I started my day with Shark Bites Toast…and it was everything we thought it would be! I got french toast with bananas and chocolate ice cream! Yes, ice cream for breakfast. And yes, it is as good as it sounds. And I could even point to the menu and tell the waiter, “I want this!” Thanks Fluenz!! Another person in our group even asked me how to say it…it was a very exciting moment. (Ah, the small things of expat life). Then, we went to the bus station and bought a round trip ticket to Taipei for $6. Public transportation here is pretty great.
The ride to Taipei is fairly short, about an hour, and we wandered around for a while. We went to a restaurant and I ate veggie rice, veggie dumplings and fried tofu. It was delicious! But, one weird thing that Taiwan does so far….feat aka fake meat. They put fake meat pieces in a lot of vegetarian things…its super weird and not that appetizing but I eat around it…and it doesnt really taste like meat at all…pretty much tastes like nothing but the concept weirds me out (being vegetarian abroad makes me realize how easy America makes it).
Anyway, we drank tea and ate a big meal together and then we went to get ice at Ice Monster. Ice is the greatest thing ever. It is shaved ice but with condensed milk added during the freezing process so it gets this really cool texture. We got ice with kiwi, strawberry and mango and mango ice cream on top! It was so so so good.
• Traveler Tip! • Another thing I learned today: I was warned not to eat any fruit or veggie that I could not peel. But, that’s not really a steadfast rule. It’s more just because we are foreign and our stomachs are not used to it yet. So, little by little we can introduce it, until finally we can eat like a local! So, I ate strawberry today and feel perfectly fine (thank goodness).
Then we went to see Taipei 101. It is formerly the world’s tallest building (now in Dubai) and it is one of the most beautifully constructed buildings Ive ever seen. These pictures do not do it any justice. It has 101 above ground floors and is just absolutely huge compared to any other surrounding structure. Pretty cool to see up close.
This is a picture of our group! The 7 of us live in Luodong and have been doing a lot together. From left to right there is, Kenya, Barrington, Emi, me, Kerry (roommate number 1!), Sherry, and Lakyn (roommate number 2!). Albert also lives in Luodong but he was visiting family today.
And here is my roommates and me!! (:
It was a really fun day today exploring a new part of Taiwan and tomorrow we start touring schools!!! (:
P.S.–> saw this today: cant explain it. Have no idea why it exists. But have to share. Mannequin body in a fountain with water running down it…with a giant duck head. In the middle of the Taipei train station…
In other exciting news, I got a Taipei MRT (subway) fast pass…on my way to being a local!
