Elite's

Binbin's pre-school is called Elite's International School. The Chinese transliteration is Yelute. The philosophy is Montessori inspired. Eric, the principal, grew up in the countryside, and it was important to him that the children have some green space and get outside to run around every day. Word is that for some Taipei parents and in-door playground is terribly important. That way, baobao can play even when weather isn't so permitting. Binbin naturally takes to Eric's view. Here are pictures of him running on the school lawn and of his teacher, Zeng-zeng.




Sometimes after we pick Binbin up from school, he still needs some time to run around and to decompress. Fortunately, there is no shortage of public playgrounds in our neighborhood.

vroom-vroom

We went to the park along the river late Sunday afternoon. The sunny day brought many more Taipei folks out. The bike rental place was doing a snappy bit of business. A cafe-in-a-van set up shop in a parking lot. Children and parents of all ages ran around. Some were playing a game that appeared to be a hybrid of croquet and golf; some flew kites; some played ball; and some had radio-operated planes, helicopters, and off-road vehicles. Here is a snapshot of the latter, and Binbin looks on enthralled.

Sunday walk

As it turns out, the Siberian cold front brought us a crisp,
beautiful Sunday. So, we tried to go for a hike up the mountain
behind Rongzong (Veterans') Hospital in Tianmu. De-nin forgot how
long it took just to get to the trail head, at least 20 minutes and
perhaps longer with a toddler in tow. So, we never got there. Still,
Binbin got a change of scenery and some fresh air.



On the way back, we stopped at the entrance to Yangming University
and had a drink.




We enjoyed our ride back on the MRT Red line. Binbin indiscriminately
calls it the choo-choo.



Also, good news: the boxes sent via USPS surface last November
arrived earlier this week. Lots of allergen-free snacks and...a best
of all, a take-along Thomas!

Siberian cold front

Word is that a cold front from Siberia is headed our way. Watch for temperatures about 7 degrees Celsius. The Taiwanese grannies in our neighborhood give us stern looks, shake their heads and say, tsk-tsk, beneath their breath when they see that Binbin's shirt isn't fully tucked in and that he doesn't have a hat on.

This past week, Binbin was in the "Elite" daycare for a full week. By Thursday, the teachers and principal developed an effective transitional strategy. The moment Binbin arrived, they offered to go "sanbu", on a walk. Without a moment to consider, Binbin's fearsome and tearful goodbyes became a thing of the past.

He so enjoys his three friends in his class--Libby, Miles, and Chenting--and his teacher, Zengzeng, that after his hearty round of goodbyes in the afternoon, he typically returns to the front lawn to run around for another twenty minutes. On Thursday afternoon, he was particularly enthralled with two black beetles in separate pink and blue plastic cages. School pets that principal Eric would gingerly pluck out and set on the patio before an audience of wide open eyes.

The folks at 7-11 and Quanjia, our convenience stores recognize Binbin, who comes almost daily to purchase a Yakuit, a yogurty drink, for 6 kuai. They are especially friendly at 7-11, where, with a purchase of some 85 kuai, customers receive a little Snoopy souvenir of tourist destinations in throughout Taiwan.

We met a Canadian couple this week, Aron and Chelsey, when they took a break from scouting out abandoned furniture on the first floor of our apartment building to say hello. There aren't too many foreigners in the government housing project, so an instant bond was felt. They came along Saturday morning, on our weekly trip to the traditional market in Ta-chih. They pointed out their favorite famous douhua (sweet soybean custard) place for our benefit (unfortunately, neither of us is particularly fond of douhua, and Binbin can't have it). Then we all walked to the playground at the nearly elementary and middle school. Binbin watched the ad hoc soccer match with curiosity, later borrowing a ball and practicing his nascent kicking skills.

the zoo

Last Sunday morning, in the misty rain we headed for the Taipei zoo located in the southern district called Muzha. The zoo winds up into the mountainside, and one of the highlights for Binbin was taking the "train" up to the birds and animals of Africa section and then back down.

Here, Binbin walks from the parking lot beneath the rapid transit system with Yigong.



Quietly looking at the elephants with Baba.



Another highlight: walking, climbing, and jumping on the sculpted hippos.

atop the Miramar ferris wheel

Here are some snapshots taken yesterday when we went to ride the Miramar ferris wheel.


Some of you may recognize new and old landmarks in Taipei. In the distance, the single spire meant to resemble a bamboo stalk (Jack thinks it's a bit more like a stack of Chinese take-out boxes) is Taipei 101, for now, the world's tallest building.

The Chinese style building (to our west) is the Yuanshan fandian, the elegant traditional style hotel built some decades ago.

guodong (fruit jello)

There are many things that Binbin cannot eat in Taipei, but one delicious thing he can eat is fruit jello. Here he enjoys the mango flavor while watching a film crew working at the Miramar shopping complex a few days ago.
It's Saturday morning here, and unexpectedly the clouds gave way to sunshine. We took a short bike ride along the river, and then went for a long stroll to the traditional market at Ta-chih. Fruit venders, fish mongers, knick-knack sellers, and underwear merchants cheek-by-jowl with stalls selling Chinese breakfast and other delectable goodies. Wandering around there was like getting an injection of the old Taipei that is not so evident in our suburban-ish neighborhood. We'll be back again...with our camera.

daily routines

After a blisteringly hot day on Tuesday (80+ degrees), we’ve had rain and more rain. Tomorrow we expect rain. And the forecast calls for rain again through the weekend and into next week. We are wet, and when we’re not wet, we’re feeling damp. We hear the drip, drip of raindrops as well as fierce sheets of water blown against our building.

Today is Binbin’s third day at Montessori daycare, about a 2 minute walk away from our apartment. The daycare is quite new, as they continue work on a rustic, log cabin style building with a grassy lawn, which is exceptionally rare in Taipei. Zhenzhen laoshi, his teacher, is in charge of the “youyou” class, the youngest students who are about 20 months to 3.5 years. In their brightly lit classroom are an array of wooden puzzles, little boxes and marbles, and other baubles, arranged neatly in individual trays on shelves throughout the room. Children may select one tray and bring it to a table to play with. Each tray must be re-shelved before a child may select another. Zhenzhen laoshi expects to keep Binbin today through lunch and naptime. We are to pick him up at 4 this afternoon.

The Starbucks at Aimai (“Love to Shop”) shopping center has become Jack’s de facto office. The internet connection there is a speedy 3 megs, the cost is 500 kuai for a month. Coffee and pastries are extra. They serve up a delicious chocolate lava cake that is unlike your typical not-too-sweet Taiwanese dessert.

Aimai is just across the street from Meilihua, or Miramar shopping center and entertainment complex. This is the place with the oversize ferris wheel. Miramar is hip and posh and the place to get sensory overload. We usually hit the fourth floor, the children’s/family floor. Here are toys galore, clothing and strollers and carseats, little playground areas, a children’s hair salon where clients sit in cars or motorcycles while watching an LCD screen playing Ping’gu the penguin cartoons. Also roaming about are mechanized, oversized bears with steering wheels that two can ride on for 30 kuai, or about a dollar.

I commute to Academia Sinica in Nan’gang irregularly. It’s about 10 kilometers from our apartment, or 20+ minutes by cab. The Nan’gang area is at the beginning of a major building boom. In about 3-5 years, it will become a kind of technology center. Currently, it is a mix of the old and of outsized construction sites. Academia Sinica is an oasis of quiet.

More scenes from the 'hood

We have been remiss about showing more of the 'hood in which we live. We live in a guozhai (governement project) high rise put up for low income people, in American parlance 'the projects'. Many of the low income have sold their apartments for lots of money and moved elsewhere. So now, people like De-nin's relatives live here. There is also a picture here of the luxury high rises along the river next to the projects. Quite a neighborhood. And what would a neighborhood be without a Buddhist temple.

nuevo architecture in Dazhi

Well, we went for a walk to see some of the architecture around Dazhi and found a most interesting structure. It's an artsy, hip tearoom designed by a woman who is described as "an amateur architect." Binbin enjoyed the outdoor furniture.

Scenes of our neighborhood

Here we see Binbin in his new neighborhood: eating at the table like big boys do, stopping by the local breakfast joint while baba gets a couple scallion pancake with egg to go, and flying a jet to defend Taiwan from foreign aggression.

in our neighborhood

The enormous ferris wheel is our local landmark. It is part of a shopping/cinema megaplex, a consumer paradise called Miramar.

Picture of Dazhi, Taibei

Well, after a somewhat interesting journey across the Pacific and getting settled in De-nin's aunt and uncle's second apartment in Dazhi we finally have begun to settle into our new home. Here are some pictures of the area around the apartment and Binbin's tatami room. You'll notice that Binbin is already in the spirit of Taiwan and likes to pull the grocery wheelie around to the grocery store.

The Chicken has Plummetted to Earth

We have made it to Taiwan. We've been here for one week now. Still no opportunity to properly update the blog. Soon De-nin will be able to update from Academia Sinica and add some photos. We hope you're all doing well out there in the wider world.