The Weekend

Had a great time this weekend. Saturday I stopped over at Karl's for another round of Axis & Allies. This was a depressing game that featured the German navy dominating the Atlantic, which is about as probable as Karl suddenly showing a sincere interest in becoming a devotee of the Maharishi Yoga Center. Naturally my Russians faltered at the gates of Berlin.

I left Karl's and bopped over to Little Italy, the new one near the Shin Kwang Mitsukoshi off of Hweichung Rd. It was not easy to find, being on a road with no obvious name, and having no prominent sign out front. It was basic Italian restaurant food, nothing to write home to mom about, but the company was great: several of my former students (pic, above). One of the most delightful things about being a teacher is watching your students build lives for themselves, although it is true that much of the delight comes from the adrenaline rush of having your heart in your throat all the time as they go about it. Nevertheless, I am happy to say that they are all gainfully and legally employed, in professions actually related to their college training.

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Sunday was a gorgeous cool day, so I took time away from blogging spent some quality time with the family and took a walk up Ta-ken hiking trail number 8. Ta-ken has plenty of wonderful trails (John Qubti was up one a couple of weeks ago) and we are lucky that number 8 is right next to our house. Pictures follow....


Taiwan has great flowers.


The wind-blown stone. This stone used to rock when the wind blew, but after the 9/21 earthquake it became unstable, a sign on the site informs us. Swiftly taking action, the government "restored the stone to its natural state" by cementing it in place and surrounding it with an enormous steel belt. Personally I consider that sign to be the single funniest on the whole island.


The top offers some great views of sunset over Taichung.



The kids naturally complained about walking, but took to it with enthusiasm once we actually did it.


Of course I had to have a spider shot, but the light and wind made it impossible to get any clear shots.

Coming back down, one goes down this crazy stairway/ladder designed by the brain-dead spawn of a lonely hunter and a mutated mountain goat.

Hope ya'll had a good weekend!

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