I woke up to do pilates and meditate this morning. It was nice to workout. I hope to be able to keep my meditation and recitation practice here. Just need to go to bed early, 12am is early in this house and getting up at 5am and then drinking lots of Kao Shan Cha all day long. I shall try to increase my sleep time to 11pm and then maybe 10pm. I am hoping with increase meditation it will shorten my sleep time to create more time out of the 24 hours in the day to use. I used to be able to do this, but only with good meditation sessions, but then that only comes with good day time activities on food and rest balance.
4th uncle in law brought me “o-ah-mien xien” and “shui jian bao”. I love the red thin noodles, I used to eat it for brunch and afternoon snack everyday when I lived in Taiwan.. And I like the pan friend buns like pot-stickers with a slightly thicker dough and crispy on both sides, crispy, chewy, soft, and fluffy all together, what a combination. Oh yes the vegetable fillings with Taiwanese spices are worth noting.
Went with 4th aunty to the local market stalls to get fruits because it's the 15th of lunar calendar the next day, I rode without a helmet on her scooter. It’s totally dangerous but I really like having the warm wind blow through my hair and it’s totally illegal to ride without a helmet unlike Thailand. I had a coconut juice from a fresh coconut but it wasn't sweet. Then I got t-shirts for 3 dollars each. I need shirts to change everyday here because it's hot. I only brought the one I wore on the plane and another set to wear the next day.
We went to “Yang Ming Shan” to go to “Er Chr Ping” to picnic and go on a walk. I realized how frail my mom was since she had trouble doing the short Taiwan trail hike. She kept talking about the old days in a way that is liken to someone who is dying. She must think she is on the verge of death or something.
After the lunch picnic everyone wanted to take a nap. It’s a national habit here to take a 15-30 minute nap after lunch. 
There were lots of people on this mountain today either strolling, on a picnic, serious hiking, or cycling. It’s quite a happening place. Lots of people wore non-sport friendly outfits and shoes like heels and did the trails anyways.
The Buddhist non-profit relief organization Tzu Chi was in full force action this weekend. They were every where. Every corner you turn there they were in their uniform with their donation boxes bowing to passerbys and greeting them to aid in the Sichuan earthquake and Burma water disaster. Although they were everywhere, they did not pester anyone or chase after anyone. They were polite and grateful regardless if you donated or not. I was impressed with the spirit they worked in and the grace and dignity they showed.
I was impressed with people's sincerity in giving. I see why Taiwan has blessings. People are kind and giving. I was impressed with Tzu Chi and very moved, I think such deeds pave their way to heaven.
Taiwan's response to Sichuan earthquake is really compelling. A man who sells fried stinky tofu vowed for every set of tofu he sells, he will donate 5 yuan. A class of students donated their graduation trip fund and cancelled their trip and so on. And the video coverage on TV is just.... graphic. Someone was pulled out alive after 9 days of being in the rubble covered unable to move. Glad the soldiers were able to move through the avalanche that blocked off the main highway to everything. Survivors said that it wasn't the quake that killed people, it was the after shocks. Boulders fell from the mountain and would knock out an entire bus of people down the mountain. The buildings were not built according to codes for earthquake, some weren't even build according to regular building codes. Lots of houses were one story shack style construction not really held together by anything.
In the evening we did one of my favorite things again, soak in the hot spring. This time we went to "la ku" in Yang Ming Shan. I really didn't enjoy Yuan Yuan from last night. I did not enjoy the facility. I like La Ku better.
