This shall be a weekend for the record books. My Friday evening started with a dinner in Snake Alley- barbecued Indian corn covered in Taiwanese spice and sauce. I watered it down with a watermelon smoothie and decided on the waffle cake with custard for dessert. Truly typical Taiwanese delicacies, if you ask me. And with a short stop at a Buddhists temple to say my prayers, I was off for a night of drinks with my co-workers. For the G-rated readers of the night, I believe the following formula will suffice... Absinthe + A Scotsman= A very good night.
Saturday was brutally hot. Imagine living in a sauna that has a bonfire glowing in the center, steam is pouring in from every crevice and the whole apparatus is located in the center of the earth. If you can wrap your minds around this concept, then perhaps, just perhaps, you might come to understand the climate of Taiwan. This did not dissuade me, however, and I took off for a very special adventure. If you take the brown line to the Taipei Zoo stop, you will come across the Maokong Gondola. This Gondola will take you to the top of a mountain that offers exquisite panoramic views of Taipei.
I arrived at the Gondola platform delighted to see no queue. I walked right up to the entrance and was escorted over to the next available Gondola. With one other family, whom I did not know, I entered the Gondola to find it wasn't air conditioned! Ladies and Gentleman, this was a fifteen minute ride of excruciating pain inside a Gondola, no, an oven going up a mountain side. What torture it provided, and the only relief occured about half-way through when the doors opened temporarily at an "in between station" and and a portable, upright fan waved cool air on you for a matter of five seconds. Thanks Maokong Gondola staff!!
Naturally, you were drenched in a pile of your own sweatby the time your arrived to the top of the mountain. With a slight breeze coming through, I took off to take in the sights. A few restaurants lined the road, but I instead found an old cement staircase leading off into the jungle. Curious to see what was at the top of the staircase, I began to climb. And climb. And climb and climb and climb. Trading off between burning hot meadows and slightly more tolerable thickets of jungle fever, I reached a dazzling sight. Rather, I should say, a dazzling sound-running water!! But where? Finally I turned a corner and saw, at the top of a steep incline, a natural spring. And there, to my horror and dismay, it was caged off, collected, and then sent along hoses down the mountain as drinking water. Curses, foiled again.
No longer able to bear the heat, I returned to the platform of civilization (term employed loosely), bought some lunch and several bottles of water before I braced the trenches of the Gondola which was sure to make an oven baked souffle of me. The ride down was better. Not for the heat, but instead, I met a woman named Rose. Originally from Thailand, she had been living with her sister, Amy, in Taipei for the past 20 years. Her English was impeccable. And after some short conversation, including a bit of my broken Chinese phrases (I am very good at "long time no see") she gave me her card and offered me free Chinese lessons. Haha, what a way to pick up an American. However, her kindness puts her in the list of "good Taiwanese strangers", placing her in good company with the likes of Tony.
Saturday night was a blast. I met my co-workers and we went out for pizza (we were craving it all week), then went to one of their apartments before heading out to a club. Late at night, or better yet, early in the morning, I decided I was tired and walked a friend home. On the way to their apartment, however, we lost our way. After some street searching, and also some soul searching, we found the place. With her safe inside, I took off to hail a cab. Once I succeed, I realized I didn't know how to say where I wanted to go. Dammit! So, I said all I could think of, "Technology Building on the Muzha Line." Hopefully, one of the drivers would understand my plea for help.
Luckily, one did. He nodded and we took off. My confidence was shaken when he dialed his phone, spoke some Chinese, and then handed the phone to me. I asked, "Hello?"
"Where are you going?" came the voice on the other line. I told her the same thing I told the driver and she seemed satisfied. I handed the phone back to the driver and he spoke to this mystery woman. Hanging up the phone, I wasn't so sure anymore we were going the right way. The drive also seemed a bit too long. But even if we were going the wrong way (and we were), I wouldn't have a clue as how to stop the driver and ask to turn around. We drove on into the night.
My fears were summed up when, in front of me, was the Maokong Gondola again. About ready to scream in fright, the man turned around and said, "Here?" He brought me to the end of the Muzha line, very very far away from my home. Practically to Guam. I shook my head and we found a person on the side of the road who spoke a little more English. I was able to get across to this new character in the farce that I wanted the Technology Building. The kind man told the taxi driver how to get to the place and we were off. Friends, I don't know how far we went in terms of distance, but in order to get back to Taipei we had to take the freeway. Eventually, we made it back. I paid my cab fair, which was more expensive than I wish to tell, and as I walked home to my apartment, I was greeted by a nice Taiwanese sunrise.
Sunday was perhaps the best day I have spent in Taiwan. Claire, my aunt from Taichung, Taiwan, and her brother Paul (who now lives in Seattle, but was visiting her sister) met me and she showed me around the city. We went to a place called New
York, New York that is right outside Taipei 101 (the world's largest building). At New York, New York, there are giant movie theaters, seven story high book stores, more food courts than you could count, shopping centers with designer only stores, business offices, concerts, and more more more! I was enormously overwhelmed. Afterwards, we took a bus to get some dinner at her favorite noodle store. Noodles are my favorite. She also bought some spring rolls and tofu. I take back every bad thing I said about tofu- it was delicious.
Afterwards, we went to a small night market and bought some of these delicious red beans served over cream and ice shavings. I am telling you, this could take off in the states. Afterwards, she showed me some places where I could get real authentic Taiwanese food, like these milkshake drinks, rice cooked in pig's blood (which I am dieing to try), and my favorite, "stinky tofu." Yes, it's stinky. Afterwards, we said goodbye and I returned home on a high from the finest day yet I have had in Taiwan.
In the days to come, I have some exciting adventures planned, from playing on a football (soccer) team to taking off to see Taiwan's magnificent natural splendors. So until next time, from your overheated and delightfully adventurous shrivelled sun raisin in Dante's Inferno, Michael.
Saturday was brutally hot. Imagine living in a sauna that has a bonfire glowing in the center, steam is pouring in from every crevice and the whole apparatus is located in the center of the earth. If you can wrap your minds around this concept, then perhaps, just perhaps, you might come to understand the climate of Taiwan. This did not dissuade me, however, and I took off for a very special adventure. If you take the brown line to the Taipei Zoo stop, you will come across the Maokong Gondola. This Gondola will take you to the top of a mountain that offers exquisite panoramic views of Taipei.
I arrived at the Gondola platform delighted to see no queue. I walked right up to the entrance and was escorted over to the next available Gondola. With one other family, whom I did not know, I entered the Gondola to find it wasn't air conditioned! Ladies and Gentleman, this was a fifteen minute ride of excruciating pain inside a Gondola, no, an oven going up a mountain side. What torture it provided, and the only relief occured about half-way through when the doors opened temporarily at an "in between station" and and a portable, upright fan waved cool air on you for a matter of five seconds. Thanks Maokong Gondola staff!!Naturally, you were drenched in a pile of your own sweatby the time your arrived to the top of the mountain. With a slight breeze coming through, I took off to take in the sights. A few restaurants lined the road, but I instead found an old cement staircase leading off into the jungle. Curious to see what was at the top of the staircase, I began to climb. And climb. And climb and climb and climb. Trading off between burning hot meadows and slightly more tolerable thickets of jungle fever, I reached a dazzling sight. Rather, I should say, a dazzling sound-running water!! But where? Finally I turned a corner and saw, at the top of a steep incline, a natural spring. And there, to my horror and dismay, it was caged off, collected, and then sent along hoses down the mountain as drinking water. Curses, foiled again.
No longer able to bear the heat, I returned to the platform of civilization (term employed loosely), bought some lunch and several bottles of water before I braced the trenches of the Gondola which was sure to make an oven baked souffle of me. The ride down was better. Not for the heat, but instead, I met a woman named Rose. Originally from Thailand, she had been living with her sister, Amy, in Taipei for the past 20 years. Her English was impeccable. And after some short conversation, including a bit of my broken Chinese phrases (I am very good at "long time no see") she gave me her card and offered me free Chinese lessons. Haha, what a way to pick up an American. However, her kindness puts her in the list of "good Taiwanese strangers", placing her in good company with the likes of Tony.
Saturday night was a blast. I met my co-workers and we went out for pizza (we were craving it all week), then went to one of their apartments before heading out to a club. Late at night, or better yet, early in the morning, I decided I was tired and walked a friend home. On the way to their apartment, however, we lost our way. After some street searching, and also some soul searching, we found the place. With her safe inside, I took off to hail a cab. Once I succeed, I realized I didn't know how to say where I wanted to go. Dammit! So, I said all I could think of, "Technology Building on the Muzha Line." Hopefully, one of the drivers would understand my plea for help.
Luckily, one did. He nodded and we took off. My confidence was shaken when he dialed his phone, spoke some Chinese, and then handed the phone to me. I asked, "Hello?"
"Where are you going?" came the voice on the other line. I told her the same thing I told the driver and she seemed satisfied. I handed the phone back to the driver and he spoke to this mystery woman. Hanging up the phone, I wasn't so sure anymore we were going the right way. The drive also seemed a bit too long. But even if we were going the wrong way (and we were), I wouldn't have a clue as how to stop the driver and ask to turn around. We drove on into the night.
My fears were summed up when, in front of me, was the Maokong Gondola again. About ready to scream in fright, the man turned around and said, "Here?" He brought me to the end of the Muzha line, very very far away from my home. Practically to Guam. I shook my head and we found a person on the side of the road who spoke a little more English. I was able to get across to this new character in the farce that I wanted the Technology Building. The kind man told the taxi driver how to get to the place and we were off. Friends, I don't know how far we went in terms of distance, but in order to get back to Taipei we had to take the freeway. Eventually, we made it back. I paid my cab fair, which was more expensive than I wish to tell, and as I walked home to my apartment, I was greeted by a nice Taiwanese sunrise.
Sunday was perhaps the best day I have spent in Taiwan. Claire, my aunt from Taichung, Taiwan, and her brother Paul (who now lives in Seattle, but was visiting her sister) met me and she showed me around the city. We went to a place called New
York, New York that is right outside Taipei 101 (the world's largest building). At New York, New York, there are giant movie theaters, seven story high book stores, more food courts than you could count, shopping centers with designer only stores, business offices, concerts, and more more more! I was enormously overwhelmed. Afterwards, we took a bus to get some dinner at her favorite noodle store. Noodles are my favorite. She also bought some spring rolls and tofu. I take back every bad thing I said about tofu- it was delicious.Afterwards, we went to a small night market and bought some of these delicious red beans served over cream and ice shavings. I am telling you, this could take off in the states. Afterwards, she showed me some places where I could get real authentic Taiwanese food, like these milkshake drinks, rice cooked in pig's blood (which I am dieing to try), and my favorite, "stinky tofu." Yes, it's stinky. Afterwards, we said goodbye and I returned home on a high from the finest day yet I have had in Taiwan.
In the days to come, I have some exciting adventures planned, from playing on a football (soccer) team to taking off to see Taiwan's magnificent natural splendors. So until next time, from your overheated and delightfully adventurous shrivelled sun raisin in Dante's Inferno, Michael.
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2 comments:
Went on line to see some pictures of the 貓空纜車. Really beautiful (I was going to say cool but that does not seem appropriate knowing your experience). I bet at night would give a great view of the city and probably a cooler ride.
Aunty Kathy
Keep your cool!!!! Glad you had fun with Clare and her brother.
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