Well, it has certainly been a very eventful week. It seems like we have been taken to every corner of Taipei by our Teaching Assistants. However, by this time we have been using the MRT (Subway) for so long that it seems pretty natural to just hop on and go wherever, even if we still do get the strangest stares. -I mean can you imagine a 6'4" blonde american not sticking out in asia. It is actually really funny. I make faces to the little asian kids and wink at everyone else...haha- But, now the city feels natural, we have always felt safe, but I guess we just have a more sure footing now. 
One of our key places to visit is the Shilin Night Market. It is an outdoor vender's paradise. Crowds are packed and stuff is cheap and fun to look at. Most shopping starts at around 8:00 but the crowd really doesn't show until much later. They have everything, witty t-shirts, dress clothes, great street food, and even stinky tofu (a personal fav). It really gets interesting when we ask the vendors for a specialty item like asian looking button down shirts, and they take us back into an alley way to their storeroom. I know kinda sketch right? But we really enjoy the night markets. There are actually several around the city. They are a place to see the people and really feel that action of the culture. Plus we always get to experience the zero personal space that asia is so well known for. Hey, I don't mind, I can see pretty clearly from up here. Sidenote: In the markets or in the busy subways our favorite activity is to play "spot the foreigner." Simply put we try to pick out the white guys in the crowd. They are a rarity over here. And, of course, whenever we see one we always get the "What the heck are you american students doing over here" look. I love it. haha.
One of our most recent trips was to the Fisherman's Dwarf in the very northern part of the Taipei suburbs (and by suburbs we always mean larger cities than anywhere near Starkville). Located by the mouth of the most northern river in Taiwan, Danshui -淡水- is a really old fishing town from way back in the day. Actually it used to be a fort for the spanish armada when they occupied Taiwan. Since then the city has swapped owners like any good colonized nation. Anyway, the riverfront has a lot of really neat shops and street food vendors. This place usually caters to Japanese tourists who are always eager to visit their little brother to the south. As a result, most things have that Japanese flare.
Now the city has been transformed into a weekend get away and a "lovers spot" due to the romantic views. There are plenty of boat rides offered and there is still a big fishing industry.
Our group took one of these charter boats around the bay towards this foot Bridge ---->
which is the destination in Danshui. I am not sure why exactly but it does look pretty at night. So, we hung out here for a little while with our TA's and shot the breeze about culture and pickup lines.
Most cities in Taiwan have an old district that has been there forever. The streets are tight and there are little shops everywhere. Needless to say most of these Old Streets-老街- have been transformed into a place for preserving the old customs of the Taiwanese people.
Friday we actually got to participate in one of these old traditions by going to an Indigo Dying shop. These lovely Bandannas are the results of our handy craftsmanship.
So the indigo dying process is actually pretty fascinating. The workers at the shop walked us through the whole process of picking, fermenting and soaking the indigo leaves. Then we each got to make our own special designs and try a hand at soaking them. The trick to a deep dye is to repeat the process (soaking and aerating) over a dozen times. We had a lot of fun, and the shop keepers where really old and cute and supportive.
Later we all got to go look around the old street of Yingge, a well known pottery town. They had a lot of ceramics that I would buy in a heart beat if it wasn't for having to lug them back on the plane. Generally, like most old streets, we really enjoyed ourselves and had a good look into the past alongside our Taiwanese companions.
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