Day 4: Maokong Gondola | Tea on a Mnt | Din Tai Fung

Maokong Gondola

I could definitely get use to the rhythm of this life. 
Each day starts out with a hotel breakfast with Ben. We both walk out of the hotel lobby at about 8am. He walks straight to get in the taxi for work and I turn left towards the MRT station which is only a 2 minute walk down the street. 
Eventually I might try and make myself a schedule...workout, call friends/family, read, blog, sightsee, clean the apartment...But I told Ben this week doesn't count. I told him this is my vacation week :) I have no set plans and I won't feel bad if I don't workout, I only eat fried foods, and I don't crack open any of my summer reading books.   

My only plan this week: Explore Taiwan


Today I took the Maokong Gondola to the top of a Mountain for some loose leaf tea. 



 There was no one in this tea shop except me. The waitress came and showed me how to make it and then used google translate to tell me I could use the leaves 7 times in a row.  It took a long time to use the leaves 7 times but of course, I am in no hurry. 





I was able to video call my sister Jess while I was there. 

Tea. 
On a mountain. 
That I took a gondola to...
In Taiwan....
and I get to enjoy spending time with my twin sister who is in Atlanta. 

I feel so blessed to get to experience all of this.

_______________


On the gondola ride up: A couple from the Philippines and two Taiwanese women. We had so much fun talking to each other using the Google translate. Also- I am now featured in snap chats around the world. Ha!
I feel so welcomed by the people here. It's humbling. People will come help me when I stare at a sign confused or struggle to order food. They are very excited to help. Everyone on the gondola wanted to take their pictures with me as well. I was equally excited to meet them so I asked to take their pictures too.  These women didn't want me to take the gondola by myself so they invited me on theirs even though we could barely communicate. 

Kung Pao and FRENCH FRIES (may have cried tears of joy- these tasted so good)



Oh look another temple... 


 Temples everywhere


Every day around 5pm Ben texts me something like "they say to take the MRT to ______ station by 7pm and we will pick you up at gate __".  I take the MRT to the station and sure enough a car full of my new friends pulls up and we take off for dinner!  


Tonight they took us to Din Tai Fung, a famous restaurant in Taipei. 
It is famous for its Xialongbao Dumplings (which means 18 folds)

The little dumplings are filled with delicious broth, meat and veggies. 
To eat it...
1. Pick up dumpling with chopsticks
2. Dunk it in your own mixture of rice vinegar and soy sauce
3. Place on soup spoon
4. Top with shredded ginger
5. Puncture the dumpling so the soup fills your spoon 
Devour


Tonight I had to eat the fried rice with my soup spoon. I haven't mastered it yet :) Ben is much better. I think he was secretly born in Taiwan and just hasn't told me yet.






My favorite part of the night was hearing Carol and Jason (married) discuss the meaning of English words. Carol is an English teacher and has perfect English. (She is spoiling me because I can talk as fast I want and she understands all of it). Ben introduced Jason to American idioms which he now confidently uses. 

1. English teacher with Master's degree in linguistics 
+ 
2. Husband with newly discovered English idioms 
= 
Hilarious banter on the car ride home through Taipei

I just love it here. 


Comments

  1. UnknownJune 1, 2018 at 6:51 AM

    We love your blog! It is so cute and hilarious. What were some of the phrases Ben taught Jason to use?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz BraunJune 3, 2018 at 6:19 AM

      "Chill out" and the various meanings of "Chill"
      "dragging their feet"
      "In the blink of an eye"

      Jason wanted to tell someone in America to do something quickly please. His wife (the Master in linguistics) said, "just say as soon as possible". Jason emphatically "NO NO NO, too simple, too simple!!!! I will say, In the blink of an eye!"

      Delete
  2. UnknownJune 5, 2018 at 5:22 PM

    I am glad to see that you are having fun! You definitely deserve time off without plans, books or even working out. Enjoy! Btw, thank you for officially putting Taiwan on my list of places to visit one day.

    ReplyDelete

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