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 08. Free Day!

For our free day Alexa, Ai, Hanin, and I had big plans to go to a cat café at 11:30. Big plot twist, the place hit up my line three times because they had a private event most of the day and moved our reservation to 3:30, so now we had some time in the morning to shop around the Taipei 101 area. First stop was their food court because we all wanted different types of food and I got a delicious mixed salad bar situation. I really liked that there was standing tables too because it would’ve been impossible to find anywhere to sit with how bust that mall was. Other busy spaces in Seattle should try out a system like that too, I think it would work really well. After shopping around, we finally got to the cat café which was adorable for about 20 minutes until my allergies kicked in. Elden came and met up with us to go to Onitsuka Tiger where he got some fire red kicks (rip daily tabis). After the others went off to dinner Alexa and I ended the evening at the Gongguan night market where we got food from the sweetest old lady.

09. To Taichung, Chen’s Wood, Home Work Sustainable Studio

Our first stop in Taichung was Chen’s Wood, a small woodcarving shop. Their introduction to the history of the shop and the tools they set out was very interesting, I especially enjoyed hearing about the different generations that had worked in and run the shop. The wood smell was so good, I’m glad that we got to take the little bags home with us. It was even more special because we got to carve the pieces off ourselves. While our group was outside, I was looking in the window at the guy’s piece he was carving in the corner. He was so precise with every cut, I could tell how many years of practice went into his craft.

Peek through the window

The Home Work Sustainable Studio was such a beautiful place. His presentation about their zero-waste mission was fascinating; the building flip progress pictures were my personal favorite part. When he said that he was part of the team that designed our hotel I knew that we were going to be in for a treat later.

During both of those activities I felt like I really got the chase to bond with the NCKU students. After we got back a whole group of us went out for dinner and ice-cream together, and it was the perfect way to end the day.

Yay new friends!

10. National Taiwan Craft Research Institute, Bamboo Weaving

For our full day in Taichung we started by busing to the National Taiwan Craft Research Institute. I liked almost everything that I saw, but my favorite piece was the big blue dyed tapestries hanging in the bottom floor of the water exhibit building. I liked how big they were and how you could walk in between the layers because there were so many different perspectives to view them from.

My favorite piece

After a delicious lunch we headed to the bamboo weaving workshop. All their prepared bamboo was so beautiful, it almost looked fake. And the mugs and items made from bamboo were so unique too. The bamboo weaving was so fun, I really enjoyed it. It was hard to get the hang of, but once I did I was so locked in, the time started going by really fast. I totally thought after the green layer we were done, but I loved the extra challenge with the brown pieces, and I am very happy with how mine turned out.

Bamboo before being cut

I really loved Taichung, I wish we had a little bit longer to explore here. I have many places I want to see on my list, so I guess I will just have to come back another time!