It's the Weekend ...

At night it rains, during most afternoons it rains, and sometimes in the mornings it rains. I guess that’s what you get for moving to Taiwan during monsoon season. However, the air felt very fresh and clean as we stepped over last night’s puddles and walked to the nearest 7/11 to grab the Sunday paper. The China post is one of Taipei’s two English daily papers. In size, maybe ½ a cm, it doesn’t even compare to the NY times, but it’s still an interesting read for a weekend morning. Our next destination was one of the cities numerous Bacon and Eggas. These are little family owned restaurants that provide bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwiches, usually with some lettuce, tomatoes, and secret sauce included. They also serve my favorite – DamBings (sp?) which is similar to a bacon, egg, and cheese crepe with a special sweet sauce on top. Reading the paper, eating dambing, and sipping cold coffee … perfect way to start a Sunday.

My Friday was much more chaotic. I had my first introduction to the Taipei social scene. It was a joint birthday party for Ryan and his Chinese girlfriend Kathy. The party filled two apartments with a huge mix of people from everywhere and all sorts of backgrounds. The 5^th floor apartment was large with a small side balcony while just up the steps the party continued on the 6^th floor roof apartment, which had a large veranda overlooking the city. It’s strange that with so many people everyone seemed to know each other. Anyway, it was a fun and very long night.

I’ve now been in Taipei for just over a week. I’m beginning to actually learn my way around and even become familiar with some street names. At times I see familiar locations, such as Pizza Hut, McDonalds, and Subway, but other times there is some cultural confusion, like when I passed the “Taipei Pot Plant Auction.” Later I found out they sell potted plants. No matter, it is an excellent place to be an observer – no one bothers you, beggars are rare, and like most Asian cities it is always full of activity. I think I’ll get along okay here.