Yummy Tomatoes

Today we left Meifeng farm. It was really beautiful here and I wish that my college had an area like this for students to go and do their studies. I hope the NTU students realize and cherish what they have. Breakfast was good today. Jack and the volunteer NTU students were kind enough to buy all the American students some oatmeal and bread because the breakfast here is very different. I really appreciated it and I can't express how wonderful the whole staff has been this whole trip so far. I couldn't have asked for anything better :)
Our first stop we arrived at Chuenysang sub-farm  where we picked our own tomatoes. They were so delicious! There was a red and orange grape sized variety and we each filled our own little carton full of them to take with us. Although I wasn't sure what type of tomatoes these were, I did learn that they were resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus. This virus (as I recall from plant pathology lab)  is typically spread by growers who smoke and the residue on their hands (the tobacco) is able to infect the plant. It is called TMV because it leaves a mosaic pattern on the surface of tomato leafs and is systemic. I also noticed that in the greenhouses they have these little yellow tapes to trap insects on as a method of keeping pests away.
Once again we were not able to see one of Taiwan's  aboriginal tribe particularly the Wangxiang tribe this time due to concern of bad weather. However we had dinner at a local aboriginal restaurant. Jack mentioned that this particular tribe (sorry I cannot remember which tribe) only has about 600 people left in Taiwan, so being able to see someone of aboriginal descent was very rare. Dinner was okay. It was good and beautiful, but I think at this point in the trip I really want some of my mom's homemade food. I am getting home food sick. At the end the tribe even put on a little performance for us.

After lunch we walked to Sun Moon Lake. This place is especially visited by alot of Chinese tourists because it is rare to be able to come to Taiwan due to the political tension. Tracey mentioned that when growing up they learn of this place in their textbooks so its a very popular place to visit. It is also home to the very first hydro-electrical dam in the area. Today was a bit hotter like the city, so after our guided tour I purchased some chocolate and whiskey ice cream. I thought it was very good, but I wasn't really my normal self because I wasn't feeling too well at the time.

Lalu Island- it is so small no one can travel to it anymore

Tonight we arrived at the Shueili Wood Utilization Center. Every place we have stayed at has been beautiful, including this one too. I really like the art in this room, especially the furniture. Down on the first floor we then  learned how to put together a "Luban lock". Ha, at first I'm puzzled on how to put this thing together and just when I thought I had figured it out, the manager Jason Chuang would come by and have to help me again :) We even had a contest to see who could put it together the fastest. Unfortunately I wasn't even close to winning but Corrine made it to the finals :)

The bed isn't very soft :(

Yay I did it!