One of the best things about living abroad is the ability to explore a place without an agenda. The hurry up sense of fomo typical on a trip of limited days instead turns into a long Saturday with a loose plan and an openness to unexpected delights. I've discovered it is one of my favorite feelings - to be out and about and to stumble onto something interesting (or delicious or beautiful) and stop to be with it. No where else to be.
Last weekend we met Ellen and the kids at Longshan temple. It was supposed to be a meeting place for a long bike ride along the river. But the temple was alive with people praying to the many gods amidst fresh flower offerings, and we got caught up in the flow and decided to stay and explore. We learned about small crescent shaped wooden pieces that you could drop on the ground while asking the Gods a question important to you. If they landed half up and half down, the gods were answering "yes" and you could choose a number on a long pole and roll again. If again you received a "yes" the number was the right fortune for you, and you cold travel to a large wooden chest of drawers to pull the little slip of paper corresponding to your number and read the poetry guidance from the gods.
We wandered through a narrow alley way where we found tiny local bananas at a street vendor and, a bit futher on, we stumbled upon a stand of fresh mochi rolled in peanuts. Although Safia ordered in Mandarin, the woman only spoke Taiwanese, and we ended up with 4 bags of mochi :)
We hopped on bikes and explored the riverside before stopping for spontaneious boba tea and then ordering our way through a night market with made-to-order braised vegetables.
What a joy to have the time to wander and discover new sights and tastes and ways of understanding the world. - Kim
aww! sounds like soo much fun! we miss you all so much! it will be weird to have thanksgiving without y'all, but we're thinking of you and hope you keep having such amazing adventures!
xoxo,
alexa