due to a mudslide that killed some tourists. Eeep.

Last stop:  “Swallow Grotto” which for the benefit of our dear friends Mr and Mrs Gratto, is actually called “Swallow Gratto”. We all had a good chuckle. May we never be rid of utterly juvenile behaviour. This one is for you Cat.

The second thing we noticed, after the sign, was a suspended walking bridge over to the other side of the gorge. We (they) were disappointed to learn that it was closed to the public and for use of park staff only. Alas.

As we walked and admired the terrain, I kept thinking about the indigenous people who lived there. How could the ysurvive, let alone thrive, in such a harsh place? How did they gather food, water and supplies for shelter among such steep slopes? Some humans are just simply cool. With regards to the gorge, let’s let the pics and video do the talking.

Last but not least, we were directed to the rock wall of the river’s edge in the distance. Our driver pointed out that it looked like “an Indian Chief” I corrected him by saying first nations but he jsut stared at me blankly. See if you see it.

Here it is close up – look at the right side of the river bank

There is nothing like a cold beer  the end of a long day of exercising, unless that beer is in the car with you on the way home (our driver wasn’t participating of course). Being able to drink anywhere in Asia is a real plus, something I will miss when I head back to the strict licencing of Ontario.

Hotel. Shower.

After some R&R, we ventured out to main street to find some food. We stumbled on a Malay fusion place that had some English on their menus and a street front table. After placing our order we watched the cook’s dog run into the street chasing another dog almost gettting hit 10 times. We were panicking and trying to save it and get the cook’s attention. When he came out to see where is dog was he gave us a look, laughed to himself and went back inside. This was normal. The highlight of the meal was a kid of the owners of some business next door who kept chasing stray dogs away. He saw us and joined our table, but everytime Jordan tried to peak to him he ran away, came back, then ran away again. It was a great time killer for the hour we waited to get our food.

After dinner we hopped a cap to the seaside district. It’s fun not really knowing what to expect. A few paragraphs in the Lonely Planet travel guide often deliver misguided expectations. This was sort of the case. First, another carnival like atmosphere… markets, games, bars and music and dance. I beat Jordan again at basketball. I used my long arms to cheat. During the baseball throw he insisted on a full major league wind up. At least he won something this time – a Spongebob key chain. I enjoyed the archery.

There were more markets too. Fresh fruit, bbq squid, various mystery meat products abounded. It seems a bit out of place, but what should be in place? We were in Taiwan after all. Further down the makeshift alleys was a spectacel to behold. Not sure if it was traditional dance or just some B-level local scouts group strutting their stuff. I am going to err on the side of unique cultural experience.

It was beer o’clock – time to hit the beach and the pubs along side. We pictured a boardwalk, white sand and a scene out of Coney Island (Asian style). It was a concrete beach, literally. Between the beach and the only bar was a huge mound to protect from Typhoon storm surge. The bar was blasting loud annoying Chinese Karaoke music.  Our only refuge were some tiny food stands down the road where they had some cold bottles of brew for sale and plastic chairs and table. Perfect. The stray dogs were an added bonus. No one wanted to guess whethere this little guy at our feet was sleeping or dead.

The night was over – only one thing left to do… grab a triple cheeseburger nightcap. Not that I really wanted one – but Ive always wanted to have a beer with my happy meal. So, I did. Oh yeah, one more thing left to do – Massage! We learned a valuable lesson form the previous night. Easy on the feet. We found a back, neck shoulder massage with foot soak for $15. Since it was a little busy when we walked in they had to get some extra help from out back.

We sat down as one by one beautiful women entered and took up spots behind us for the massage. Not that I cared about what they looked like, just that they wouldn’t be strong enough to hurt me. Wouldn’t you know it, the last woman to enter, mine, was a bear. No, like a real bear. No neck. Not fat either. Just a for real bear. Like the wife of Rob Schneider’s character in “50 First Dates”.  “Gulp”.  It was torture. Especially when she used her elbows. They felt like knees. I am still sore weeks later.  I vowed – that would be my last massage of the trip. It was.

Is there any better feeling that strapping a huge pack on your back and hopping a bus to the airport? Not for these two travelers. Sharing the next 5 days with our friends Katie and Jordan (a.k.a. Jorkat) was much more than an added bonus. This experience would either solidify our friendship forever or leave it in tattered ruins. All four of us were secretly anxious.

Our first real laugh came at the expense of a drug smuggling warning sign.

Our arrival and bus ride from the airport was painless. Erin, the best travel partner ever, had booked us a hostel across the street from Taipei main station. The perfect launch pad for rail and subway travel out of and around the city.

The hostel was nothing special, until the owner offered us the VIP room since the place was empty. Like a tree fort 23 stories above downtown Taipei, this was truly one of the most unique places I’ve ever slept (though the whole I night I had nightmares about rolling out the window).

Our first stop was to the famous Taipei 101 building, formerly the tallest building in the world until Dubai decided to show off even more than the Taiwanese… still at over 1/2 a kilometre high, not too shabby.

It was raining slightly and as we approached so we decided to go to the top another day. Instead, we hit up the food court in the basement. A huge variety of cuisines were at our fingertips and we all went in different directions. I almost chocked on some squid as the membrane got logged in my esophagus. It didn’t stop me from finishing it through. Here are some of our dishes:

On the way out we noticed a really cool automated bike rental system. For you urban planners out there (ahem* ahem*), this is a really cool idea. Some sort of membership card tied to a credit card lets you unlock bikes from this depot and drop them of at other all around the city. Super cool.

Next stop, Longshan Temple. When we emerged from the underground we found ourselves in a park surrounded by old men playing some sort of checkers like game. It was a great place to relax with a beer following the temple visit.

The facade of the temple entrance had two striking features we hadn’t seen in other temples in other countries. First, the design features were much more ornate and colourful than that of Korea or China. Second, there was a digital message board displaying information such as the temple’s own website (which one could argue slightly dampened its old-world appeal… not to mention, I’m already here! Stop advertising.):

We timed our visit to arrive during prayer time. Another first for us, it was a multi-faith temple (as are many in Taiwan… mixtures of Buddhist, Taoist, and Taiwanese Tribal Spirituality), so worshippers of all faiths gather … a very inspiring community of neighbours. Here hundreds of visitors chanted, bowed, lit incense, lit candles and made offerings to the temple. It was euphoric. The four of us barely spoke. We were in reverent awe; knowingly on sacred ground and feeling blessed to be simply present.

Its hard to balance the desire to document and share this experience, while at the same time ensuring that our photo taking isn’t being received as voyeuristic or offensive to our hosts. No one seemed to mind, and we were sure to be as discrete as possible. It was amazing, the chanting hypnotic.

As for the offerings, they ranged from full chickens to crackers to cans of soda. I assume these are for the monks to consume. Happy are the monks who got their hands on the Ferrero Roche chocolates! (See if you can spot them on the table)

There was a beautiful waterfall and pond flanking the entrance as we walked out. I asked a woman to take a picture for us and she literally ran away from me.

The girls had better luck…

We went back to the park and had a beer and waited for the adjacent night market and famous “snake alley” to open up. While we waited we watched an interesting fountain/light display, and a poor old Chinese man get screamed at by what must have been his wife, for about 1.5hours straight! For sure this guy did something terrible to have experienced the wrath he did…

On a quick bathroom break Jordan and I were at side by side urinals when he told me not to move and look up. This is what I saw. Keep in mind were were several stories underground at the subway restrooms (shiver).

Next came our first taste of Taipei’s vibrant night market scene. Here an array of snacks, some discernible and many not, beckoned our hungry palates. We were not to be deterred. There was only one meal on our minds and we “bee-lined” it straight to snake alley.

There was, however, one brief stop Jordan and I couldn’t resist. I used my reach unfairly and crushed him while an amazing little girl watched on:

At last we found it. Though much tamer than in previous decades due to lack of patronage, “Snake Alley” still boasts some impressive, and delicious cobras. I had been craving some cobra meat since Indoneasia, and was confident that Jorkat would be willing to try some. These were the only snakes we could take pictures of. Also the mice they raised for their food.

What makes Snake alley unique is not the snake meat but the snake blood, bile, penis and poison. Formerly they killed the snake in front of you, but this practice has been abandoned in recent years. The blood, bile, penis and venom are added to alcohol and consumed for virility. One of the glasses was called “snake poison”. I trusted that it was safe but under Erin’s advice decided to not have it. That is why in the pics/video the glass with the white liquid is set aside. (In fact, she made me promise not to drink the venom… for obvious reasons). I quickly buckled under the pressure and drank it down when the nice Taiwanese lady told me to – as you can see in the video. I spent the next few hours hoping not to die.

Here is the process breakdown:

First glass – Cobra blood – drink 1/2 glass

Next Cobra bile – 1/2 glass, Cobra Poison 1/2 glass, Cobra Penis 1/2 glass,

Finally eat 2 mystery pills – chase with beer. Don’t puke. High five a friend.

Kudos to Jorkat for eagerly consuming some Cobra meat following my questionable display. I think they liked it. If I had told them it was seafood it might have made it a bit better. Despite the fact that I think the meat is truly delicious (a cross between chicken and monkfish), it’s hard not to think about where it comes from. Good for them for taking the leap.

Our nest stop was to check out one of Taipei’s thriving night markets. On our way from the metro stop was a cool looking bar – all a toilet theme. Each seat was a toilet and patrons were beckoned to enter by the “golden poo” in the window.

Shillin night market is considered the king amongst its peers. One thing that was so nice about Taipei was the lack of tourists/foreigners. Though we did see more in Shillin, for the most part we were the sole travelers wherever we went. The market was cool but less impressive than other markets we have seen across Asia. I guess because so much of what we use back home was “Made in Taiwan”, I expected more options. The homemade sausages and stinky tofu and green onion pancakes were great to snack on. So was this spicy wrap.

Out of nowhere all the stalls in the middle of the market were collapsing and scattering into hidden corners and alleys. We barely got our camera out in time. Within seconds, all that remained were pedestrians and 4 confused tourists. The police officer on motorcycle quickly provided the explanation.

Within seconds they returned. Erin’s commentary captures the events as they unfold.

After the market our “dogs were barking” (that one’s for Judy) so we did the only thing we could – massage! The massages were more expensive than in other parts of Asia but there were some perks worth the price. First was the foot soak in special salts. I could have settled for that alone, if my feet fit in the little bowl-tub. Next was the personal television screen and headphones attached to each seat. Watching baseball (Jordan) and Discovery Channel Travel & Living (myelf) did nothing to distract us from the spine piercing pain these masochists were unleashing on our poor bridges. OUCH! I found myself wondering how much I would pay to have them stop. Erin was in heaven. I don’t like my feet touched to begin with, let alone abused like this. I swore not to get another foot message so long as I lived. I think the girls had a better time. Here are some picks before it got out of hand.

Check out the selection. It’s nice to have so many options especially when one wishes to have them “on push the fat”

We stumbled back to the subway in agony. We emerged into the Taipei Main Station and walked across the street to our hotel. I couldn’t resist the temptation for a McNightcap. I hadn’t been to McDonalds in months and since I didn’t get a majority of ‘no’s’ from the group, the game was afoot. Those who know me well will testify to my weakness towards one double cheeseburger. Especially when made right – the cheese between the patties for that unmistakable manufactured taste. Imagine my delight when I saw the advertisement for a Triple Cheeseburger. Such things are the stuff of dreams.

And as for our pre-trip jitters… Jorkat are amazing co-travellers and an excellent daily source of all things fun. For a different perspective from our friends… please visit www.jorkat.com for more trip highlights.

It’s Korea’s version of thanksgiving. The focus is honouring one’s ancestors and visiting one’s hometown while throwing in a bunch of tradition and celebration of harvest time. It’s a time of traffic mayhem as over half the country, living in Seoul, travels south on 2 highways and 2 train lines to where the vast majority of elders/grandparents live in the south. Many of my students diaries report 8-10 hour drives for a distance of a mere 200km. Chaos.

Anyways, what this post is really about is the tradition of giving gifts to people. This is both family and to friends, bosses, bodyguards etc. The two weeks prior to this holiday weekend drive stores and markets into a frenzy of packaging and displays. It seems it’s not a Chuseok gift unless its in a clear gift box, and displayed aesthetically on what we would call Easter basket straw. I guess that’s similar to Christmas here. Who gives an Xmas gift in a shopping bag?

So why is this so interesting? It’s not the gifts of lavish oils, wild mushrooms, ginseng, traditional Korean wine or even shampoo/face cream that has caught our attention the last few years. It is the one predominant item that dominates every Chusok gift display. It is the most valuable of commodities, the perfect Chusogift for any recipient, the ’nothing-says-i-love-you-like’ gift that even the most culturally-sensitive foreigner cannot help but giggle to themselves about:

SPAM!