and so I learned that I am capable of a sunburn

Friday
I decided that since my VS is still running (SUPER slowly), I would go exploring before I went into work. I headed off to Jianguo Holiday Flower Market (建國假日花市), only to discover in my MRT travel guide that it only runs on weekends... urgh. if I bothered to read that thing with more detail, I wouldve saved a trip. Anyways, I decided to head on over to Breeze Center (微風廣場) and Sincere Dept. Store(先施百貨), only to find that both were closed until 11am =(. Still strolled around for a bit, found some 小籠包 (xioa long bao) and got a cup of fresh soymilk. both firsts in TW. the 小籠包 was good (I didn't eat it until I got to work), but it didn't have the juice that was supposed to be inside =( I finally decide to go to work, even though I knew I would go in to... uh.. play games (seriously). While I was parking my bike, I ran in to A-Yeh and he told me that the lab was getting the floor waxed, which meant that there would not really be time to work today. Good for me, bad for my progress, but it really doesn't matter since everything is in a stall with VS. urgh. Not long after arriving in lab, we begin moving stuff into the hallways. Great social time. why can't the work environment be like this everyday? (well, no one would ever get anything done)... haha somewhere in the conversations, A-Yeh asked me when my birthday was, and I told him it was far off enough he would forget it, be he insisted he wouldn't. He wrote it on the whiteboard inside our lab.. haha. Finished moving stuff and the 4 of us (Jui-Chih, Che Chia, A-Yeh, and me) went down to eat lunch. Surprisingly, when we were done with lunch, the wax was already dried so we moved back in. It took A-Yeh like 2 hours to get the internet working again, so by the time it was ready, it was time for me to go. (or so I decided)

I headed to Raohe Night Market (饒河街夜市) and Wufenpu Commercial District(五分埔). Just as a I reached it, Mr. Tseng called me for dinner and so I head back (urgh... this place is far from NTUH and I had been reluctant to go all week because of how far it is) I met a guy from Colorado State University on the way. We had dinner at 2100. I was very hungry.

Saturday
LJue and I biked to Xindian (新店) to take the bus to Wulai(烏來). Went to the mini day market at Xindian, not too much stuff. Taxi drivers were trying to persuade us to get in their taxi, 100NT per person, telling us that "there is no space on the bus." The woman who was waiting for the taxi to take off (the driver was waiting on two more) was like "Two buses have already passed, but there was no room to get on). It costs 40NT one way on the bus, so no way did I want to spend an extra 60NT. The bus comes and we get on... so much about it not having room. We stood for awhile, but eventually, seats opened up as people got off.

Since it was very sunny, we didn't want to go in the hot springs until the sun came down a bit. We explored the area, including a day market which was much more exciting than the one at Xindian, and tried to find the Wulai waterfall. On our way there, we walked through a "lover's walk" haha. Just when we thought we weren't going the right way/we wont find it, we found the waterfall. It was so pretty. We hung around that area and enjoyed the view for awhile. It was too hot to go anywhere anyways.

streets of Wulai, it was early, so not that many people were there yet
me! (gosh. this pic makes me look so short)
waterfall! (or is it?)
wow. I am REAL bored

gondola to go to the otherwise of the waterfall. there was an amusment park there too! but we didn't go.
We decided to go in the hotsprings around 1600, even though the sun was still out, but we dodn't want to stay there too late. When we were on our way to get in, we found the changing rooms we were looking for. Guess what we did instead to change? gotta blame swim team! (it was kinda AWK cause the lifeguard and the dudes in the river directed their attention .. um yea... disappointment for them, Jen is too pro at deck changing for a show)

Actually, the springs it self was hot, but the river? was cool. It felt so nice. I did bring googles, but I didn't want to stick my head in the water, so I just swam with my head out of the water.... upstream.HAHA I am a salmon! Would have been MUCH MUCH easier to swim with my head in the water, downstream. Good thing I've been doing some form of encercise or I would have died. I did kick some underwater rocks a few times, my poor shin hurt like crazy for most of the day afterwards.

hot springs/river?
oh yea. funny story, so LJue and I were sitting on the side, cause it is really tiring to keep on treading water, but too hot to sit inside the hotsprings. She felt omething nipping at her feet/leg and decide to just sit outside completely, probably a fish. With that warning, I still decide to sit i nthe water. 30secs. later, something nipped my toe... and to (no one's) surprised, I screamed. Needless to say, after I jumped out of the water, EVERYBODY (and their mothers) were looking at me. so embarassing. yea. for future reference (in case you didn't already know), don't poke me in a quiet context. please.

After the hot springs, we each bought a sausage thing that they have all over TW, but I have been reluctant to eat since it is very greasy. Actually, it wasn't so greasy, and it was super super good. I think I have to have it more before I leave TW (4 weeks left to get fat!) Strolled around a bit more. LJue bought gifts for family/friends. As for me, I am going to give that task to mi madre =) hehe.

Wulai Old Street, also where we got our yummy sausage
I just left Wulai with 7 mosquito bites. I have been really good about putting repelent on. I think it was while I was drying off/changing. LJue walked away with none. Am I really that yummy? The hot springs was also supposed to make my skin whiter... yea, right

Got in line for the bus back to Xindian. Rode on the streets instead of taking the path by Xindian Stream (which is the way we took earlier that morning) so that we could stop at Jingmei Night Market. I thin kthis time, it was more interesting than last time I went. We eat bought a pair of jeans for 190NT! so cheap. that's less that $6 USD for each pair!. AND ... we got to try it on. Usually, things that are that cheap you never get to try on. Tried to go bra shopping too. One size fits all. super lacy. that's all I have to say.

note: I was also given the gift of MY VERY FIRST sunburn (on my shoulders...hey hey. it was either #1 tshirt tan #2 tank top tan. i chose the latter, plus it classifies me as a "tourists".) I never knew I was possible of a sunburn. I didn't use sunscreen, which is not a surprise.

Sunday
Ate lunch with Mr. Tseng and his cousin, Iris. I really like hanging out with them, in particular when he brings Iris. Will have to take a picture with her later. After lunch, it was too hot to go anywhere, so I hung out in my lounge a bit and went to Ximending at around 1900. Wasn't as exciting as they bragged weekends at that place would be, but oh well. Much more exciting than the lack-of night life in the US.

went biking along Xindian river after Ximen.very pretty and many bikers. I want a blinking light like everyone else =)

Monday
haha... what A-Yeh and I actually do at work
he said that before I arrived the board never had this stuff. LOL

side note: i thought my VS would be done by now. but it hasnt moved at all since last thursday. sigh.i just want to be done!

快下班了!
>.<