The Wang Yeh boat burning festival occurs once every three years. Disease spreading ghosts, or Wang Yeh, are lead onto the boats by priests and mediums. The boat, sitting atop a mountain of ghost money (money burned by locals for the benefit of their dead ancestors) is then burned, sending the spirits back to their world, hopefully taking their plagues with them. This year, I believe, there was a special focus on H1N1 (the Swine Flu).
Asia
Crocodile King Exotic Mutant Animal Farm
A photo essay I shot on a trip to the Madou Crocodile King farm, a small private zoo in Tainan County, Taiwan, that features various exotic and mutated animals and one gigantic crocodile. The crocodile, stuck in a tiny pen for several years, has become extremely fat. Seriously. The largest crocodile ever recorded was 8.6 m long and weighed 1,350 kg. This croc, according to the sign, was 5.2 m long and 1250 kg, which puts it in the running for the fattest croc in the world. It’s so fat and slow that you can walk up behind it and sit on it. We did. Check it out.
The Kenting Aquarium
A short photo essay that I shot on a trip to the the world renowned National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium in Pingtung County, Southern Taiwan. Unfortunately, the light in the aquarium is very low, and flash photography is prohibited, so was a tough shoot, but I got some good pretty good pictures including some manta rays, penguins, and a massive whale shark.
Get Your B.A., M.A. or Ph.D. for (almost) Free in Taiwan | Transitions Abroad
The government and universities in Taiwan are actively trying to promote their educational system abroad by offering generous scholarships to foreigners. This article discusses the scholarships and how to apply for them..
Teaching English in Taiwan: Vital Information
Many questions arise when you are preparing to go teach English in Taiwan. What if I can’t find a job? Can I find one before I go? Will I need an English teaching certificate? If so, which is better, TOEFL or TESL? Where is the best place to live? Here’s what you need to know.
Tonight I Ran Under a Crescent Moon
Xpat Magazine Winter, 2008
Tonight I ran beneath a crescent moon, thick like a section of orange, the color of lightning, surrounded by inky night speckled sparsely with stars. Golden Beach is the best place to run in Tainan. It’s relatively close to town and there’s rarely anybody on it at night.
The Tale of the Exploding Whale
Xpat Magazine September, 2006
On Jan. 29, 2004, the largest whale ever recorded in Taiwan exploded on a busy Tainan city street drenching cars, storefronts, and bystanders with rotten blood and entrails. It was awesome.