We missed Mazu returning - 15 April

We've started to get the feeling that we have been camping for too long. The sum total of our furniture at the moment is a bed (with a mozzie net tent), a "cupboard", some bedside tables, a small table, 2 cheap chairs, one of which I broke by rocking back and a plastic stool. So with our first pay check we decided to get a couch, at least when we get home we can flop into something comfy that isn't a bed.

Our kitsch DIY cupboard

Mazu returned to DaJia on a Tuesday which was a normal school day for the rest of the country, but because the traffic in the areas is restricted in the area (DaJia becomes a pedestrian town), schools are closed. This means we get the day off...but we have to make it up the preceding and following Saturdays! It's unbelievable for us. In South Africa we would just shrug and skip a day of school, not here!

We did have a little bit of work in the afternoon, some training in Taichung, so we decided to make a trip to Ikea, in the morning before the training. We've heard some scornful comments about Ikea, but we quite enjoyed being able to get everything you need in one place, and then to have it delivered and assembled (if you want).

We set a budget to spend but the main thing we wanted to buy was a sleeper couch, then we have a place for you to sleep when you all come visit! I had seen a cheap one on the Ikea website which turned out not to be too comfy. We settled for one which was still in the budget for the day, but was the entire budget. You can see it below, and it is very comfy to sit on, we haven't slept on it yet. Unfortunately Ikea only delivers to DaJia on Fridays so we had to wait a while for our comfort.

Our new sleeper couch

After training we went to get some Korean style fried dumplings and then took a taxi to a mall where we watched Captain America 3D in IMAX! Very cool, we will try to make it a monthly exercise. 

We were a little disappointed to miss the fanfare and free food for Mazu's return, but at the same time it was nice to have a day out. When we got off the train in DaJia the air was thick with smoke from fireworks and the streets were strewn with litter. Perhaps it was good that we weren't there.

Our mozzie net tent

Mazu leaves DaJia - 6 April

One of the Chinese teachers, Jenny, who is originally from DaJia invited us to walk around DaJia during the Mazu festival. We were treated to thousands of people lining up for free food and many interesting sights, sounds, smells and tastes.

A food tent erected in the street to feed the hungry hoards

From left: Michelle, George, myself and Jenny having a free vegetarian lunch

Not having had enough rice and noodles we went to an even bigger tent where the rest of the hoard was eating.

A massive food tent

Apparently when Mazu leaves DaJia the free food is vegetarian, but when she returns it includes meat.
We then met up with some of Jenny's family who showed us a shortcut into the Mazu temple. It was milling with hundreds of people and smelled strongly of incense, so strongly that my eyes were watering and I had an occasional sneezing fit. We thought we may as well go the whole hog, so we lit a bunch of incense sticks. Jenny told us to put three here and there in the proper order. It was very interesting and the architecture was amazing. Very intricate and beautiful.

Inside the Mazu temple, lighting incence

Inside the temple at one of the shrines

One of the shrines outside the temple, and the thousands of people

Intricate artwork

I must admit that while it was interesting I was happy to get out for the sake of my eyes and throat!

These are our new pieces of heaven, they are crispy sweet potato balls. Very yummy

We walked around looking at the foods and other items available for sale. It was pretty, thirsty and hungry work. We bought some of the sweet potato balls above to share with Jenny and George, but George appeared not to like them! We were pretty surprised. Perhaps we have different taste to many western people. Renalda and I are pretty open to trying new things, good when you are in a new country and don't know what it is that you are pointing at. If it tastes good it's all good!

These cyclists will follow Mazu from Dajia South and return with her in 2 weeks

We got to see a few of these dragons whirling around

And I've been corrected that this is a Buddha 

Renalda really wanted to talk to the Buddha

I couldn't resist getting a pic with a black Buddha who has white arms ;)

Another dragon

We then walked around a bit more, got some free supper and some watermelon, before calling it a night. On the way home we saw this game. It's gambling, you buy a bunch of rings and try to throw the rings onto the bottles, if you do you win that bottle. Not unlike horseshoe throwing games or some of the fun fair games we see on American movies.

Throw to win

It was a good, but tiring day.