Day: May 28, 2023

05/28/2023

We left Taipei this morning and spent most of the day on the bus. It was such a relaxing day where we shared quality conversations and played road trip games. At the beginning of our drive, Professor Deon and I reflected on the things we learned over the past few days with a focus on the aquaponic farm. There were so many interesting things about organic farming and sustainable aquaponic systems that stood out to us, but a lot of the experience continued to spur more questions about applications and upscaling these systems. We reflected on possible research project ideas about establishing aquaponics around the world, one being a comparative analysis between eco-tourism aquaponics (those that a sustainable but also generate more profit from visitors) vs self-sufficient, non-ecotourist aquaponics (possibly in European locations like the Netherlands). 

We had one quick restroom stop before noon which gave us some time to stretch our legs. We found this small outdoor arcade with claw machines and a little trolley for babies. I really wanted a ride so I popped in 30 yuan and rode the little 30 feet circle. Unfortunately, I had to get off mid-ride because I found out I weighed a little more than capacity (the weight limit was 75 pounds). After gambling away the rest of my change to the claw machines, we hopped back on the bus.

By lunchtime, we arrived at the performance arts center. The main activity of our day was watching the Legacy Dance. Jay and I, through our genius minds and sneakiness, managed to snag some open seats in a better viewing location. Despite the slow start of the show (mostly because of the lack of music and sound), I really enjoyed the dance routines and symbolic elements of the performance. My favorite part was the second part which showcased the immigration across the seas from China to Taiwan.  I found it extremely impressive how the central figure held a large sheet that represented the ocean but was fighting back against the downward pulls of the other performers, all while being held up by two others. 

Overall, the day on the bus was great for building relationships with each other and we saw lots of beautiful scenery from farmland to forests to unique hillsides. To top it all off, our travel agent, Jesse, gave each of us gifts.

~Cael Cosby

5/27/23

Another beautifully packed day (let’s pretend I’m not writing this the day after)! Today we went to the Tamsui organic farm, which is one of Tse-Xin’s farms. It was a gorgeous (read: hot) day to see the terraced rows and greenhouses at the farm. On the walk, we learned about the volcanic rock that is a building block for the terraces, walls and homes in Nanshipu. The farm itself was relatively small but was still home to many different interesting trees and crops. We saw cinnamon, lychee, and grape trees as well as loofah and gourd plants. There were also many yummy vegetables that were almost ready to be harvested such as cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants. One of my favorite parts of the day, during a tour of the farm, was getting to see their bee hives. They taught us about the relationships and structures that honey bees create in their hives and then showed us examples of each type of bee in real life. We even got to try the honey and hold the comb!

Our visit was not only to see the functions of the organic farm (which was less of working farm and more of a learning farm) but also to do some exciting activities related to the food that was grown there. We got to be creative with shaping rice dough surrounding sweet red bean paste, which was later steamed. We also created tie-dye handkerchiefs using turmeric dye. While these activities were a blast, the best part of the visit hands down was lunch. We were given bento boxes full of different forms of rice, tofu and vegetables along with a passion fruit drink and a fruity dessert. This was certainly the most delicious meal I had for all of the trip so far (and I’ve had some very good food). There were words of approval around the whole room and we all left stuffed.

In the afternoon, we visited The National Palace Museum to see ancient Chinese artifacts that used to reside in the emperor’s palace. It had a vast collection of artifacts from Taiwan’s history that accumulated when Chiang Kai-Shek fled mainland China with his defeated Nationalist party in the late 1940s. They miraculously transported treasures all the way from the Imperial Palace, through warzones, across the sea, and to Taiwan. This feat is an incredible demonstration of cultural preservation, which differs from Western ideologies that may sacrifice culture for individuals. We observed and appreciated historic pottery, paintings, tapestries, jewelry, porcelain books, jade, bronze, and more.

We finished the day with a trip to Jiu Fen street (where the idea for the streets in Spirited Away came from!!). And collectively, we left with many yummy treats and trinkets.

5/28/2023

Heyo! Today was a stark contrast from what we have been doing and its been quite nice to take a step back and hop on the bus to travel. So welcome to my channel and make sure you like and subscribe. As a side note I will say that I have coordinated with Ian and Cael for tonight to provide you with a different type of lens to our journeys to become the legendary farming masters.

Alright so here comes the recap: this morning we woke up around 8am and packed our bags to travel out of Taipei and down into the South. We saw a couple cool landscapes and played interesting travel games. It was also nice to finally have a time where we could talk to our professors about our projects as well as reflect on the things we have learned. I will say however, I tried to win a Snorlax Plushie from a claw game in a rest stop and was unable to. I left defeated and bitter, and one day I will return to avenge my loss.

However, our star destination was the Legacy Dance that we saw in the afternoon depicting the rise of Taiwan. It was an absolutely incredible show and it was made even better since Cael and I managed to sneak downstairs into the primetime opera seats right before the performance began and basically felt like VIP while watching. 10/10 would recommend. It was a lot more impactful and powerful than I initially thought it would be. Here is a picture of Cael and I’s imitation audition photo to one day be a part of the stage lifting squad.

Then we hopped on the bus for some more traveling to our hotel. Along the way, I, the championship level word analyst, stumped many of my fellow scholars on the bus in an intense game of Connect. I was invincible for a while, but Nancy swooped in and absolutely demolished all of the momentum I had built. I was quite surprised at her raw vocabulary talent, you for sure want her on your Scrabble team. Definitely a well-rounded, lottery pick with hall of fame upside.

Then Dinner was at cool local place that served us fresh food. I was quite surprised however, when they served us an entire cooked chicken with the head still attached. Usually, back at home, I love my Costco Rotisserie chicken, but this one was even fresher. However, it was “Egg-Cellent” just like the rest of the food. Then we arrived at the hotel where I am writing this blog.

My English teacher in high school has taught me the significant impact that ending on a quote can bring to an essay. So here is a quote from great street philosopher Jay Z that describes our trip today:

“They ain’t see me today cause I pulled up in my other Benz. But Last week I was in my other, other Benz”

-Jay Chung

-And They lived Happily Ever After-

As the scarlet ribbons danced to the frenzy of gongs and flutes, I was taken aback by the similarities between a 20th century Taiwanese modern dance piece and many nationalist Chinese fanfares in the 21st century. Yet, despite similar appearances, the different labels made the swelling sensation seem unique to me. Food for thought as I walked out from the performance.

The long bus ride along the highways meant endless mountain landscapes flowing past. Professor Zhou had brought to our attention the lack of agriculture on those mountains, which, though as a Taiwanese person I often see uncultiated mountains along the highway, I had never thought about why. Professor Deon had suggested rain shadow area, easily erodable soil structure, amongst couple other explanation. I’m reminded that my mother once told me that we rely on flat land at the foot of mountains to farm so we can catch the rain flowing down the mountains. Perhaps there is a fundamental quality about the mountains beside highways that make them less suitable for agriculture, and perhaps I would like to look into that.

Earlier, Professor Su had also called our smaller research group, including Sophie and myself, to discuss the information about land rights we have learned. We discussed whether the fragmentation of land ownership was an aide to big construction companies or an aid in cultivating the creative land use of the people. Importantly, Professor Su made me aware that government subsidies ensure the subsidized work in a more fail-safe way only when the subsidized still carry the majority of investment pressure. However, I feel that a better evaluation system in the government that can identify investments with potential would mean a more flexible, and more powerful subsidizing scheme.

– Ian Ho 5/28/2023