One Hundredth Post

This is my one hundredth post! It seems like only yesterday I arrived in Taiwan- an eager youth in his prime ready to tackle on the greatest curve balls Asia had in store for me. Now, almost three years later, I am reflecting on 100 vignettes that I have decided to share with you about my time in Taiwan.

I have never been one for clip shows, so I would like to give you some suggested reading instead. Here are my top ten favorite blog postings that I have made over the last third of a decade. Happy reading!

Bugs on the Teeth- Here in my first fews days in Taiwan, I found myself very lost on the streets of Taipei. It wasn't long before a friendly Taiwanese man came up to me and offered me a ride home. He plopped me on the back of his scooter and before long I was zooming around Taipei in my first ever scooter ride. I knew then I had to get me one of those babies!

One Squid, Two Squid- Ah, my first adventure down to Taroko National Park and Hualien. What an adventure! But the real fun came as the sun set and my friends, Kate and Tony, and I creatively spent the better part of an hour disposing of squids we never wanted. It should be noted that squid balls are processed calamari in the shape of a ball, not a mollusk's reproductive organ!

A Regular Thursday Night- A war zone? Not quite but almost. I got to ring in the Chinese Lantern Festival with a bang, literally, as I went out into a free-for-all fireworks bash that shook buildings, set off fireworks and even sent some folks to the ER. As these videos show, there were some close calls!

Whitewater-Ho! We saved the lives of these whitewater rafters and it was almost as if we got shafted for doing so. Well, at least I got the whole thing on video. Please forgive my shaking video taping, it was half capturing the event half heroic deeds!

The Good Concert- I spent one marvelous weekend with World Vision, the company for which I taught English Private Lessons, down in Sun Moon Lake. We toured aboriginal villages, explored butterfly gardens and the lake itself, and I even gave a speech at the benefit concert itself. But the best part was the private tour of the organic tea farm!

The Bridge on the River Kwai- History and excitement abounded for me on my first trip to Thailand! While it was difficult to choose one specific part of that amazing two week journey into the land of smiles, I decided on my time in Kanchanaburi where I posed with tigers, rode elephants, and saw the death railway. If you have time, be sure to check out my other posts on Thailand too!

The Crazy Lady Returns- I don't think any story I have quite compares to the strangeness and creepiness of the Crazy Lady on my balcony. I also don't think anyone quite sums up Taiwan's quirkiness quite like her as well! I have to say, though, thanks for the dinner!

The Rice Terraces of Banaue- There is nothing I love more than vacationing in the Philippines. I love the people, the scenery, and increasinly Manilla. Here I took off to the 2,000 year old rice terraces on the northern edge of the country. Truly my favorite place to be.

The Din Tai Fung Club- I don't think I will take away a greater memory than all the joy, happiness and dumplings I have had at Din Tai Fung. I have made strong and lasting friends at this restaurant and I hope to maintain these friends for all my life to come.

A Man and His Mortorcycle Part 4- I don't think I can say with utmost certainty that I preferred any leg of my motorcycle trip around the island more than another part, but when push comes to shove, the trip over the mountains on the Southern Cross Island was like nothing I have ever seen before. A trip of a lifetime!

Here's to another 100 posts that comprise the big and small moments making up what I call my life on this island. From your David Letterman counting down in the Far East, Michael.