Day 5 and 6 of Taiwan Trip

Day 5 of our Taiwan trip started with a morning visit to big famous bookstore in Taipei City. The bookstore is renowned for its stationeries and trinkets which children like to use. Many of us left with some items purchased as gifts for friends back home.  

After a good lunch, we proceeded to Nangang Elementary School for our final game of this tour. Nangang were indeed famous and fearsome opponents. There were Taiwan National Champions in 2012 and they have a special basketball curriculum to train their players. We were severely outmatched but the coach was gracious enough to play his B and C teams to give us the experience and exposure we needed.

Our boys and girls played their hearts out and impressed the teachers and parents too. We could see the rapid progress they had made since Day 1 of the trip.

One of the highlights of the trip was also seeing our P2 player Chong Weng Kee scoring 2 consecutive free throws to earn himself his first 2 baskets. Weng Kee had been fouled while attempting a shot and he was sent to the free thrown line by the referee. You would feel the tension in the air as we watched with bated breath when Weng Kee composed himself for the free throws. We cheered when he scored the first and when he made the second shot as well, pandemonium erupted in the stands. Weng Kee himself threw his arms up and shouted in delight.

 A photo with the principal, coach and teachers of Nangang Elementary.

 The principal of Nangang Elementary, Mr Liu Lin-Jung, came down specially from a meeting to meet us.

 Mr Liu then proceeded to give us a wonderful tour of his school. Nangang has a vast campus with its own basement heated swimming pool. We bade a fond farewell after the tour.

 After our game at Nangang, the team had a quick shower before heading out to walk around some of the famous night markets in Taipei.

We ended the night at Ximending, a popular tourist and local nightspot filled with eateries and shops. We proceeded to the famous Ah Zong Mian Xian (Rice Vermicelli in Superior Stock), a must eat in Taiwan!

 Jonathan's father, Bob, generously bought a bowl for everybody to try. Here Jonathan is competing with his father to see who can eat more! (It was really delicious!)

 Our happy team and their bowls of Ah Zong Mian Xian.

After a day of games and shopping, our girls were just happy to sit and rest their legs. 

Our last day in Taiwan and the morning was largely spent packing before we headed to the airport. 

 Our boys posing with our amiable and funny guide, Ah Bu. He was warm and caring and took care of us very well throughout the 6 days he spent with us.

Good bye Taiwan! Hopefully we shall return in the future!

Day 4 of Taiwan Trip

Day 4 of our Taiwan Trip consisted of a more relaxing schedule for the team. It was Sunday in Taiwan and it was a day of rest and relaxation for all of us. The team started the day with a hearty breakfast and even had time to spend some moments relaxing at the Bei Guan Farm Resort playgroung while waiting for our guide to take us on a tour of the farm.

Our guide actively engaging our students with his knowledge of the flora and fauna around the farm.

The team had a chance to pluck and sample some of the citrus fruits growing in the orchard. The fruits could be eaten on the spot because they are organically grown and no pesticides were used in the process. The team had a chance to sample different varieties of Kumquats and Oranges. Some were really sour!

What is a farm without some goats? Other then goats, we spotted rabbits, tortoises, chickens and turkeys.

 At the lunch pitstop, the students had a chance to try some local ice-cream. 

We then proceeded to Jiufen, a famous old mining town located in the hills surrounding Taipei city. This popular tourist location is known for its narrow streets filled with good eats, tea and souvenirs. The girls here spotted the kumquats they had plucked earlier that morning. The kumquats were made into a sweetened drink and the girls were eager to taste it. We were caught in a slight downpour, so snapping photos was difficult.

 After braving the cold and rain at Jiufen we settled for a warm and cosy dinner upon reaching Taipei City.

Back in the hotel, we threw a small surprise party for Ethel, Heather and Chloe whose birthdays were all in the month of November.

Day 3 of Taiwan Trip

Day 3 began with breakfast at the Tian Long Spa Hotel. After breakfast our basketball team decided to head up to the hot spring spa located on the 8th floor of the hotel. (They had to take a mandatory 2 hour break before entering the spa as it was not advisable to take a dip after eating a meal.)

 Our boys showing us the lovely spa.

 The water was a nice and warm 41 degrees celcius. Just nice to soothe the team's aching muscles from the previous day's game. 

 Dipping pools aside there were many interesting spa amenities the team got to try. There were mist spraying jets, jacuzzi bubbles, massage chairs, waterfall showers...etc etc. 

 After the hot spa, the team was refreshed and ready to head for their match of the day. Before that of course, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant. We hear the boys have a raging appetite at each meal. 

 The girls, chilling and relaxing before the game later.

 The team having their pictures taken at Yilan Long Tan Elementary school. 

 As it was a Saturday, and we had arrived slightly early, we had to wait for the Taiwan teachers to open the school hall and gather their students for the game. 

 The Long Tan school team was also dressed in white. They are posing on the left. 

 We fielded a mix team for the game. The team played better than the previous day as they got over their nerves of playing in a match. Though we lost eventually, the teachers and parents were glad to see the improvements made on the courts. Here the team is pictured setting up their defence. 

After the students had completed their game, we had time for a quick game between the older boys of the school and the teachers. It was an exciting affair as youth and speed went up against experience and physique (fatter bodies). Eventually youth and speed got the better of our tired old legs. 

 After Long Tan elementary, we took a leisurely drive to Bei Guan Farm Resort. Here you see the spacious room assigned to Weng Kee, Jonathan, Tze Kang and Mr Ng. We would use this room later for debriefs. 

 At the Bei Guan farm resort we were given a delightful meal of local produce, fish and wild boar meat; freshly caught in the foothills behind the resort. After dinner, we proceeded to learn how to make lanterns.  

 When the lanterns are complete, you can write your dreams, hopes and wishes on them. Nicole is pictured writing her hopes and wishes. I wish she will be a better basketballer!

 Yan Yee is writing her wishes neatly. She makes sure they can be read!

 My wishes for my family and I. 

 Some of our students had very sweet wishes and hopes. 

 Our boys, wishing and hoping to be better basketball players and wanting to trash every team they meet!

 Mr Cha, writing his wishes as well. 

 Our kids posing with their lantern. The young lady in stripes, Sarah, is Jonathan's older sister. We're glad Bob, Jon's father, and her made it after some delay at Changi Airport. 

 When the lanterns are complete, a wire frame is placed at the bottom and a piece of fabric soaked in kerosene is attached in the middle of the frame. When the fabric is lit, the flame heats the air in the lantern and causes it to float upwards and away. A truly memorable activity for both the young and the old. 

 Thanks to Nicole and Yan Yee who gleefully decorated my side of our lantern.

 As our hopes and dreams flew up in the sky to be answered, we then proceeded to learn how to make a Taiwanese delicacy - "Muah Chee". 

Muah Chee is made using rice and a little water. The rice is placed in a heavy mortar. A big wooden club acts as a pestle and one must smash the pestle down hard on the rice until it turns into a big gooey lump. Thereby creating the Muah Chee. 

The Muah Chee is then placed in a crushed peanut and sugar mix to enhance its flavour. The team is digging in to the delightful delicacy they had just prepared. 

Our team members happily smashing and mushing the rice into "Muah Chee". 

We had a short debrief after the activities before turning in for the night. 

Day 2 of Taiwan Trip

We started day 2 with a good breakfast of Taiwan Porridge in the hotel restaurant. Those not accustomed to the porridge could also choose from an international selection of salad, cereals, toast, eggs, bacon and ham. We took the time to remind our basketballers to eat healthily and to make sure they had a serving of vegetable or fruits at breakfast AND a glass of water or juice to start the day well. 

After breakfast, we took a short break before heading to the nearby Jiao Xi Elementary School. The school administrators had kindly allowed us the use of their basketball courts for training purposes. We spent about 2 hours taking our ballers through various drills and movements. Though the weather was cool, it was still very sunny and we had to take frequent breaks and stay hydrated.

This was the delicious Taiwan delicacy we had after our morning training - Taiwan Beef Noodles! After lunch, we went back to the hotel to rest before our matches at 330pm.

 We reached Guang Fu Elementary at 330pm and coincidentally found that the Kranji basketball team were there on exchange as well. Here our players looked on in awe and marvelled at the size and playing ability of the Guang Fu Senior Girls team.

 NYPS Basketball team looking on at the match between Guang Fu girls and Kranji girls. Our boys and girls know that their standards are not up to par and watching a better team play will give them much exposure and inspiration.

 We took to the courts, we played our hearts out and we made new friends. Though we did not achieve any victory on the courts, there was much we accomplished with our hearts. Today, the team learnt many valuable lessons from their better peers.

A wonderful 9-course dinner to reward our hardworking and dedicated ballers who never stopped fighting till the end. The boys finished 3 tumblers of rice, it seems each of them had 3 servings of rice!

 The girls were not for behind, managing to finish one and a half tumblers of rice. You can see how big a tumbler is. Almost all had 2 servings of rice. They really played hard today!

 After dinner, we spent some time at the famous Luo Dong night market. Here you see some of our boys and girls posing in the bustling night market with one of our parents, Mrs Ang. The boys appear very happy to have a box of Tako Pachi. (even after the big dinner earlier!)

3 of our girls decided to find comfort in scoring at the local arcade after the brutal loss this afternoon. I hope they will score just as well on the court in the future.