Me and the Dag!

This is Sandra's dog and I.  Her name is Yuan Yuan which literally means round round. hahah.

The Prized Photo!

Model Photo Shoot

So...I'm officially a model now! The school took pictures of some of us for advertisements. Here are some of the pics. I'm not sure what the advertisements will be, but someone told me that some of the pictures might be on the sides of buses.

Night Market agian

Oyster omletts, so good!

These are called oil noodles, noodles with lamb, so good!

Lamb soup with thin slices of ginger

these were little mini steamed pork dumplings

Out to eat

Sandra and I went out to this little restaurant and it was awesome, we will definitely revisit this place. Normally I eat street food or if I got to a restaurant, it usually isn't this good, so it was a treat for me.

Tea and teapot

This is what our meal consisted of: a clam and vegetable soup, a pork dish with assorted vegetables, a mutton meat dish with assorted vegetables, squash soup with tea and rice.

Pork dish

Out to eat | part 2

Tofu soaking in a soy-type of sauce with some herbs.

Clam soup, with assorted vegetables.

This is a close up of the pork dish.

Dumplings, soups and Vegetables

This is a dumpling soup with lots of vegetables and noodles.

Here is a noodle soup with oysters and a cilantro type herb to give it a little extra zing. I added some spicy sauce to give it a little extra kick, that is why it has a reddish tint. One thing I've really enjoyed about Taiwan is eating oysters. I don't eat them all the time, but when I have the opportunity, I get them.

Sandra and I right before we enjoyed the soup! Yep, you can see the excitement on our faces...we are ready to eat oyster and dumpling soup!

Dumplings, soups and Vegetables | part 2

I got some really good dumplings at this little place that sets up shop just a little walk from where I live. This is more of a dumping wrap, it had beef, and a few different types of vegetables in it...it was amazing.

These dumplings were amazing as well, they were stuffed with pork and vegetables, then fried...some of the best dumplings I have eaten so far. I think I will go to this place again soon.

This was a type of bamboo/noodle soup, pretty tasty.

Steamed vegetables, they were very good as well. I love vegetables...especially when they are bursting with flavor.

Trip to Taipei | Snake Alley

Snake Alley is a famous place in Taipei, Taiwan. Snakes are supposed to be some type of male enhancer because they are long. Not sure when people started believing that either snakes would make men bigger in certain ways or they are a substitute for Viagra, but...I'm sure that many men...and women have been disappointed over the years because of this belief.

This part is a little graphic..."IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 YOU NEED TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PARENT OR GUARDIAN"

First of all...they didn't want people to take pictures (now I know why)...so I was lucky to get out of there with this half blurry pic.

One thing that is pretty messed up is that they stun the snake (at first I thought they killed the snake because they hit it's head on a table) and hang it on a rope by its head. They begin to use scissors to cut open the snake, then cut out the heart, the snake is still alive! It begins to bleed and they catch some of the blood and put it in water for people to drink.

They then proceed to cut into the snake again, this time cutting out the kidney (I believe) to get the bile. It's the same process, they put it in water and this is all supposed to be good for you.

I don't at all agree cutting into the snake while it is still alive, it was a little hard to watch the thing suffering.

Some shellfish in Snake Alley



This is an abolone...I don't think I've ever eaten abolone...I think I'd like to try it sometime.

Trip to Taipei | Snake Alley part 2

These are different kinds of dried fish and spices in Snake Alley.

Trip to Taipei | Temple Hotel

This it it! The hotel that looks like a temple, it's pretty popular, actually.

Emil, being his usual self. (Sorry for the blury pic)

A view from the hotel parking lot. It was a little overcast.

Inside the hotel...it was decently nice, interesting architecture.

Trip to Taipei | Temple Hotel part 2

This is inside the hotel, some kind of metal art.

A dragon fountain, pretty interesting.

I think the English was wrong, because I'm pretty sure the Chinese said, "Please take pictures!"

So I did!