Tainan: Days 14-17

September 14-17

9/14 – Taijiang wetland boat trip + Anping Old Street + Anping Tree House + biking

9/15 – Capybara cafe + street shopping + Yuguang Island sunset + dinner at Maodon

9/16 – Team breakfast/worktime + embroidery studio + incense shop + snail alley + Hayashi

9/17 – Team breakfast/worktime + mentor critique + dinner 

It’s our last week in Taiwan, and time is going by so fast! On Saturday the 14th, we took a tour of the Taijiang wetlands via boat, which was an unexpected and unforgettable experience. I assumed that this tour would consist of us sitting and listening to the tour guide, and I was definitely not expecting to hold mussels, a fish, and haul up a fishing net? Seeing all of the different fishing methods from gigantic nets to standing in waist-deep water in the pouring rain showed me how much dedication, effort, and knowledge it takes to fish in the wetlands. 

Following the boat tour, we stopped at Anping Old Street and had beef soup and braised pork over rice for lunch! This was probably my fourth time having braised pork during this study abroad, and I don’t know how I’m going to survive without it after I leave. After lunch, a few of us also made a quick stop at a cafe to try their beautiful chiffon cakes. 

Our third stop was at the Anping Tree House, which was one of my favorite places yet! The way the tree roots and branches knit themselves over the building reminded me of how the threads on a ripped sweater look—imperfect, but still holding its structure. I loved seeing how the banyan trees filled in missing portions of the building such as the roof, and seemingly reinforced the walls with its roots. It was amazing to see how nature has reclaimed the old warehouse and enhanced its value and relevance to the current generation. 

To end my night, I also went biking around NCKU and the city! It was such a beautiful temperature, and so far, this was my favorite way of experiencing the city of Tainan. Without many cars on the roads, the ride was almost silent and we could only hear our bike wheels turning and the occasional animal sound. As we rode by the shops, we got to take in all of the city’s lights and see the locals hanging out and having late night dinner parties. To our surprise, we even saw two bats flying overhead! This bike ride let me experience Tainan from a different, quieter perspective, and made me feel less like a stranger!

Sunday was our last free day, and I started it off by going to a capybara cafe! I had never seen capybaras in person before and hanging out with them made me realize how much personality they have! One capybara flipped over to let us rub its stomach, and we saw another one belly flop into the pool. After getting lunch and walking around the street, many of us went to Yuguang Island to catch the sunset! The beach and the night market next to it were so lively because of the upcoming Mid Autumn Festival, it was cool to see families and people of all ages coming to this beach to have fun! The sunset ended up being incredibly beautiful, and the water was the warmest ocean I’ve ever been in. After dark, we saw a swarm of bats flying and diving to catch food, and then went out to eat ourselves. While walking home, we passed a very lively block party for a local community which consisted of singing, dancing, and a raffle! At the end of the night, we all went home very full and very happy.

The first half of our last week in Taiwan has been so full of exciting experiences. Compared to our first week here, I now know how to make the most out of my time here and seek out things that I want to experience! I can’t believe it’s almost time to go, but I know that these last few days will be unforgettable!