This weekend was a fast footed trip to Hualien to look at a possible apartment for next year, then to Taipei as Crystal had to catch a flight at 6pm (we, here in Song-Pu Village are about 2 hours from Hualien, and Hualien is about 4 hours...by train...from Taipei. If we catch the good trains we can do the straight trip in perhaps 5.). Where was she going, you ask?
St. Lucia.
Yup, off to the sunny climes of the islands for her brothers wedding. Ten days, or thereabouts, on the beach and into the innards of the island. Then back to Taiwan, back to work for a few weeks, and then right back westward for the summer! Busy, busy.
We saw the apartment - nice, rather big and very western (oh so different than our place this year.....oh, so very different) and high up on the list of possible places. Its furnished, the 2nd place apartment is not, but it is cheaper. So, we will end up paying about the same if we buy furniture for the cheaper place...not yet decided.
Then to Taipei! Snoozed on the train ride and woke up a few stops before Taipei main. Launched ourselves off the train...up the stairs...across the road and to the bus station. Crystal got on the bus, we said goodbye and off she went. This is where her story ends. At this time she has landed, probably.
My end of the story took me on a search for the Shandong Temple, with no luck, and to Taipei 101 to grab some new English books (Eight Little Piggies, Asian Geographic and What the Dog Saw) and then on a random walk through a dusty part of town that took me to a fashionable old Taiwan Brewery that has turned itself into a historic monument. It is no longer a brewery, at all. It is now a cement building - grounds actually, of many buildings - that houses artisan shops, historic plaques, high end tea exhibits and music venues and restaurants. A bit of something for everybody, and it is a hopping place at night. I went to a place that actually served dark beer....a total rarity in Taiwan (Erdinger Dark...not Taiwanese, despite them having a world class dark brewed by the active Taiwan Beer company...strange) and read my new book and ate....pizza! Stone oven pizza. The real deal. This probably means nothing to anybody....but we have not had legit pizza all year (save for our toaster oven attempts....which are good, but c'mon.....stone oven pizza?!?!? Tummy-licious).
So, I ate pizza and sipped a pint while reading my new book on the walkways of the historic site, watching young and old alike assemble in a studio to watch Asia-Punk music, while families meandered through the crowds and fancily dressed couples took their place in the evenings warmth among the tables and nooks of the grounds to enjoy the evening. It was a totally random find, and a totally awesome one.
Sunday found me trudging through the worlds most crammed and orderly market in another random part of town. I woke up, took to the streets and walked for 30 minutes or so until I found a little alley that seemed noisy. Down the alley, around the corner, and into the mix of a market basking in the morning sun. I walked for an hour up and down, bought some fresh almonds and drank in the atmosphere. So much fresh food, veggies and potatoes and everything you could possibly want to eat. So splendid (and so cheap!!).
Then, off to the train station for lunch, then to my train and home.
G'night.
