Rocks and Fish

I can’t believe it’s already the first day of July. We haven’t really been keeping track of the date here. The days are separated by what we do. So today was Goseerocksandfishday. It’s the school week again, which in this program sometimes means that we don’t even have lectures. This was one of those days. The bus that we take for trips seats about twice as many people as are traveling. So sometimes I sit by my lonesome and others I chat with my classmates about school, where we live, and often about what music we like to listen to. Most everyone was napping in the morning, so I was left to stare out the window (I don’t fall asleep easily on transport) at Taiwan. Just at it…I don’t really remember what I saw. We took this bus to Yeliu Geology Park first.

Yeliu is one of many Chinese words that unintentionally sound like an English word.

Yeliu=Yellow

Haole=Holla

Wo men=Women

Then there are others that are purposefully named with Chinese words to sound like English.

Falolida=Florida

Kafei=Coffee

Kekekele=Coca Cola

So every time our tour guide mentioned the name of the Geology Park, all I could hear was Yellow Park. The park is very special in that in all of Taiwan, there aren’t as many geological formations so close together.

The park wasn’t that large, so compared to the other places we’ve been, it seemed to be packed with tourists. People can just walk through the rocks. No touching of course and no going past a certain red line.

My favorite were the so called Mushroom rocks. They’re sedimentary rocks that are shaped like one of my favorite food. I wouldn’t want to eat these sedimentary rocks though. The holes in the top of their head form from biological weathering (according to Kylee from Australia, a Geology major). 

Yummy mushroom rocks were scattered around the center of the park, right after candle rocks. These ones I didn’t get a chance to see. But from lectures I know that they rose up out of the ocean and get their circular shape from water erosion. They even have a wick, with also comes from water erosion exposing the central layer. Amazing what sort of shapes are created with a little wind and water.

I was definitely not able to enjoy the entire park in a mere hour and a half. But of course we’re always on a schedule. During our free exploration time I decided to hike up the only hill to get a view of the ocean. Good idea for the view, but after running back down to meet up on time I felt and looked like I had just run a marathon. Also in the race were Richard and Benjamin. I believe Benjamin would’ve won though, based on how sweaty his shirt was. 

Sorry Calvin, but I don’t think that I learned enough from the Fishery Research Institute for you to start your own backyard fish farm. The tour just gave us an overview of their research, fishing techniques, and animals they work with. This place was probably my least favorite museum, especially because of the room full of smelly preserved sea creatures, including a whale’s penis. Wrinkly.

Yum. I will eat you, Tilapia.

Then at night we made our own dumplings for dinner. I still haven’t perfected folding mine quick, so I improvised along with everyone else. There were super thick ones, flower shaped ones, and even Steven put a tomato in his.