We’ve seen 3 different movies on what happens at night at museums, but never once have we asked about nights at the aquarium. Well, if you are like me and have pondered such a question I can now accurately describe what happens at night at the aquarium. Taiwan’s National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, specifically.-- At least best I can, having only understood roughly 30% of all the facts my guide said over the course of 2 days.
Having loved the Taipei zoo so much because there were animals I had never even known existed there, I have been interested in going to the aquarium in Kenting, the southern tip of Taiwan for some time. However, being hard to get to I didn’t know how best to go and make the most out of a trip there. Que some very good searching on the internet and I found an event titled sleepover. Who doesn’t love a good sleepover? Mind you, the website had english translations, but translated pages don’t always make complete sense so when I applied I could’ve easily signed my life away and had no idea. Spending the night in the aquarium required ages, birthdays, passport numbers, emergency contacts, and all other manner of information on top of payment. I signed up in December for April, hoping for some good warm weather to accompany the trip to the coast.
With the event only a week away I had started to get nervous I didn’t fill out the application form correctly or miswrote my contact number. I was put at ease two days before the event when I got a call from the aquarium staff. The aquarium staff member explained the entire event, checking with me to make sure I was aware of the start time, event schedule, and what the location would provide (bedding and shower stuff would be supplied). When she finished speaking I could hear her sigh of relief having finished her spiel in English. I made a point to ask my questions in Chinese, not wanting to add more anxiety into her life, and thanked her profusely for checking my comprehension and taking the time to explain in English.
In no time at all after the informational phone call, Sean and I were on the train from Taitung to a small fishing village train station to head to the aquarium. Fangshan, a place I probably would’ve never gone otherwise, was quite bustling and their train station had sugar apple (or mountain apples if you ask some people) themed chairs and benches. I guess their main export would be sugar apples, who would’ve known.
Sean and I took a taxi to the aquarium wanting to forgo waiting for the bus in order to spend as much time as we could at the aquarium. We arrived 30 minutes before our activities started and Sean was off. He was pointing out the different fish and the fact that the sea urchins were all wearing “hats” - other shells that they had picked up and stuck to their spines. And in no time the sleepover was commencing.
We were given badges based on the location of the aquarium we would be staying in, our’s were fish themed like Nemo, and divided into different guide groups. After the informational meeting we got a small guided view of the aquarium with facts about the different species as we made our way to the far end of the building towards the bus waiting for us. To the surprise of Sean, who I kept somewhat in the dark, we took a bus to a dock and were loaded into a boat that could only be considered part submarine. I had read about it when I originally signed us up, but thought I may have translated it wrong because I’d never heard or seen such a boat. Under the captain’s wheel you climbed down the stairs and sat on benches facing windows in the hull of the boat. Once we were all sitting and started moving you could make out the coral and different fish species swimming around. I don’t normally get seasick, but to prevent the windows being blocked by the bubbles of the engine, the boat moved very slowly crashing with the small waves and rocking back and forth. Ten minutes into the ride, most of the families with young children moved to the seats available on the top of the boat instead.
Having recently gotten my scuba certification and seeing dozens of sea turtles the week before I enjoyed not feeling like I had to rush to the opposite side of the boat every time someone yelled 海龜， sea turtle. Instead, I focused on the parrot fish which are becoming one of my favorite fish.
On our way back to the aquarium following the boat ride we made a pitstop. I still don’t understand why. We went to a museum of solar and nuclear energy. They had a tour guide for our group and everything. Being a rule follower we went along with the guide for maybe 10 minutes until I finally agreed with Sean; there was no point trying to understand what the guide was telling us. I don’t have a good basis in green energy mandarin words and nor am I really interested in rehashing environmental science 101. After ditching the group, Sean and I wandered around and sat in the cafe with desalinization popsicles.
Getting back to the aquarium I assumed we would just be able to walk around at our own pace and enjoy it, but the event plans everything down to the minute. We were passed between activities going behind the scenes with the large tubs to having them turn off the lights in the exhibits and seeing the change of color based on different flashlights. I had most fun watching Sean as we moved between the different tanks. He could identify almost every fish by name. I was blown away by his ability to recall what I think were pretty rare fish and his response was “I remember all the pretty fish. If it's not pretty I don’t remember it.” But I completely agree minus the rock fish. A fish that is so ugly while also looking like a statue that it's hard to forget the obvious naming. Surprisingly the rockfish is also one of the most poisonous fish in the world.
I think by far my favorite was getting to go behind the scenes of the tanks. In the US I feel like going behind the scenes there would be roped off areas and constant reminders not to get too close. In Taiwan that was not the case. Nothing was stopping me from walking down the stairs that led into the big tank with the fish; the stairs utilized by the lucky person who scuba dived to feed the fish every day. A small part of me really would’ve loved to do that. It’d be like scuba diving, but it’d be easier to see the fish.
During the behind the scenes tour they also showed us the different tanks in which they moved the fish as they got bigger. The small clownfish looked like moving species of orange while the sharks were thin rulers slithering around a small bucket before being introduced to a tank. We even got to feed the fish in one of the tanks. I tried my best to feed the giant grouper, but the fish was so big it didn’t even seem bothered by the opportunity to get more and let the smaller fish fight over it instead.
In the tank pictures you can somewhat make out the tops of the tunnels. The shells the guide is displaying is the different sizes of shark eggs that have hatched.
At 10pm we were finally given our bedding for the night and based on a combination of luck and space assignments we were set to sleep in the big fish tunnel, the best one if you ask me. Each bedding bag came with a trash bag you spread out first then you laid the “mattress”- a thin pad, and comforter and pillow down. Sean and I spent the rest of the night pointing out the different fish swimming above us. I grew to love the way stingrays and manta rays move and always seem to be smiling.
Thankfully our tunnel didn't have the ridges of a walkway like the tunnel above
In the morning, Sean woke me up. I guess in the morning the fish are the most active. Wanting to make the best out of the time in which most of the participants were still sleeping we packed up, changed, and walked around the different exhibits. The beluga whales were fun to see. Another exhibit with a tunnel, the beluga whales came right to me and were copying my movements against the glass. I felt seen by the big whales.
The morning activity of tide pool watching wasn’t as much fun because its something Sean and I tend to do already in our own time. Nevertheless, the opportunity was unparalleled. I thoroughly enjoyed my first sleepover in Taiwan.
Other Pictures from the Aquarium:
My first sleepover wasn’t the only new thing I tried in April. April marked the first time I have gotten in a dragon boat to practice for the June Dragon Boat Festival this year. Following a Fulbright conference, we had our first Fulbright ETA boat practice including ETAs from all counties coming together. Emma, an ETA in Taichung, has a lot in common with me. Not only is she a twin (her twin sister was in Taiwan last year as well with her), but she also rowed in college! We were giddy with excitement getting in a boat together. Megan, the Fulbright TEFL Advisor that planned the practice and put together the team, had us as the stern pair - the perfect match of an ex-starboard and port rower. Despite rowing in a boat of newbies I had so much fun. It was hard to unlearn all the details of a stroke from 9 years of rowing.
We haven’t found out which race we will be able to take part in, hopefully one in Taipei, but I am excited to be racing once again on the water. The race will only be 500 meters which seems like nothing for someone used to racing 2k. However, I can’t tell if it’s the fact that most of the boat is newbies or that we are new to dragon boat rowing that the 500 meters feels so much longer than it should. Regardless, my goal is to make as many practices as I can and to hopefully not be the last boat out on the water during the festival. The other boats better watch out for my team, “How to Train Your Dragon Boat.” The interesting thing about the festival is that you literally get money back and even paid by the Taipei government to take part. To combat people signing up and not competing you put down money, but after racing depending on where you place you can get 1,500 per person to 300$ for those who get last. Does that make me a professional athlete then for competing?
I didn’t plan my schedule that well while I was in Taipei because to be able to check everything off my list I wanted to do meant going straight to archery from dragon boats. Sean had bought a hand-made bow months ago. It took 5 months for it to be made utilizing the techniques of the Mongols. As a bonus, the man that created Sean’s bow gave him one for me as well. I had kept trying to find the time to shoot with Sean since he got them, but the shooting range near his house is on the roof of a gym. Any time it rains or looks ominous outside we try not to use the bows to have them last longer. That’s how I found myself practicing on a rooftop kiddie-corner from Taipei 101.
It was very picturesque on the roof. We were joined with some other archers and waited till they were down shooting their set of arrows before Sean had me pull a target all the way to the 5m mark. As a kid who pretended to be the girl from Narnia for the longest time, I don’t recall ever really using a real arrow before. Suction cup arrows, sure of course, but real arrows no. After an informational session with Sean commenting on my stance and remind me the technique (which differs a little from a normal bow because of the Mongol design) I got to shooting. I never missed the target. After a while I had Sean push back the target to 10m and I even got a bullseye.
I hate to admit it, but after an hour you could tell that I had gotten worn out. I blame rowing, but nevertheless the accuracy of my arrows was getting more and more erratic so we called it quits to go get ready for dinner.
The rest of the weekend was meals and drinks. I got to meet my producer friend’s boyfriend for the first time and learned about his job restoring old movies. I was able to catch drinks with Sam, Jason, and Casey at a bar that doubles as a tea house that serves tea infused alcohol. I would go back if it wasn’t for the absurd prices. We started the night with the intent to go clubbing, but decided against it in lieu of spending time talking. We hit up a bar on the ground floor of Sean’s block and were able to just talk. The car was small enough that we were the only one’s sitting outside with everyone inside. I have gotten used to bars with no menu here as well. You can describe a drink by flavors and the bartenders make something they feel like you would like. It’s a little bit stereotypical at times, but works in my favor because I love a good fruity drink. My favorite was a twist on a Pina Colada as well as a ginger-passion fruit drink. I’m really going to miss spending time with Casey and Sam when they both leave for Hong Kong in the next month or two.
Sunday was yet another meal. This time a 4 hour lunch. For 4 hours I spoke with Carol, Sean’s Chinese teacher and now my friend, over hot pot. I don’t know how the restaurant stays in business because during that time on a Sunday for lunch, only one other group came in the restaurant. I try to be considerate and not look at my phone while I am with someone which is how I found myself with multiple missed calls and texts from Sean making sure I was ok because I planned to be back sooner than that. As we left Carol, or as Sean refers to her as… Wang laoshi, texted him apologizing for stealing his girlfriend. I already made plans for a spa day with Carol in the foreseeable future.
There is never a dull moment over the weekend.
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