To Kaoshiung We Go...

As I walk through the white-tiled cafeteria, filled only with the healthiest of foods, Fei Fei points out some of the greatest athletes in Taiwan. My stainless steel tray is decorated with a mountain of spinach, some beef tips and a small bowl of rice. Our next game is in an hour, so I'm eating light. No need to have it all come back up on the field later. I go to the fridge in the center of the room and grab a couple of bottles of juice, and Fei Fei grabs three Pocardi Sweats for our small entourage. James and I are Fei Fei's guests and will only drink the finest of Taiwanese, Gatorade-like energy drinks. We sit down at our table and I notice a rather intense looking guy staring up at the 40 inch plasma mounted high on the wall. Taiwan sports highlights are the only subject matter being broadcasted on the many screens throughout the room. "Fei Fei, who's that guy?" "Oh him? Olympic gold medal. Tae Kwan Do." This is the closest I have ever been to a medal winning olympian. Do not get on his bad side.

Last weekend I was in the southern city of Kaoshiung, where the World Games will be held in upcoming weeks. I was playing Ultimate Frisbee with a group of guys from Taipei, The Renegades, under the shadow of the brand new, eco-friendly Kaoshiung Stadium. Seven teams from all parts of Taiwan competed over the course of the weekend. Our team, a degenerate mix of expats and Taiwanese, took second place, losing only to the Taiwanese National Team. I am fortunate enough to play alongside an incredibly talented group of guys and gals who have had just a bit more experience playing Ultimate than I, so my learning curve is steep, but I'm getting there. At the very least, Ultimate has been a great way to run around and get some exercise in every weekend... despite the heat.

Kaoshiung is the latitudinal equivalent of Cuba, so to say it's hot is an understatement, especially when you're running around in the blistering heat of mid-day. Weather records show that the temperature hit 100 degrees on Saturday. So, at the end of our last games on Saturday and Sunday we decided to rehydrate with a couple of Taiwan Beers and watch the remaining matches of the day... and heckle of course. Needless to say, a few new friends were made, as well as a few new rivalries, and in the spirit of the game we headed home Sunday with our heads held high and our trusty cooler in tow.