Christmas in Taiwan
Happy New Year everyone. Thanks for tuning to a long overdue blog update.
The first news is that I am starting a new job as the Restaurant Chef for a restaurant in the ACC (The American Club in China, Taipei Chapter). The club is undergoing massive renovations of their food and beverage outlets, with new kitchens and new restaurants. I will be the chef for their biggest restaurant called Zigi's, which is meditteranean themed with an open kitchen. The Executive Chef of the ACC used to be the Executive Sous Chef for the Savoy Hotel in London. It's a very well established club in Taipei having been there for over 50 years and is much better run than the last place I was working so I have a little more faith in my job security. I will be starting my job on Jan. 22 for a two year contract - sorry guys it's keeping us in Taiwan a little longer than originally planned.
Another new development is that we've moved. We're now living in a very cool neighborhood with lots of great shopping and restaurants. The new pad is a large rooftop apartment with two patios. We're very happy with our new home. There is a beautiful view of the nearby mountains.
one of our patios
a nearby park - a river is right behind it
the view from our apartment
a ginger bread making party in our new place with some of our South African and Canadian friends....
and some of our Taiwanese friends
For Christmas some of Sandra's family came to visit us. Sandra's Uncle Arturo lives in southern Taiwan where he is a Jesuit missionary, Aunt Ligia from Toronto, and her son, Ivan, and his wife, Kate who live in Malaysia. We spent three days in Taipei with them showing them the city, then Arturo drove us in the parish van down to Tainan where we enjoyed a catholic mass in chinese on christmas eve.
Chen Kai Shek Memorial Park, Dec. 22
on the steps of Chang Kai Shek Memmorial Hall - Sandra, Me, Ivan, Kate, and Arturo
Christmas Eve at Arturo's parish
Christmas Day we went to an amazing Buddhist University. 
Christmas Day exploring the Buddist University
Ivan and Kate surrounded by a few of the 10,000 Buddha statues
The next two days Sandra's uncle drove us all around southern Taiwan, taking us to an aboriginal park, and for a very traditional Taiwanese meal in the country side. It was a very different way to spend christmas and we all loved it.
Aboriginal dancers
the ladies really enjoyed this show - men in loin cloths throwing canoes in the air.
an aboriginal village
Taiwanese instructions on what to do if your car is stopped on the train tracks
We took the train back to Taipei - Taiwan has a great network of trains all over the island so it is easy to get just about anywhere by train.
On New Year's Eve we joined the 300,000 people who flocked to see the fireworks shoot off of the tallest building in the world - Taipei 101. Luckily one of our friends lives on the top floor of an apartment very close to 101 and there was a big party of the roof.
New Years Eve with the bright city behind us
The first moments of 2007
Having had family here for Christmas was a rare treat and we're feeling a little sad and homesick since they left. On the whole we're adjusting quite well to life in Taiwan though. We're over the initial culture shock, and we're taking chinese classes which will help alot.
Well that's about it for now, sorry for being so lazy and not updating the page for so long. Keep in touch everyone and please give us some news about what's going on with you. We wish you all the best in 2007
Love Warren and Sandra
Great blog update - is that Arturo's wife in the picture of the two of them?
What's going on here - we were at friends' last night - Dick Kerbes and Evelyne Bourdreau - nature society / xc ski club friends - pot luck with nine of us followed by slides of Dick's trip to Venesuela this past summer.
Were supposed to be getting a taste of winter later this week - temperature plummetting to -25Cas a low and -21 high to start with. We've been having highs (and sometimes lows) close to zero the past several days. It'll be a shock.
Dave Horn comes into town driving a friend in for dialysis - a three-times-a-week event and Dave takes his turn driving once a week or so - procedure takes four hours at St Pauls Hosp - meanwhile Dave took Wendy and myself out for lunch at Moxy's which has recently renovated to twice its size and is now twice as noisy, in the bar anyway is where we ate so as not to have to wait for a seat in the restaurant part. Food there is still as good and still with big servings for the money.
Love, Dad. (Comment this)
Great pictures. One in particular of the two of you with the bright City lights behind you. Great life experiences that will surely influence your outlook on life! Keep the pictures coming.
Aunty Gail and Uncle Laurie (Comment this)
All the best in 2007!
Anne (Comment this)
Thanks for the newsy update and great pictures! Especially the nice picture of the two of you with the New Years lights behind you. 2007 is the start of a good year for both of you!
Love Mom (Comment this)
Thanks for your comments. Actually the picture you are asking about on the train is of my mom's sister Ligia and her brother Arturo. Ligia's husband Mark stayed back in Toronto as he wasn't able to come on the trip.
Sandra ;) (Comment this)
Ivan and Kate (Comment this)