Taiwan - Things you Notice

As this will probably be the wrap-up, we just have a few more adventures to relate.

First of all, Shannon and Chad live in a wonderful apartment complex that looks quite posh, complete with huge lobby, marble floors and two concierges, whom we used often to call us taxis.  It's in the more suburban (think, Don Mills), whereas Jesse and Jac are right in the happening part of Gushan District in Kaohsiung City, right beside the Night Market (of the Stinky Tofu infamy).  Jesse's lobby is nice, only smaller around a two story water fall and he only has one concierge.  Shannon's is more traditional, whereas Jesse's is ultra-modern.  Both very nice and comfortable.  Although neither have an oven.  Good thing that people tend to eat out often as it is so cheap.  They live about 15 minutes walk away from each other.  

I can safely say that I saw more of my grown children in these past three weeks, than I've seen them in the last three months that they lived in Toronto.  We would congregate most evenings in Shannon and Chad's apartment.  We would either watch "Sons of Anarchy", or "True Blood" or "TMZ" while we waited for Jesse to finish work.  Then we'd go to dinner.  We also discovered Scrabble.  Pretty competitive stuff.  And poor Chad.  Whenever he tried to play his Playstation war game, he'd have quite the peanut gallery telling him about the hand that waved every time his man died.  Nothing quite as grating as Nana's voice, "Oh the hand's waving again.  You died, Chad." Then she'd laugh.  Chad is a good man.

He also must wonder about our family.  We are very touchy-feely.  So, whenever we got together, it resembled more a  group of puppies (or monkeys), all leaning against each other, touching and stroking hair, massaging backs, necks and sore muscles -- all bunched up together at one end of the couch...and Chad at the other.  I think that he was afraid that it was contagious.  Shannon said he was just glad that we were there to give her the cuddles she likes, instead of insisting that he do it. 

Except for one of his paintings.  Kathy is convinced that it is possessed.  She was just beginning to feel better, when she sat under one of the paintings that Shannon and Chad had hung.  A framed, heavier painting that was holding up the longer unframed painting from Thailand, fell right on the top of her head.  Well, she saw stars, bluebirds and blinding light for a few moments.  We quickly put a cold pack on her head, checked for concussion ("How many fingers am I holding up?") and the next morning, aside from tender spots, she was ready to party.  The funniest thing is that we brought that demon painting back to Canada with us.  Hmmmm...

One of the nicest places around Shannon's place is the Art Museum Park. They have a great lake and paths around it. They also have some interesting signs. 

 My personal favourite:  No roasting ducks. (I assume currently living in the pond.

 Or "Beware of Picasso".

When you are in there, walking around the lake, you can hardly hear the big city around you. 

We went there several times, but one afternoon was extra interesting. Mom, Kathy and I were walking enjoying the nature when we saw a man walking towards us. Kathy immediately pegged him as a "bad man" because he threw his bottle on the side of the path. 

He quickly turned away from us and walked away. Then he turned back and started walking back towards us. As he neared, we, each, noticed that his fly was open and a little brown thingie was hanging out. None of us could quite believe what we saw, so we didn't say anything. 

After a brief recap, we realized what we'd seen and started to laugh. Mom then informed us that, had she been more aware, she would have pointed and laughed at his little wooden toothpick. And Kathy repeated that she knew he was a bad man. From then on, we referred to it as "Pervert Park". 

 

Another must-see sight is Monkey Mountain.  Jesse took us there one afternoon.  After the requisite stairs, we started into the site. 

Checking in under leaves, in trees, bushes and up the paths.  To no avail.  We looked and looked but never found any monkeys, just wild (kinda) dogs and semi-lost people wandering around.  Apparently, there are not really any complete maps of the pathways that sometime disappear altogether.

Mom and Kathy gave up and Jesse and I kept looking, following some trails, but still no monkeys.  I'd say that was false advertising but Jesse insisted that there were more places for the monkeys to go.  I just didn't want to be wandering around this forest, with no clearly defined paths and the sun was setting. In fact, I'd only go exploring only if I had a homing beacon for someone to track and pull me out by helicopter.  

However, I could see why Jesse would love the place.  Hope Jac has good running shoes/hiking boots.

Jesse also took Jac, Kathy and me to a Karaoke place.  As I said before, it is very popular in Taiwan.  It was called KTV.  When you first go in, you are assigned a soundproof room with your own mikes and TV, complete with song books.  I must confess that it looked rather sleazy, full of disco lights and neon signs, but looked okay.  Wonder what the people thought of Jesse... The usual shenanigans ensued, aka, mutilating songs.  Only, because the instructions were in Taiwanese, we inadvertently kept calling the waiter/waitress.  The first time, the head guy, complete with flashing  and glittering eye patch showed up.  I had an insane desire to rip it off to see if it was really needed or not, but I was restrained.  We had a running debate about whether it was real or not, an affectation, a necessity, or a device with which he could see through walls.


After only one hour, which was very unusual, we packed up and left, to the sound of "It's a Small, Small World".

The day before we left Kaohsiung, Shannon took us to her hairdresser to get out hair shampooed.  Plus a 20 minute massage.  Ahhhhh, such luxury.  And then they started blow drying out hair.  Well, Mom's hair took 3 minutes and the hairdressers kept commenting on how "cute" she was.  Shannon translated for us.   When Shannon went and sat on Nana's chair, to talk to Kathy and I, the hairdressers went wild about "it was too cute".  Entertainment.

Then the hairdressers started on Kathy.  Well, their methods are somewhat different from here.  First they dry and then they straighten.  Half an hour later, with two people working on either side of her, Kathy's hair looked like she'd stuck her finger in a light socket.  Then the main hairdresser (with the hat) started straightening ... and straightening ... and straightening.  I've never seen Kathy with straight hair before.  Most impressive.

I was last, but only took half the time Kathy took.  Luckily, while they were working on Kathy, I had time to find a picture of a hair style similar to what I wanted.  In the meantime, the hairdresser was practising his English, asking us all sorts of questions.  He asked about our husbands, and how they must have good jobs because they could afford to let us take long trips around the world; my husband must be nice (and rich) because he lets me buy lots of shoes and he built me a shoe closet.  Then he declared that he wanted a husband like that too.  We all laughed at that image.

Finally, before we left, the requisite picture was taken.

 
Things that made us go hmmmm .....

In Taiwan, their toilet paper looks like kleenex. Whereas, in Vietnam, they use toilet paper as kleenex.

Most places don't use toilet seats.  Even if there are seats, so many stand on the seat that there are signs asking them not to.

Traffic signals and signs are optional, especially in Vietnam, but often in Taiwan.  Also, don't think that you're safe if you are walking on the sidewalk.

The typical transport for a family is a scooter.  Only adults have to wear helmets.

Playgrounds are often surrounded by barb wire, ditches and rope.  So, if it looks like a nice clear run to the next street, be extra careful.  Child proofing at its finest.

Four is unlucky.  Thus, there are no fourth floors in apartments or hotels or businesses.





There is a restaurant/bar called Foster Hewitt's in Kaohsiung.  Also, there are Thai restaurants.  And Japanese.  And Italian.  Everyone there eats out a lot, or brings home dinner. (In addition to no ovens, there are usually only two burners on the stove).


Taiwanese people are the nicest, most helpful people that we've ever met.  Except for when they are on a scooter...