Taiwan - Dec.3-4, 2011 (Tainan)

A quick week-long trip to give three lectures in Taiwan. Came with my mom and we'll spend some time with family... There's a lot of eating to do in a short period of time.

One day of resting up then down to Tainan in southern Taiwan. High speed train from Taipei gets us there in under two hours. Lunch with cousins on the estuary, where there are acres of oyster beds (alas, not in season). The seafood is all fresh caught: One "orders" by going to the back of the place where you select from the daily catch.

Below: steamed shrimp and striped venus clams (海瓜子) sauteed with basil. Next one shows squid, blanched, never had anything so fresh. Very simple,no embellishment, just dip in salt & pepper mix. You can also get a peek of the seafood noodles ...



Next we have snails, "Wu-Gao" fish (named after Mr. Wu and Mr. Gao, who bred it in a rice paddy)--very delicate--and steamed crab (needs no explanation):



There was also an incredible fish soup, made with the belly of Tainan's most special fish, the xinmu fish. The belly is the fattiest and least bony (think tuna toro sushi). Many other dishes, too numerous to post. Left: A fter lunch: Ma with cousin Hsiao Chin and Monica. Oyster farm in background.






Next we went to a spot on the estuary where the black-faced spoonbill birds come every winter. The birds migrate from the Korean peninsula and Chinese mainland. I learned that there are spoonbills on every continent save for North America. At the viewing station, they are hard to see, rather far away (can you find them in the right photo??); the photo below is from the video monitor. I have no idea if it is a live cam or what. Also saw lots of heron and egret in the area, but these spoonbills are larger than a heron.