Who woulda Thought

Who would a thought that to go THAT direction I needed to take the bus going the other way............Well, maybe if I could read more Chinese..........The bus does a couple over here loops in each direction and then turns back towards the opposite direction and to top it off it is a one hour loop with 2 buses so at the stop I was at you get to see both buses within 5 minutes and then wait almost an hour!  I think I missed them by 5 minutes the first time........BUT I WAS DETERMINED TO GO FROM THIS STOP.  I got home 5 hours after I said bye to Colleen as she went for a hairwash!!!!!  The marvel is that I knew quite well where I was in the city the whole time! I ALSO KNEW I WAS NOT WHERE I WANTED TO BE.  

Golden Lion Lake is quite a nice area but they are working to remove major amounts of silt from the lake so the beauty takes a bit of visualizing.  I think it is actually a water runoff catch basin for north eastern Kaohsiung City.  VERY nice walkways and paths around and over the lake.  the east side has 2 maybe 3 temples.

AND IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH when I had looked around enough I walked the 3, 4, 5, 6 blocks back to the main road to catch the bus home.  It seemed like it was almost as long to wait for the bus as it was to walk home especially since there was a 5-7 minute walk from the bus stop to Melissa's place.   WELL  I was about 8 blocks farther east than I thought...................Google Maps says 38-41 minutes to walk............I must have sauntered because it took almost 50 minutes according to when I called Colleen and told her I was headed back and actually walked in the door.  I don't think I waited for my iced tea that long!

AHH the stories of Steve & Kaohsiung!

ooops 10 days have passed

We've done kind of ordinary stuff, well it seems ordianry for here.........Youth events, Church, A wedding, ride the MRT,  Lantern Festival Watershow, ride the MRT,  do laundry, ride the MRT, Lantern Festival Fireworks, Lantern Festival lanterns, ride the MRT, teach an English class at church, ride the bus for almost 2 hours, walk for 45 minutes, eat another of Colleen's wonderful meals.

Here are a couple wedding photos...

 

The Artistry continued into the wedding banquet.  I am  not posting the other food because I don't know what most of it is called.......

We've known Marco for several years and Tracy is super sweet.  She's very fortunate to have such a fine husband and I'm sure he knows how beautiful, gentle and loving she is!










Wow, we've been here 6 weeks and head home in 6 1/2! Tomorrow we are going to Taipei to visit friends, see Cirque de Soleil, The Taipei Flora Expo and get back early enough Melissa can survive teaching Tuesday morning. Feb 28th which happens to be Monday this year is a Holiday. A bit of a strange one, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/228_Incident


Oh my bus escapade deserves a seperate post.......................

OK uploaded some photos and recalled a couple mini adventures

A couple Sundays ago there was a Baby shower for Melissa's friends.  They are from a different church that meets in the same building as we do but in the afternoon.



This is the outfit we bought.  I was slow on the camera/had a bad setting....you can see the colours it was a top and pants.  It will fit Anastasia when she is aobut a year old.




One day we went with Melissa to her school and explored as she went in to teach.   This is Boai, the main road around the house and school.   One of the main North/south routes in Kaohsiung.




A few blocks west of Melissa's school is "Handwich Cafe"  The foccacia bread was very good.  Taiwanese chicken is NOT Canadian chicken presentations but the BLT was very good.




Oh and you almost ALWAYS go to the bathroom before leaving somewhere!   This one had an extra humour reward!

  Then as we walked back towArds home we passed through The Heart of Love River which is on both sides of Boai right near Melissa's school.   I think this bench sign is actually referring to the bike paths and possibly the local political reorganization.

 Parks and green spaces are plentiful in Kaohsiung.  Look at the flowers in the next shot.

 

that's MY finger! but it's the best curve shot....

I'M PRETTY SURE OUR MELISSA DIDN'T TAG THIS................. 

February 14, 2011

If I had done much less I would have stayed in bed all day today..................Oh I did make it up the stairs to 5th floor to do a minor repair and Colleen and I had a nice AT HOME dinner of IKEA meatballs, Idahoan potatoes and Taiwan Market Carrot.   WE DID WISH EACH OTHER HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.

It was rainy and cool today so our only outdoor venture was for the garbage and recycling.

Yesterday Melissa received her baby for the day (friends run a home for unwanted babies and facilitate adoptions)

and then after church we went to E-DA World Outlet Mall. Interesting how malls are different around the world and yet are all the same!

 Well some have unique features.....................

 And then of course STARBUCKS and some relaxing.

Wednesday

The screen is repaired.  No new damages today.  My market guys greeted me with grins, smiles and a grand time.  I got my watermelon and tomatoes and 3 dim sum pieces.  The dim sum  is at a different stall!

I managed to do a little painting of some metal bars that we'll use to change up some things in Melissa's garage for displaying brochures and maps.  Oh and of course a bit of bike riding, exploring and a trip to Shao Bae for 3M stickers.

We wimped out and had Mc D's for lunch as Melissa met a friend for lunch to discuss wedding decoration plans.  It will be a time squeeze in 10 days.  Church til 12:30 wedding at 2 in the same space!

OH I see it warmed to -14C in Saskatoon!

Words and intentions..............

I was reminded this evening of the importance of words and feelings.  Within the last couple weeks a Taiwanese friend commented about the harshness of Taiwanese family communications and I responded that it is not ONLY a Taiwanese or Asian issue. 

The circumstance is not important nor are the actual words.  My realization and contemplation of my reactions to the words is however.   There was no ill intention in the words but at the moment my mind and heart needed to hear softness and kindness rather than bluntness.  OH there are times when I need to be spoken to directly as I often am a tiny bit dense.  I chose to not verbally respond and continue on my way with the balance of my task but the thought process of a 60 year old guy, prone to thinking rather than reacting, prompted this sharing.

I'm not sure there is much more to say or share........... when you speak try to include love, when you hear interpret with love and understanding.

Tuesday was break day-it's Wednesday in Taiwan!

Not long before Melissa came home for lunch I was emptying the coffee pot, flip flop, juggle CRASH...one less coffee mug and half a cup of coffee on the kitchen floor.  Well it needed mopping anyway!

In the evening we were headed out and I needed to leave a note on the door so back by the phone for note paper and CRASH, hooked the cord with my foot and yanked the cord right out of the phone.......FIVE cords in Saskatoon and NO spares here........$20NT($0.65 CDN) later and all is fine....except for the frustration!

At least our Afternoon Market visit went well and I was able to give my watermelon guys their picture from last year!  It is really gratifying when people recognize us from last year!

Now off to do a screen door repair...maybe that's the peak of today's list.   the screen was dog usage damage NOT me......................

I must be part dog...........................

oooooo I LIKED the shoulder and head massage that comes with a Taiwanese hair wash.  HA HA HA

Vicarious Living

We met Australian and British parents this weekend.  Both Davids!  It seems parents have pretty similar concerns and desires for their children around the globe but some talk funny!   I may be one of the unofficial Kaohsiung ambassadors which may be getting a bit annoying for the women in my life.  well the two here......it seems the OTHER women in my life want me to say more via this blog!

We are reminded on a daily basis how BLESSED we are to have healthy independent children,  
We are reminded on a daily basis how BLESSED we are to be in Kaohsiung with Melissa,
We are reminded on a daily basis how BLESSED we are to be healthy and happy,
We are reminded on a daily basis how BLESSED we are to have friends in Saskatoon and other parts of Canada and the U.S. that are interested in our lives.

Today a Pastor and his son from Nebraska checked in for a few days before returning home late this week.  They have been here working with Free Methodist Missionary David Clemente at a winter church camp.  Colleen toured parts of NE with the Aldersgate Trio in 1969, I went to Kindergarten in Sidney NE in ??? and I have an uncle and cousins that live in NE but not in the small towns Brian McGee pastors in........  I almost always have a connection within a few hours of Melissa's North American guests!!!!   I think it is somewhere between amusing and annoying for her........

Sorry no new pictures today I didn't want to take away from the break in Saskatoon weather!

We are meeting one of Melissa's friends at a salon for a HAIR WASH in 3 hours so we will grab some lunch.  No stinky tofu or chicken butts today.  or squid on a stick for that matter.