The Third Apartment

Once I started my new job, I decided it was time to upgrade the old abode. Sure, I was living in a nice place, but the magic of living in your own "studio apartment" was starting to wear off. I needed a place that could accommodate my needs for a living room, bed room, kitchen, and an office. I also didn't want to pay more than US$400 a month. Even in Taipei, that's a little unrealistic (unless you want to settle for asbestos and rats).

My first inclination was to head for the mountains. I was never really a city boy, so I thought perhaps the greenery would satisfy my need to look at pretty things. I looked at a few places, but in the end, I decided the location was just too inconvenient. Right, I know what your thinking- how can a place be too inconvenient when you don't even have a commute? Well, I still wanted to be near friends, close to my Mandarin classes, and just a hop away from the gym. (I am a firm believer that the workout should never start until you actually arrive at the gym and get on a machine. Apparently, the Taiwanese also agree with me because they installed escalators in the gym!)


When it seemed hopeless, I came across an ad online for a 15 ping apartment (they say one ping is the size of a Tatami Mat, like I know how big a Tatami Mat is!) smack dab in the middle of the city. Five minutes from both the gym and my Chinese classes. I called up the landlord and scheduled a viewing. The apartment was a King's Palace being sold at a beggar's price! Being no fool (and being sick of the apartment search for the third time) I quickly snatched it up.

I am on the top floor of a thirteen floor apartment building in the heart of the downtown area. The buildings around me are not so large, so I have a great view of the city and the mountains to the South of the city (home of the famous MaoKong Tea Gardens). I can enjoy this view on my enormous patio that extends all around my apartment on two sides. The kitchen is actually on the balcony (anyone say alfresco dining tonight), meaning I don't have to worry about stir-fry smells lingering in my apartment after I am done cooking.

Here is the view I am afforded each day!


The apartment is quite spacious. The main room has been divided into both my living room and my office. There are two large sliding screen doors that, when opened, provide an amazing and cheap form of natural air conditioning! And what's more, even, I have my trusty old parrot friend to keep me company.

From your friend that's living the high life, literally, (thirteen floors is pretty high in Taipei, except for 101), Michael.