Minature Museum

Miyuki, Michele and I went to the Taiwan Miniature Museum and enjoyed it a lot! I took tons of pictures but after I got home I realized that I had not given you a reference as to just how small these little houses were. If you look close you can see Miyuki's face through the window of the room in the second picture and this was one of the bigger houses. The third picture was from the back of the house. You could look at the front of the house then walk around to the back and see all the rooms fully furnished with carpets and hardwood floors and tile work. They had working lights. TVs and even a tiny miniature train that worked. If there was a newspaper you could read it. Tons of detail in every home. This one was of Buckingham Palace.

You could read all the book titles in this library. The guitar was awesome too.

 




This home had a  big fish tank on the wall that was really neat. There is also a bar on that same wall that had real looking miniature bottles with the exact labels on them. It had a sunken
 Living room.

  

The attic came with junk, dust and dirt just like a real attic.



This kitchen was the best. You could see into the pantry in the back and could see the flour sacks, Reynolds wrap and baking powder. Real Tile on the floor. Like I said the detail was amazing.

We decided that the kid who got this as a bedroom was very spoiled. The door in corner went out into a private little play yard with everything a child could want. 

There were also figurines and dolls and real carved egg shells. I fell in Love with this one of a Grandma and Grandpa with a child. I decided that it reminded me of Jim and I, because we are both getting old and  gray. Jim's hair is about as long as his and he has a mustache.

 I have been wanting to go to this museum for a long time but had never made it. I am glad we finally got to go before I left
Taiwan. It was too good to miss.



Breakfast with the Guys

Saturday Jim and I went to Breakfast with some of the men from the job who were going home.  Kyle took us to this place called Day Joy. I don't think I could ever find it again but it was great! We had a real breakfast with hash browns and pancakes and everything.  I was just telling Jim the day before that we needed a great breakfast place. Now all we have to do is find it again.  Jim was sad to see Kevin leave. (the one waving in the back) He has been his good friend and right hand man. It will be a long month without him. But I bet that the families of these men will be very glad to see them.

Taiwan Hot Springs

This last weekend Jim and I finally made it to one of the many Hot Water Springs in Taiwan. The weather was kind of cloudy and windy so we thought it would be a great day for the Hot Springs. We found a place and went in. You were not allowed to take pictures inside (we had to sneak this one) It was full of old people so we fit right in. There are several HOT TUBS you could choose to get into. They vary in temperature. The higher the pond the Hotter the temperature. I dont know how they were getting into the highest ones. We got into one the lowest ones and it was hot enough for me. We sat there for a while trying to soak away all our ailments. The spring waters are full of minerals that are supposed to be great for your skin, arthritis and muscle pains. (hence all the old people) When we left there we went to one of the few Mexican restaurants in Taiwan and had enchiladas. Great Day!

Fun Day With Michele

The Taiwan Story House
The day Michele and I visited this museum they had a doll display going on. They had rooms and rooms of old dolls displayed. One room was just Barbies. They had a Barbie from every year. The first one ever made to all of the specialty Barbies. They had Bride Barbies and of course Ken too. We were not allowed to take pictures in most of the rooms.

 

The had one room full of paper dolls and then they had giant paper dolls to play with.



We had to have a little fun and try some on. We looked so cute.

  

After while shopping for some Christmas presents we saw this Human Statue. He was really cute and the kids loved him.



More Weird Food

While having a Girls day out we went shopping up the mountain to a little town called Juofin. It had tons of little shops that I found all kinds of things for Christmas and to take home with me. We decided to try some unusual things while we were up there. This first one is a Rice Jelly type of thing on the outside with a Meat, Onion mixture inside with Cilantro on the top. I tried to eat it but I couldn't do it. The rice jelly outside was just too weird for me.



Michele and Miyuki got a hot sweet tea drink with taro and sweet potato balls and other similar things in side. They said it was good but they liked the other one too. I was still getting over the last thing so I didn't try that one.



Later on Miyuki and I tried this new weird thing. It was a thin wrap of some type (probably a rice wrap) with shaved peanut brittle and ice cream. That part was good but to make it Taiwan style they added Cilantro in to the wrap too. We tried it but neither one of us liked the Cilantro in it. It would have been good if we had left out the Taiwan part! (the Cilantro) Just one more weird thing I have tried and not liked too much. Lets just say I wont miss these foods at all. Too Weird for me!

My Chinese Dress

This is the first fitting of the dress I am having made in Taiwan. It was too short and too tight in some places and too big in others. When they told me to set down in this dress I could almost hear the seams screaming HOLD ON!!!! They just cant understand a body with curves. Yes I have move curves than some and bigger curves than some others but they measured me for the dress so the dress should have fit ME! Now I wait until they call me to go back. Hopefully it fits the next time. Talk about feeling fat!

Pampering with Carrie

While our husbands out of town Carrie and I had a girls night out. First of all went out to dinner and had Vietnamese food. I think all of my night or days out start with or end with food. That could be why I have gained weight. After eating we got on Carrie's scooter which I was deathly afraid to do in Taipei. On went the helmet and off we rode just a few blocks away to get a relaxing massage which I really needed after the scooter ride. We started with a 15 minute neck and shoulder massage while we soaked our feet. Then we had a 45 minute foot and calf massage. I only had to say ouch one time the rest of it felt great. Very relaxing! After the relaxing massage we got back on the scooter and Carrie drove me home. (not so relaxing) Especially when she went between the parked cars and the bus. She even told me to squeeze my legs together to fit. It really wasn't that bad but I hated it.  So much for the relaxing massage. Fun times in Taiwan!

Fun Signs

I guess STOP is the same in any Language



Loved the caption on the bottom of this sign



Little Man Daxton



August 1, 2011       Daxton George Hoover



Daxton at 2 months old! 15 lbs

I was so lucky to be home when Daxton was born. I got to hold him and my other grandchildren. I got to hug my kids and see them and talk to them. Since returning to Taiwan I have missed everything. My kids are growing up and changing and learning and I am not there to see it. I havent even been able to make Daxton smile yet. I rely on emails and phone calls and the webcam to keep in contact with my kids. I cant wait to touch their faces and hug them again.  By the time I get home I will have missed all the Hoildays coming up. That is alot to give up for a job. Life is so short and moments like these never come again.

Ride from H---

I decided to come and visit Jim this week up the Mountain. I left the apartment at 7:00 AM and arrived at 12:30. I rode up with a couple of guys from the job and a little family of three kids. It is a long and winding road to come up here so two of the three children got car sick and were throwing up the entire way. The mother kept feeding the baby and he would then throw it up. The entire van smelled of vomit and everyone behind me was covered in it. The guy driving had to cover his face and stop several times just to keep his breakfast down. I laughed and told myself I knew I hated coming up here and now I have another reason to hate it. Then when we finally got up here it was just as I remembered cloudy and foggy and misty. Just like walking in the clouds. Very depressing for sure. Jim is happy though because he has a long rotation this time and wanted a visit. I even brought up pizza's for dinner tonight and treats for later. (although right now that doesn't sound too good) It may take a few hours before I want anything to eat after the fun ride up. The family with the kids was only coming up for one day too. Tomorrow they will ride down. The best part is that it is one of their birthdays and they brought up a big cake to eat before heading down to Taipei. I am glad I wont be in that car.

Why Women Live Longer Than Men

Jim and I looked out the window of our apartment the other day and saw these two men standing outside on a TINY Little ledge fixing the air conditioner. They were standing on almost nothing moving all over and they were out there forever. If you look really close you can probably see the  women standing there inside (safe) watching them and I am sure giving them directions of how or what to fix. This is on the 4th floor!

Stinky Fruit

Jim and were out shopping and just had to take a few pictures of weird things we found in the grocery store. This is Stinky Fruit because it really stinks. That makes the store smell so good.

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Just around the corner of the store was the bakery. We found these tasty items.The first on has black eggs on top. The other one is a Taiwan Hot Dog. (I guess that is what it was) No I didn't buy to taste. We did buy some mustard that day.



When we got to the  meat section we found this big ham. We both thought of my mother when we saw it. She would LOVE this ham bone. You have to know the story of the one we almost gave the dog.We laughed. We were supposed to go to Orchid Island this weekend but Jim got the Asian Flu so we stayed close to home and a Bathroom!



Nathan....

While I was babysitting last week I was invited to go on the school field trip to the Taiwan Bakery with Nathan. He loved making these fruit filled cookies in the white cookie press. He especially loved the part that they got to slap it on the table 4 or 5 times to get the cookies to come out of the press.

This was the face that Nathan had when he got to taste the cookies that he made! He didn't like them at all. Fun to make not good to eat! Typical Taiwan Food I guess. We took them home to show his parents when they came home. (they never got eaten)

Nathan's whole class on the field trip at the museum and bakery.
(Mr Ritchi is the teacher)




Nathan hitting the Taiwan Drum



Oh yeah this is the American School Bus in Taiwan. Pretty nice huh! I wish the city buses that I ride where this nice.

   

More Strange Food

Michele and Miyuki and I went shopping and stopped for lunch at this Japanese restaurant. I had no idea what we were getting. They had ordered for us and I was just going trying new things. I don't know why but I had a really hard time with the food at this restaurant. If I had to eat this food all the time I would be skinny for sure!



Eel on a stick



I didn't like it!!! And did not eat it.



When we came out of the yucky restaurant this table full of ducks was there to greet us! You just don't see this in Utah.

 

You also don't see this kind pizza on a buffet table either. This pizza had pineapple, peas, carrots, corn and ham. No not too good either!!!