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.
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