And so we set off for Yilan, the Yilan International Children’s Folklore and Folkgame Festival (or YICF) to be specific. YICF is a combination of media through which folklore and folkgame culture from all around the world is showcased; this involved dance performances, exhibitions, workshops centred around a water-play-area. The plan would be to earn our admission to YICF by helping out wherever help was needed for half the day, the ensuing merriment being all the more rewarding as a result of our toil.
Assigned to the role of first-aid helper, along with J-Lo, it soon became apparent that our services were surplus to requirement. The two nurses on post to take care of anything medical were more than capable by themselves and despite having two years of medical training and basic first aid there was still a niggling issue of me being legally covered to do bugger-all.
Having finished our day shift, those who wanted to enjoy the water-park were treated to the singular experience that can only be described as “water shooting into places you’re not expecting it to”. Imply of that what you will.
The very idea of giant waterbeds with sprinklers and hoses overhead sounds like a winner from the start.
The day concluded with a trip to Luodong night market for dinner. As most people know, the longer the queue the better the food; therefore, the decision to queue for the busiest food stall (lamb stewed with Chinese medicine) and the busiest dessert eatery left about 10 minutes free time to look around before the bus would be back for boarding.
Here at the hotel I’m finishing this blog to the sound of crickets (I think) and cool, hard air conditioning.
Two bunk beds and a double. Luke and I lost to Kevin and Jerome at rock, paper, scissors earlier. Shared bed it is, then.
Night.
P.S. pictures to come with future posts, faster internet permitting.
