Nan Tou

Day 30
Woke up at 4am before my alarm to make sure I don't miss my bus ride.  I only had about 2 hours of rest.  I think laying down regardless if I sleep or not helps a bit.  I decided I needed a morning shower from the night and then made myself 2 cups of tea for breakfast.  I made it for the 5:45am bus load.  Maybe it was the lack of sleep or other things, but my 3rd chakra felt fried.  


My 3rd aunty and her husband organized this family trip along with his friends.  Shue Jian Bao was offered along with water, tea and coffee for breakfast.  The bus rolled off at 6:30am.  

The bus  was loaded with 14 speakers in the luggage compartment above the seats and microphones were handed out along with song selection album for karaoke.  It was only 7am.  This is all very new to me and part of my Taiwan experience.  Well, it took getting used to, to hear people karaoking at 7am in the morning and then non stop as long as the wheels rolled.  Glad I brought my ear plugs.  After 30 minutes of off tune, off beat singers, the pros stepped in to save my sanity and they were amazing.  I get the excuse of being a foreigner and don't know any Chinese songs.  

My cousin Chuan Feng sat next to me.  We talked and talked about everything.  We pretty much caught up with our entire life on this bus ride.  He was in a car accident a year ago and broke his collar bone.  Now every time it rains his bones hurt.  I have heard of this and others have reported the same thing.  

We got on a boat to check out Mangroves. It was raining so they gave us straw hats and rain coat to wear.  I saw lots of egrets, crabs, the mangroves are mostly poisonous.  The crabs are poisonous so no one goes crabbing here.  


I enjoyed it that much more because it was raining and the sun was out the same time.  It was quite an experience.  The air felt fresh and it wasn't hot and stinky either.  Plus the rain drops make beautiful crystals on the greens and webs.  

There were fishes in the water that was flying up and then diving back into the water.  

These are oyster colonies.  

This is the museum with this type of crab that is poisonous with an extra large pincher for fighting.  

What sail boats used to look like.

We then went to an old town to snacks and shopping.  There was a DIY pottery shop with a ceramic teacher shop owner guiding your project.

These pottery are used for curing fruits like plums and olives for preserves.  I like Taiwanese fruit preserves.  There is a distinct flavor to to them and the texture, totally delicious.  I tend to go for tender, chewy, sweet ones over the savory hard or crunchy ones. 

I like these black prunes in moxa herb, chewy and sweet.



These are crunchy olives.

I like this type of prunes with seeds, they are sweet and chewy.

This type of pastry is originated from this area.  It is hard and crunch with hallow inside.

We checked into a hotel and I got my own room.  Hotel name is ShinDA a.k.a Taiwanese Scenic Park Business Hotel.  I love Japanese toilets with seat warmers.  I didn't bother with the water squirting function, that require more getting used to.  

Dinner was my own personal set of hot pot.  Oh it was delicious and more than I can eat.  Check out all the goodies.  I didn't have room for dessert or appetizers.  

After dinner was, tea, and more Karaoke.  What else, after a day of Karaoke since 7am, more karaoke! Oh yes and more food.  I did not have any more room for the cake and noodles and snacks.


My aunty who is a beautiful singer, singing her signature cover to a Taiwanese song, "Black Rose"

My 2nd uncle and his wife who are amazing singers, in tune, on beat, and stylized.  I am surrounded by professional singers, I must continue to think of reasons why I can't sing.  

So after Karaoke, and yes, more midnight tea in the room with my 2nd uncle and his wife.  I was lured by awesome organic tea of his private stash personally especially brewed for me.  We chatted over tea, meditation, my trip to India, China etc...