Safety First

There's been a lot of buzz lately over the Bia watch on Kickstarter.  If you haven't heard about it, go check it out here --> Bia

I love that it's a super thin and lightwatch GPS watch for sports.  My favorite part however, is the safety alert function.  Granted, I don't know how well this function will work yet since the project hasn't been officially kickstarted, but just knowing that there is a safety alert function brings me great joy.  The idea is you can alert loved ones and/or emergency responders should an emergency occur.  As a female, who often runs alone early in the mornings and late in the evenings, this gives me a lot of peace of mind.  Although I personally have not had any bad experiences, nor know anyone close to me who has, it's still always in the back of my head to be alert.

Even if this watch doesn't take off or if you don't end up getting one, here are some ideas to help make running solo a little safer:

1. Be aware - don't tune out the world.  Be aware of your surroundings and the people you pass.

2. Be visible - this means wearing reflective clothing, bright colors, and making eye contact with people so you know they see you.

3. If you must run alone, let others know your plan - where you plan on running, how far you plan on running, your estimated time of return.

4. Always carry ID on you, either in the form of an actual license, road ID bracelet or shoe tag, or maybe a cell phone with an ICE (in case of emergency) number on the main screen.

5.  Turn down the music - I'm not one to say you shouldn't run with music, as I most certainly do.  However, I make sure my music is down low enough where I can still hear it, but I can also hear footsteps behind me.

6. Trust your instincts - if you have a gut reaction towards a person or an area you're running in, there's nothing wrong with high tailing it out of there.

(disclaimer - I'm not affiliated with Bia or any Bia personnel in any way shape or form.  I just think their product and idea is way cool and hope to see the watch get funded.)

Run Run Run

Week 1 of marathon training has officially started.  Reality is setting in that I signed up for races, and I need to adequately train so I don't 1. kill myself during the race, 2. waste money, and 3. get picked up by the bus because I can't finish within the allotted time (really praying this doesn't happen to me).

Running with my Nike+ iPhone app, I've been more conscientious about maintaining a nice slow easy pace.  I used to just go out and run, only to feel completely winded by 1.5 miles.  Pacing myself has allowed me to finish the distances set out in my training plan. 

week total: 6.17M
M: 3M/32:21/10'59"
T: 3.17M/33:51/10'40"

Days until:
Giants:  67
NWM: 95

India Photo Blog

Parathas, Sangeet and a Mehndi Party.. Oh My

Adi and Nitasha's aunt graciously invited us over to lunch at their farm house, which is so called because the lands there used to be farms.  The spread of food was delicious and way more than abundant.  We had our full of chicken biryani, parathas and rice pudding.  There were so many different types of parathas, and as each one came out, she insisted we try the new one.  Poor Kevin had already eaten a full serving of potato paratha when the cauliflower one came out.  So of course he ate two more.  Then the radish one came out, and so he had to try that one too.  By the end of the meal, I think he had undone his entire belt.

After a food coma induced nap, Aradhana's driver dropped me off at the parlor, where I was to have my sari tied and pinned.  I have yet to learn how to tie a sari on, thankfully there's youtube (seriously).  After some skillful pinning and Kevin donning his kurta, we headed out to the Hyatt where the Sangeet was being held.  Usually, only women are allowed at the sangeet, but in this case, everyone was invited.  The main purpose of the sangeet is for the family and friends to perform for the bride and groom.  In this case, Rustam and Shweta also exchanged rings, so we first watched that ceremony and waited for the family to take family portraits.  We then watched Shweta's friends and family perform dances and songs, and then finally we watched Rustam's friends and family perform.  After the performances, it was party time, and we stayed at the Hyatt until they kicked us out... around 2am.

Waking up rather late the next day, I was fed another amazing traditional Indian breakfast.  Aradhana had been kind enough to make us something traditional and different every morning so we can truly get a taste of authentic Indian food.  Following breakfast, Aradhana and I headed back to Rustam's house to the Mehndi party, where I got henna done on my hands.  Because Rustam's cousin in law is Shahrukh Khan, there were photographers (paparazzi) at every event, and Adi and I both had pictures in the Times of India!  Granted, no one knew who the heck I was, probably wondering who this random Asian girl is, but oh well!

New Delhi

New Delhi.  With a city that has so much culture and history, it's not uncommon to see a new modern glass building sitting right next to a tomb built in the 1700s.  For our second full day in India, Aradhana and Adi had arranged for their cousin Nitasha to take us around sightseeing.

Our first stop was at Dilli Haat, which is a food and crafts market with stalls representing each state of India.  The different states of India are all culturally different, so Dilli Haat was built to showcase the different crafts and food that can be found in India.  We picked up some souvenirs, although Aradhana wouldn't let us buy any pashminas because you never know if it's real or not.  We were definitely fortunate to have been traveling with locals who were able to haggle for us in Hindi - I'm sure we would've paid 10x more if we tried to haggle on our own.

 

(1. decorative hangings, 2. big cow at the front of Dilli Haat, 3. various clothing, 4. bangles, 5. kevin and I in front of colorful cloths)

Our first tomb on our tour of New Delhi was the Safdarjung Tomb which was built in 1754.  (We were actually looking for Humayun's tomb but got lost, oh well!)  The Safdarjung tomb is said to represent the last phase of Mughal style of architecture.  Nestled in the busy streets of Delhi, it is surrounded by a beautiful garden, and apparently at the very top of the tomb is the Archeological Survey of India.  

We then headed over to the Delhi Gymkhana for lunch.  It is one of the oldest clubs in India, and the membership is so selective that the wait list can be 20-30 years.  The club is primarily a sports facility, but they also have restaurants and food stalls in the courtyard.  We were told we weren't allowed in the club at all, but could sit in the courtyard to eat because Kevin didn't have on proper shoes nor a collared shirt.  There were several food stalls outside, including Chinese, BBQ, Thai and even hot dogs.  There are also a couple of stalls for ice cream.  The ice cream in India is surprisingly different from what we have in the States.  It is so much creamier and definitely a lot richer.  Probably because they don't use pasteurized milk.  

Following lunch, we headed over to the government district of town, where we saw the President's house along with some congressional buildings.  On one end of this main strip is the President's house, and on the other is India Gate.  It reminded me a lot of the DC Mall, with two significant buildings/monuments at opposite ends of each other.  This area of town is supposedly one of the most prestigious and sought after areas to live in.  A lot of the property in here is government owned and is lent to you if you hold a high government position.  India Gate itself is a monument to all those who fought for India.  At first, it was built for those who lost their lives during WWI, but after India's independence from British rule, it is now also a monument to the Unknown Soldiers.  There are also three flags present to represent the different armed forces:  army, air force and navy.  

We eventually found our way to Humayan's tomb, which was built by Humayan's wife for him in the 1500s.  It was the first tomb to use red sand stone and marble, and it is said that the Taj Mahal was greatly influenced by its design.  This tomb was absolutely gorgeous, although by this time, we were trying extremely hard to appreciate it as it was hot, humid, and we were all tired from the heat.  The main chamber housed Humayan's cenotaph and was serene and quiet (unlike in the Taj).  The tomb also shows a strong Islamic influence in its architecture, even down to his cenotaph, where his head is placed facing north, and his face is turned sideways to face Mecca.

 

(1.  door at Safdarjung's tomb, 2. Humayan's tomb, 3. details at Humayan's tomb, 4. at India Gate, 5. Safdarjung's tomb, 5. gate outside President's house)

Following a much needed nap, we then headed back to Rustam's house for another wedding festivity.  I'm not too sure what the significance of this night was, but there was a lot of singing and performances from friends and family. 

New Delhi - New travels

When our friend Adi invited us to India to attend his best friend's wedding, we jumped at the chance.  India? a place I had never traveled to but always wanted to?  With locals?  Staying with locals?  Seriously, where do I sign up? 

After a long day of traveling and some crazy India driving, we finally arrived at Aradhana's house, where she had graciously prepared a late dinner of mutton and curd (or as we say it, lamb and yogurt).  Much much much better than the beans and chickpea a la American Airlines dinner.  

Immediately upon arriving in India, it became very evident that there is a huge distinction between those that have no money and those that have even just some money.  Those that do typically have live in help, along with hired drivers.  Those from extremely wealthy families can have upwards of 10-20 servants living in their homes.  

For our first full day in New Delhi, Adi and Aradhana took us clothes shopping.  I picked up a beautiful blue saree (which I still have no idea how to tie - YouTube?) and Kevin picked up a navy kurta.  The sheer amount of choices at the saree store is overwhelming - kind of reminds me of wedding dress shopping.  

 

After a jetlag induced nap, Adi invited us to the Puja, which is a prayer ceremony that happens a couple of days before the wedding.  It is supposed to invoke the wedding Gods and is done on an auspicious day.  Because it is a religious ceremony, there is no alcohol allowed in the house, even after the ceremony is done.  So what did they do?  They had a car bar (literally.. in the trunk of a car), out in the courtyard, past the property line.  Probably the most amazing thing were the dhol drummers.  Loud, but amazing.  It was really fun to see everyone get really into dancing.  There is just something about cultures centered around drums and beats (e.g. they can actually dance).

Some interesting things I noticed about India:  rather than saying "my neighborhood" (or as Kevin says, "my hood"), they say "my colony."  And rather than being 13 hours ahead, New Delhi is 13.5 hours ahead.  Yup, there is an extra half an hour added in.  Definitely threw me off for a day or two.

Ilha Formosa

When the Portuguese saw the island of Taiwan in 1544, they named it "Ilha Formosa," or "Beautiful Island."  Yesterday, my uncle took me and my cousin to several tourist spots to see the many and different beautiful things Taiwan has.

Our first stop was Yehliu Geopark which is a coastline filled with geological landscapes. Admission to the park is NT50, or less than $2 USD.  The park is most famous for the Queens Head, so named because it is shaped like Nefertiti's head.  The geological landscape was formed due to sea erosion, which continues to this day.  This means that through the years, the neck of the Queens Head has become thinner and the park rangers are worried that in a few years, the Queens Head may break off.  I am definitely glad I was given the opportunity to see the real thing before that happens! 

Due to the fragility of the Queen's Head, the park made a replica of the head that is near the entrance of the park.  Here is my uncle and cousin with the replica, along with the entrance sign and a sign explaining the Queen's Head.

Here we are with the actual Queen's Head.  Unfortunately, due to the time of the year, there were just way too many people around so I could never get just a shot of the Queen's Head.  When my brother and my dad went last year, they were able to get great photos of the Queen's Head without anyone in the background.  C'est la vie.

Here's the line JUST to take a picture with the Queen's Head.  Ridiculous.

Us with other interesting rock formations.

After Yehliu, my uncle then drove us to San Zhi, which is famous for its water wheels.  One of the most impressive is one made entirely of wood and uses the water from the nearby river.  

Near San Zhi is one of the most interesting things I have ever seen.  There is a temple not too far up the mountain that is almost entirely covered with seashells.  In Mandarin, it is called "Pei Khe Miao."  Pei Khe being seashell and Miao being temple.  So literally, Seashell Temple.  It is customary for people during the first 15 days of the new year to go to the temples nearly every day to pray.  Usually, temples, even the Seashell Temple is relatively empty, save for a few devout worshipers.  We probably chose one of the worst times of the year to visit a temple.  The amount of people there was simply incredible, and we had to park maybe a quarter of the mile away.  The main hall of the temple is like any other Buddhist temple in terms of layout.  However, this particular temple also has a small tunnel that goes through the back and is filled with smaller deities, wishing ponds and of course, seashells.

In all the times I come back to Taiwan (which is quite a lot, considering I come back every 1-2 years), I had never been to the above places.  It was so interesting to see all the amazing things Taiwan has to offer.  I can't wait for my next trip back so I can visit other spots!

Upon returning home, we had some birthday cake for my cousin, who turned 9 yesterday.  He was so happy to have been able to go out with us that he barely slept the night before.  Generally, kids in Taiwan are in school 90% of the time.  Even though classes end at a reasonable time, most end up going to "bu xi ban," or extra study hall.  These can last until 8 or 9pm at night, so for him to have the opportunity to go out and play was a rarity. 

After a much needed nap and some dinner, I went with my cousins to the world famous ShiLin night market.  I had been to the night market on several occasions, but I had never seen it this full of people.  The night market is several alleyways that are filled with shops and moveable carts, so it's not one big open space.  I literally felt like I was being herded through.  CNY is probably the worst time to go, as it is full of locals, Taiwan tourists from the middle and south, and other tourists.  My cousins and I thought we were being smart by getting there at 7:30pm (usually the later it is, the more crowded it gets).  Even then, we had to wait half an hour to park our car in the lot!

The night market is most famous for its inexpensive products - clothes, jewelry, shoes, you name it.  It is also famous for the food.  Taiwanese culture revolves around food, and the night market does not disappoint.  Within a few blocks of the night market, you can already begin to smell the assortment of good eats the night market has to offer.  Perhaps the most distinctive smell is stinky tofu - which, in my opinion, smells quite good :) You kind of just get used to it.  There are also stands that sell milk tea, something called frog jelly tea, chicken cutlets, hot cakes, chinese sausages, oyster pancakes, you name it, the night market probably has it.  Actually I take that back, I've never seen pizza at the night market.  

pictures of stinky tofu, cold noodles, hot cakes, lanterns, and the crowd:

After buying the few things I needed and getting some stinky tofu, we decided it was time to escape the crowd and head home.