US deck and snack bar

 

Upper School library

This is more like a professional law office than an educational unit. Books are arranged like Borders for access, feature more than normal amounts of fiction, many private study rooms, tons of computer stations and printing stations. No kid is more than 35' from a computer printer. They can take work out onto the deck and have a latte or smoothie in the snack bar while they work. The attitude school wide is to treat students as responsible young adults who have the same dignity and are deserving of the same amenities as adults. Novel concept but it works well. 

Middle School library

The middle school unit features a "soda shop bar" like place for kids to hang their legs while working on the computer. Also sofa bench seating and more high tech designs. There are quiet rooms for group study and a full faculty professional library and work room with 1st class flight lounge type furniture, artwork, workstations and ming pottery. Yeah this is what I have been used to for 30 yrs.......NOT 

k12 mandarin library

Note the trees in the atrium again. We had a wonderful opening ceremony complete with er-hu performances and dragon head parades. 

Grade 3-5 Library

HUGE blue fan lights and colored lights in all the overhead dome lights. There are small tables and computer tables build around the living trees that grow in the atrium. Giant books for kids to "play" around. Nancy and Maryanne, you would go crazy. 

The Early childhood library has so many colors and a fireplace with rocking chairs for story telling. Each library has one performance space for book reports and author presentations. 

Library Photos

TAS just opened a 3 million $ redesign and remodeling of all the school' libraries. The photo shows the new Mandarin library, the blue lights are in the Lower school, the performance area in the Middle school, and the executive looking area is the Upper School. All are setting on "computer floors" ...floors that can be taken up so any wiring configuration for computers can be accomplished.
All the libraries have floor to 4 story atria in the front and the US library has a huge outdoor deck looking out over the mountains with a snack bar for the kids. 

Pre concert Publicity

As I mentioned, TAS students were invited to sing with the National Symphony Orchestra at the National Concert Hall. This is a publicity shot for the orchestra with Maestro Kunzel in the red devil suit and me on the right with the black hat and hair. It was a great event. 

Calligrapher in Dansui

This man was a great hit for Carol and I. In the midst of chaos, here he sits and does wonderful panels in the ancient manner 

Homish

A great moon over the apartment building behind us as we are walking down the street to our apt. A great day with way too much stimulation and sensory overload. We bought some great items AND I haggled with vendors in Mandarin and got better prices. Basically all I know well are numbers because of working at the gym and counting repetitions but it paid off.


MORE LATER 

Danshui street

Just a few people having fun on a Sunday afternoon 

Rice shop Dansui

So many different kinds of rice with pretty packages. We still can not cook the local rice well so we use our old standby Basmati rice cooked the Persian way. No one complains. 

Almost time to go home

Looking at a beautiful wife with the mountain across the river. Taiwan has many many mountains. 

Beauty

And what is not to love about this little girl without her 2 front teeth? 

Bill with Squid on a stick Danshui

All mine as Carol was not interested 

Squid on a stick Dansui

Okay Jim M, this one is for you. That is my squid on the left on the grill. They lay it out beautifully, brush it with a tereyaki sauce, sprinkle it with sesame seeds and if you wish, hot pepper. Yummy

Coffee Directions

Ok so this is pretty common to have unique language combinations and spellings. Sometimes languages are mixed because, like mandarin for us, it just sounds the same sometimes. 

Carol with coffe in Danshui

We found a little cafe for coffee with great charm AND they really do make a great double double cap skinny. Doesn't she look great?
The next post will have the directions on how to make cappuccino. lease notice the way the words are put together and some of the spellings.

Cast Iron Eggs Danshui

This lady sells "Cast iron eggs". These are eggs that have been cooked for a long time in a variety of tea and herbs until they are completely shiney black on the outside with a yellowish crumbly yolk on the inside. Some are fiery while others are just uniquely flavored. They are all over Danshui and are also vacuum sealed in plastic like candy.. Truly a unique flavor. 

Hubris Danshui

Ok so the guy likes to think of himself as great...it is still tough to defend the title of " THE KING OF WONTONs. 

Danshui Sweet Potato seller

Everything that can be cooked and eaten on the street is here. This is a lady who sells charcoal roasted sweet potatos that are hanging by hooks around the stall. Notice the clay ovens on her cart. 

Dansui street market

Danshui is at the end of our MRT subway line up on the northern coast of Taiwan. The main street is like a midway carnival...if you can put it on a stick to eat, it is available. These are ladies who cook quail eggs and put them on sticks. More on this subject in the next blogs.