Day 15 ~ Final Day, Farewell Dinner

It's hard to believe that today is our final day in Taiwan. The past few weeks have been filled with so many new experiences and opportunities to not only meet a lot of new people but to get to know some fellow U of M students better. What a great group! I hope everyone enjoyed the trip as much as I did and that we all leave Taiwan as more knowledgeable and better people.

Farewell Dinner:

Thanks Ed for getting this for me.

Certificate of completion

Does this mean we all get an A ?

Day 15 ~ Pingtung Long Chuan Brewery, Indigenous Peoples Park

Lunch at Tsingtao Beer Theme Restaurant

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Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Culture Park:

The first show today featured members representing the Amis tribe. The Amis is the largest aboriginal tribe in Taiwan and they live primarily in eastern Taiwan. The second show was in the round-shaped Naluwan Theater. It showcased various dances and songs including a dance from the Yami which showed the importance of the boats to the Yami tribe. It was followed by a dance by the women in which they fling their long hair back and forth.

Calcium carbide-bamboo firecracker

Amis tribe

Taking a break from their recital

Taking a break at the show

While we were inside watching the show it began to rain. It was pouring when we left and I was amazed at how quickly the ravine below began to fill with water.

Day 14 ~ Eluanbi Lighthouse,Jeep Riding, Kenting

Eluanbi Lighthouse

Eluanbi, also known as "Taiwan's Tail", is at the southernmost point of Taiwan. We visited Eluanbi Park and saw this lighthouse that stands 21.4 meters high and is supposedly the brightest in Asia. Along the way we encountered many tourists who seemed intrigued by us but in particular by Dion who they were convinced was John Wall of the Washington Wizzards (or at least I think that's who they thought he was). Everyone loves to get their picture taken!

Group of girls resting

View from the restaurant

Restaurant where we stopped for lunch

Lunch

Mountain Jeep Riding:

Thanks to Sean O'Morrow for taking this video. Sean was the official photographer extraordinaire during our trip.

A few hills and curves along the way

We made it to the top

View from the top of the mountain

Dinner at Smokey Joes: Mexican/American food

I had a grilled chicken burrito and strawberry margarita. The food was good but the service was so poor I ordered another drink because by the time my food came I had nothing to drink. They only serve one person at time instead of bringing everyone’s order at once. I happened to be the last person served so by that time everyone had eaten and it was time to go. I told the cashier I wasn’t going to pay for the second drink because I never got it and then they showed up at the counter with the drink to go. You gotta love Taiwan. Strawberry Margarita in a paper cup to go! In America they would have not charged for the second drink and would have apologized. They are very nice and polite here but they don’t value speedy service.

Pat, Sean, Dion and me waiting for dinner

Beach Tour,Yoho Beach Resort

Egg flower

Cucumber

Yoho Beach Resort:

All of our hard work is being rewarded with a stay at this resort. It is beautiful here and it really makes me miss my family because I know they would love to vacation here. Maybe I'll bring them all here next year (except who will translate for us?)