Tokyo(Eat), Taipei(Train), Bali(TBD): An assault on the senses...

I completely fess up to slacking on the posts. I feel guilty here sitting by my computer uploading photos in an AC room when there is so much to explore and see out there. But I will not deprive you completely from this last week. Officially half way through training and I was really sad to say goodbye to all my incredible supervisors at Taipei Hospital at the end of the week. Next week I move to Lo Sheng Sanatorium and Hospital...definitely a new and different adventure. If you are interested at all, I am including the link to the next hospital I move to for my last 2 weeks. It actually has an intensely rich history, built by the Japanese originally created for a place to send all the Lepers. Since there was such a stigma on the disease and not much known about it these people who were sent there were completely isolated from society, cut off from the rest of Taiwan, family members, friends and life outside the confines of the sanatorium. When mandatory isolation was lifted the people who built a community there did not want to move out, intimidated by the world outside, lacking in a lot of socialization skills. Since then, there have been multiple protests, the government wants to knock the hospital down to extend the metro line through it but many people have come together to fight to keep the hospital and community running. They have a very good acupuncture and Chinese Medicine department I've heard due to the fact that many of the patients lost limbs and have chronic health issues from the leprosy. I am really looking forward to seeing how things work and meeting the doctors and patients at this new hospital.

Link #1: http://twh.hach.gov.tw/TaiwanContentE.action?id=14
Link #2 (another bloggers experience at Lo Sheng as a visitor): http://theparticipantobserverblog.blogspot.tw/2013/06/afternoon-tea-at-losheng-sanatorium.html

Wednesday June 12 was a National Holiday - Dragon Boat Festival so I met up with some friends and we went to the park to take in some of the festivities. Actually such a small world, a friend from highschool was in Taipei last weekend so thanks to the wonderful world of Facebook I was able to meet her with some of her friends for drinks. One of her friends is here for 6 months so she know's Taipei pretty well now and I was able to meet her - a friendly English speaking partner is always welcomed here ;)

Aside from a change in clinic, this past week has been full of many new adventures including an incredible traditional Hot Pot dinner, a visit to the Shillin Night Market (which I can only really explain as a total assault on the senses, not unlike the Stampede but x10 and Asian). I can't even really comment much further on it other than it is an experience that you must have if you are coming to Taipei. Food, people, clothes, electronics, and honorable mention MUST go to the $6 - 30 minute foot massage which was the most incredible massage I have ever had and she was so good at it she could tell my whole health history just by the different tension areas in my feet. Needless to say, I will be returning, maybe even daily...

Enjoy some pics!

Crazy crepes at the Dragon Boat Festival - Did not try but the line up for them was huge , have to assume they tasted as good as they looked.

Story behind this - it is a famous TCM Doctor in Taipei specializing in weight loss. It is the only billboard I have seen with a Caucasian model...thoughts...