It's a fillip for the soul to indulge in yet more time off, but we definitely felt in need of it after our hectic chase round the globe last week. Hot on the heels of our extended weekend back in Australia we were able to luxuriate in the annual "10/10" 4 day weekend this week. After surviving just three days back at work, we were able to look forward to a catch-up of sleep and sanity after a whirlwind of social and entertainment activity!

We each relaxed in our peculiar ways on Thursday, me with some beers and friends and Cass with two furry mates and a bit of French TV! We welcomed the rain back to town on Friday and this time it wasn't a strain: it actually gave us carte blanche to do whatever we liked, as long as it didn't involve going out anywhere! We were able to potter around the house and do bits and pieces at our leisure as well as indulge in some binging on quality TV...oh, it was so decadent!

On Saturday, the skies cleared briefly, at least enough to encourage us to get across to the Shinkong Mitsukoshi complex for a movie, a touch of retail therapy and a long mid-afternoon "lunch". Cass rated "Deepwater Horizon" a B+, mainly getting to this lofty height from the very real tension created in the lead-up to the climactic disaster portrayed. It was literally edge of the seat, nail-biting stuff! The actors were competent and although the characters were a little stereotypical and cut-out, the script played out OK to back up the big effects.

Cass went hunting down in the basement shoe emporium for some replacements for her beloved black and gold Pumas: a sole had been thrown at camp and they were reluctantly hoicked. The variety of colours and brands of shoes was dazzling and confusing, so after a few attempts to break the mold with some New Balances or Nikes, she gravitated back to the Puma section. She hooked up with some real beauties and as a bonus, they were also on a super bargain price special. Flushed with podiatry success, we escalatored to the second floor to continue our love/hate relationship with Chili's. Well, let me explain that: I hate it and Cass loves it! I must admit, however, that this time I did manage to find a suitable meal of half salmon and half chicken, while Cass indulged in her long time favourite Quesadilla Explosion Chicken Salad.

Scootering a quarter way up the western ridgeline of Yangminshan before ditching the bike and hiking the rest of the way was our mission on Sunday. We set out in a misting, annoying little sprinkle which didn't really relent the whole time we were out. Cautiously negotiating the curving narrow road with precipitous drops unhindered by any type of guard rail, we wended our way past boutique mountain housing communities gripping the slopes tightly, through crumbling villages and garish temples, before emerging at various trail-heads leading further into the lush hills.

The start of the trail consisted of less traveled stone steps, much like the steps of our beloved Tienmu Gudao. They rose quickly, and soon we were puffing and blowing as we rose ever upwards into the mist. The steps gave way at intervals to steep mountain concrete paths, carpeted with leaf litter and a sheen of moss, making them quite treacherous to negotiate. Water rushed down narrow irrigation streams and pipes festooned the creeks, tapping into the precious water source as it thundered down the slopes and through the verdant plots. We stopped to admire ingenious little bridges and gates, entries to individual fields secured by metal gates and even living room doors! There were tiny shrines re-built by the local communities and hobby farmers tilling their allotments with rudimentary tools, while some semi-permanent residents huddled away from the damp in ramshackle huts made from all types of begged and borrowed materials.

Aiming ever higher, eventually we emerged from the farming plots to cross the road onto yet another stone staircase. This one led to more trail-heads and butterfly walks, but not before we passed a car-park by another temple and stone picnic setting. We headed along one of the butterfly trails and quickly felt like we'd stepped into a realm way beyond the city. Not a sound was to be heard apart from squelching feet on sodden leaf litter, birds trilling and beeping, and small rustlings in the undergrowth beside the path. A bamboo tunnel appeared and went for hundreds of meters: it really was an amazing thrill to be there all by ourselves...the photos don't really capture the majesty of this ethereal green cathedral.

We could have walked yet further, but we knew we had to retrace our steps eventually and we were already a little leg weary, so we headed back down and away. The slopes and paths were doubly difficult to traverse on the way down as we realized how steep they really were. I went for a couple of near skids, so we pretty much took baby steps all the way down to ensure we didn't go for a sixer! Safely down at road level, we took the scooter back down into Tienmu, stopped for some late lunch baguettes at Lutetia, then headed home. What a great day!

Monday saw yet more chilling time, lots of pottering and relaxing, the weekend providing the perfect bookend to our crazy hectic schedule from the weekend before. My old mate, Gurecki, now firmly ensconced in Nagasaki, sent me two huge tomes in the mail, one of which I've started to read. It's The Beatles biography by Hunter Davies and was originally published in 1968. It's an anniversary edition with chunky, updated forewords and postscripts which are wonderful. The most incredible detail and interviews with all the main characters make it a joy to read. Photos: Cass at Chili's, modelling new shoes, many from our hike, a little dog with wheeled assistance and the beginning of Halloween produce.

Talk about being discombobulated!

We've just experienced a crazy whirlwind of an extended weekend, where we flew from Taipei to Hong Kong to Sydney before driving to the Central Coast for two nights. Back to Mascot, checked in and a couple of hours breather before taxi and train out to Olympic Park and back before a late night, early rise and another Sydney-Hong Kong-Taipei flight. Being ensconced back at work and already taught three classes, our heads are spinning!

The night before the big Pat/Kat wedding, we arranged to meet up with various family members who were staying on the coast for Friday. It was not only magic to catch up with my sisters and most of their kids, but also Chris and Val making a cameo appearance for the night as well! They stayed at The Mantra, as we did, and we imbibed some craft beers and a bottle of Moet et Chandon to celebrate before we even joined the others for a meal at the trendy "The Box" by the water. How special and surreal to see everyone!

We breakfasted with C&V again the next morning, overlooking the tranquil waterfront at Ettalong: what a delightful spot. We implored C&V to stay around for a few hours until we were picked up for the wedding, mainly so they could see Cass all dressed up in her new sparkling dress and shoes! After we bade them farewell, we caught the mini-bus provided by the wedding organizers and picked up various participants along the way, including Ellen and Lily looking fabulous and Jen and Vince all coifed and beautiful as well!

The pre-vows time was quite extended as we arrived early, but we drank in the stunning bushland setting and manicured grounds and were able to perform that most pleasant of tasks...catching up with yet more family and friends and acquaintances. The Almond family were shining beauties along with Sue and we were surprised to see Rob, Erin and Cath (our cousins) there as well. Fantastic times! Along with a sprinkling of Drinkwater uncles and families it was like being transported back many decades, as we hadn't crossed paths with some of them in all that time. Mum was able to negotiate the quite confronting hilly terrain with stoic resolve and she did incredibly well to get down, then up again, with the aid of her walker.

The ceremony was simple and lovely. Both Katherine and Patrick presented quite wonderfully as did their respective entourages. The celebrant was professional, the band funky, and the sun beamed down and filtered through the large mature tree under which the ceremony took place. The assembled throng had a lovely view as they arranged themselves up the slope on a few folding chairs and some nifty fabric-covered hay bales.

Ceremony over, it was up to the marquee for drinks and music before the exquisite meal and succession of interesting speeches. Cass and I both imbibed far too much, but managed not to do anything too silly, although I'm sure we had our moments! The evening seeped away far more quickly than we would have liked, yet we managed to chat with all the family members at some stage or other. It was a beautiful night!

After driving to the airport hotel the next day after another leisurely waterfront breakfast, we had a couple of hours before cabbing it to Central then launching ourselves into "Shark Fever" on the train out to Olympic Park! The ribald and raucous singing, chanting and shouting of tens of thousands of fired up Cronulla supporters started on the train and didn't let up for many hours!

Our seat allocations were premium and behind the goal line at one end. We were hoping to be near the Shark den and we certainly were!! We were right beside the dedicated supporters bays and what an amazing entertainment they were all night: forget Richie S, Orianthi and Keith Urban! The packed in 85,000 fans turned up the volume from minute zero until the ear shattering beastly roar that occurred at fulltime. With the Storm pressing Cronulla's line, throwing the ball about with gay abandon, the siren sounded the start of a pulsating, tangible outpouring of noise and emotion which was reminiscent only of the Knight's '97 last gasp win with Darren Albert's try. At least this time, I didn't fall down 5 rows of seats. Check that amazing minute here. What a treat to be part of history; the porch lights of Cronulla can finally be turned off after waiting 50 years for a premiership win: Harold Holt isn't coming home, but the trophy is and it was almost as good as a Knights' win!

The trip home was long and arduous, but connections were made, planes were on time and we got home unscathed. Virg'nMary hardly seemed to register that we'd been away, so despite our whirlwind, life had just been plodding along for them! Back at school today, lots to catch up on and I'm obviously procrastinating: just think how much I could have accomplished if I hadn't written this blog entry! Photos up top are just for the time being: I hope to get some camera shots as well as the phone shots to make a web album soon.

A perpetual soaking rain continues to leak from above, as it has done for successive weeks, seemingly without end. The damp mood created doesn’t seem to lift despite the odd dazzling interlude when one typhoon heads west from the island towards China and another is yet to make landfall. These days have an intensity amplified by what has gone before: the sun almost outshines itself, the clouds waft daintily in the upper atmosphere and the breeze just eddies and flows to keep things warm rather than roasting. 

We’re steeling ourselves for yet another typhoon, at least the fourth of this short season. It is hovering with mild intensity off the south-eastern coast, yet producing annoying volumes of sheeting liquid even as I write this. We’re all in typhoon induced schlep at the moment and we are hoping that the city might have mercy upon us and call an official typhoon day for tomorrow: fingers crossed! The last thing we need is to battle the wind and rain tomorrow on our walking commute as an arrival wet and miserable to start the day is not a recipe for joyfulness!

We’ve been mired in yet more trouble on the apartment front, as our back verandah ceiling has been leaking prodigious amounts of water for about a week. Most concerning of all is the large cracking and fact that the water seems to be leaking through the very slab, rather than around the edges! Water drips incessantly on the washing machine, which we hope doesn’t short out, and the water has now decided to leak into the ceiling of the back room and down the back wall. The “girls” have endeavoured to ignore this aquatic intruder so far, but I’m sure they’re not very impressed! There is apparently going to be work done on the slab upstairs this afternoon, but only after two sets of neighbours trooped gleefully through our place to inspect the damage, one group coming twice while we were trying to eat our Sunday night meal!

We’ve been madly preparing for a truncated week and an amazing whirlwind tour back to Australia this Thursday night (oh well, at least Cassy has been!) My nephew will be married on Saturday on the Central Coast, so we’re planning to fly overnight Thursday, get to near the venue by Friday afternoon, attend the wedding on Saturday and get back to Sydney on Sunday. As it is NRL Grand Final weekend, we thought we’d give that a whirl as well, so we’ll get the hire car back to the airport early before training out to Olympic Park. It will be a late night and an all-day flight back on Monday……guess who’s going to be on cruise control back at work on Tuesday??!!

Our coming week will be hectic, waterlogged in all respects and exciting….I’m procrastinating even now as I write this, but the rain is only warming up, beating an intense beat, drumming heartily away at my window, tempting me with a ferociousness that needs to last till tomorrow….will it last? Please……?!

Photos: water damage in the apartment, a glittering respite from the weather featuring the soaring new tower block in Tienmu, and my cactus plant continues to revel in the rain as it produces weird flower after weird pod in an endless production line.

P.S. The Taipei City Government, in their infinite wisdom, called a typhoon day for tomorrow at approximately 8.15 p.m. this evening. Hail the overlords!

We were sodden and bedraggled after an abortive attempt to go the pictures on the weekend! After analyzing numerous different websites dealing with our double typhoon assault this week, you'd think we'd be able to make a better call on the timing of our outing! As it turned out, we made the absolutely worst call, ever!

We were getting a little stir crazy after successive days of dribbling rain, tossing winds and oppressive humidity so were determined to start the weekend off with an outing. We split up and went our separate ways on Friday night under the threat of the second typhoon's imminent landfall some time later in the night, possibly about midnight. Cass had her second bookclub meeting in short time owing to a delayed date from the last and I was succumbing to football finals fever once again after meeting up quite late with Wal to have a few beers before we went further afield.

Cass armed herself with an umbrella, sensible shoes, and ditched her fancy bag for the evening as we anticipated quite the onslaught. It never really eventuated, however, and despite some squalls and huffing and puffing, the big bad giant didn't really arrive until the next day. She had a great night with the "girls" and they had a feast of both food and drink as well as literary opinion. I, on the other hand, managed to forget my umbrella twice, but circled back to re-claim it as the rain threatened. We enjoyed a cameo from Tim, our neighbour, for a spot down at Uli's and we caught up with his latest and greatest.

On Saturday, determined that the typhoon (which had been squatting on the northern tip of the island overnight) had finally decamped, we found a movie worth watching and prepared ourselves to go over to the other side of Tienmu via scooter. Cass, in hindsight quite sensibly, suggested a cab, but I seemed sure that the wind and rain had moved on. By the time we'd got to the basement, the rain had started to tip down again, yet we decided to make the relatively short trip anyway. We got about 3/4 of the way there: the rain was beating down, we were getting saturated and the bike was being tossed like a twig in the heavy bursts of ferocious wind. We decided to turn back as we were only going to be very uncomfortable sitting in our soggy clothes for two hours anyway. See the aftermath of the adventure up top, or here later on!

After we dried off, we decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and postponed any further adventures until things had really settled down. We spent a pleasant evening in listening to the elements tearing and worrying, while we sat snugly dry inside. On Sunday, conditions were only slightly improved and we again tracked the typhoon hoping for a postponement of Cassy's camp for just one day. Unfortunately, the text came through around midday confirming that all camps would go ahead as planned on Monday morning....bad luck!

Cassy variously moped and moaned on Sunday evening and again on Monday morning. It really is her most dreaded time of year. The conditions at the camp are very rudimentary: the cabins rank with mold and ramshackle at best, the non-stop activities and feeding relentless and enervating, and the whole "on-duty" bit for 24/7 combined with associated privations quite disheartening. Anyway, she didn't succumb to the depressing reality for long, but instead expounded that, "It will all be over soon...."! I'll be looking forward to welcoming her back on Friday afternoon!

Photos: the Chinese version of "Punch and Judy" in our local park, Cass with pretty flowers and not in the best mood after our drenching!

Australian football finals flung themselves into action this weekend and it was a flamboyant and furious start to an exciting fan-fuelled fever! Old mate Shaun decided to host the big Friday night thriller between Hawthorn and Geelong at his place, and I managed to catch the NRL blockbuster on delay later on. He had a house full or raucous supporters and we thoroughly enjoyed our time before, during and after the big event. He was a great host, even supplying pizzas from Tienmu's latest parlour, Pizza Denise(!), to keep the ravenous hordes calm and fed.

Cass and I decided to head over to the cinema precinct on Saturday, after a dearth of interesting films has seen us absent for some time. "Sully" was quite riveting, a testimony to the talented directorship of Clint Eastwood and the always competent Tom Hanks in the lead role. When you know the outcome from an incident that only took a few minutes to transpire, it's a neat trick to keep people engaged for a feature length movie! Afterwards, we scootered through the back alleys to Cassy's seamstress, commonly known as "Lady", but the two evil "step-sisters" were there instead! The lady's two helpers are not very helpful at all and tend to laugh at Cassy right to her face! I witnessed the latest episode as I sat on the scooter looking through the window: maybe everyone in Taiwan is not so nice after all! We're going to head back to have another crack on Monday afternoon.

Afterwards, we stopped at one of the curious stores that seem to sell every manner of goods available. It's kind of like a fully stocked hardware shop with various other quirky trinkets. The shelves are over-flowing with goods and it's quite a trick to find the various sections you need. We staggered out with bags full of dish-washing detergent, over-boots, scrubbing brushes and drink bottles just to name a few. Next stop was Wendel's for the weekly bread shopping, then over for a mid afternoon meal at Din Tai Feng where we enjoyed all our favourite delicacies.

When we headed out from the basement carpark we were greeted by a tropical downpour with sheets of water cascading down the driveways, flooding the drains, and thundering a beat that seemed like it would never end. We promptly U-turned and headed back down to safety and had a cup of coffee at a little cafe inside! We checked the weather upstairs and it looked like clearing, but as soon as we scootered up again, it was again teeming down. We split up, and Cass had her faith restored in the Taiwanese when two ladies sheltered her across the road with their umbrellas and I shed my shoes to brave the ride home. We met up back at home both in various states of saturation, but we'd had a real adventure!

We breakfasted late on Sunday before deciding to challenge the 1,500 steps of Tienmu Gudao in the searing heat of the midday sun...what were we thinking?! Armed with our chilled bottles of water for our reward at the end of the descent of the climb we headed up the mountain. By the time we were finished the first "flight" we were already sodden with perspiration. As we edged ever higher the euphoria of our achievement started to kick in and we spent a little time on the mountain path up top congratulating ourselves! Heading back down is quite blissful as we shimmy down the stairs, listen to the cicadas and birds, drink in the bountiful vistas over the city and look forward to our reward. The cooling draughts at the bottom are the sweetest elixirs of all! A fresh baguette on the way home, then I settled in to watch a footy final, but no sooner did I settle in, than Marcus called and said he was in the area, while taking Logan for his daily constitutional.

We arranged to meet at a local coffee shop that is in Ker Qiang Road and we've been meaning to try for a little while, called King Andre. Don't ask me, I have no idea where they get these names from!
We had a good old chat and little Logan was very cute and well behaved. He's got a little more used to me as I've been exposed to him a bit more lately and I nursed him for a while and played with him without any incident! The two and a half week old Eli is doing much better now and they're trying to get him into a routine of feeding and sleeping. The by product of this pleasant and unexpected afternoon get-together was the coffee: this shop really knows how to brew a great cup, so we'll be back!

Photos: Street art, Din Tai Feng dumplings et al, a black dragonfly(yes, black!), shots from the smoldering, sun-seared stairs, and a blurry Logan and Marcus.

A certain dichotomy of service exists in Taiwan, a strangeness that's initially difficult to identify, but when it happens again and again, it becomes more discernible. The country is world famous for its tech capabilities and innovation in high tech gadgetry and leadership in all manner of futuristic goods and services. Its high speed rail, while not the world's first or fastest , was built in record time and is blindingly efficient, like all the metro systems running in the major cities. All public areas and public facilities innovate and experiment, often leading to copycat catch ups in other areas of the world, including the Youbike system and chipped Easycards to pay for virtually everything in the city.

Sometimes, however, age-old antiquated practices rear their ugly heads and provide a headache, an example being the perennial problem of changing my phone payment account each year! The phone store for Taiwan Daa Gu Da is slick and ultra modern, and the handsets and plans sold concomitantly are cutting edge. The problem lies in the penchant for paper records, necessitating an upgrade of my credit card details each and every year in an incredibly laborious shuffle of papers and documents. I have to bring the text they send me this time each year, my Alien Resident Card, my passport, my driver's license and the new credit card. They then photocopy everything in triplicate, showering me with copies I neither want nor need. Despite having a phone plan for 14 years, every time they spell my name incorrectly, necessitating a further lengthy and frustrating search for this fellow who has the exactly the same name and birth date as me, but whose first and middle names are reversed. Over an hour later, I stagger away....Arrrgghh!

It's very rare that we get frustrated here, despite our continuing, occasional language barriers, because everyone is just so delightful and accommodating. Despite our frustrations, it's impossible to stay grumpy for very long. The other classic example is the bank. The foreign exchange and transaction floor is like going in a time machine back to 1950. Conservatively dressed armies of bank workers whisper and shuffle in a library-like solitude, each sitting at a desk cluttered with stamps and ink-pads and surrounded by mini-mountains of forms and papers piled high in every available nook and cranny between desks. It's like an absent minded professor's chaotic clutter! Somehow however, everything gets done with great efficiency and if they have to resort to the computer for anything, the tellers seem very disappointed that they can't utilize their abacuses and paper mountains!

The phone company was my dreaded stop on Saturday, but we sauntered over to SOGO beforehand to have a delicious Thai feast and then shopped for various accessories for our trip back home early next month. I managed to buy a tie straight from Saville Row at ridiculous expense along with a Japanese designer's pocket square. A new pair of socks from Uniqlo and I'm ready for action. Cass didn't spot anything in our travels so I was the one hauling purchases out of the store, despite a 50% off shoe sale on the bottom floor that was well examined, but ultimately dismissed by said shopper.

Cass had her Book Club meeting on Friday at Kristin's place. They ate Vietnamese food to match their latest book, with the Pho flowing along with the wine. Some of the crew were back after forcing a postponement a week before because of various important events. This means they'll be meeting again in just 2 weeks time to catch up on their monthly get-togethers. No pictures, because someone took the camera but forgot about it!

We've got an unenviable week coming up. I'm slated for duty at a parent reception, a fairly tedious and forced social affair for school, where we're tasked with mingling with parents over a few drinks and supper of hors d'oeuvre, ostensibly to spruik the various wonderful programs that we're all teaching. For born and bred Australians, this is a difficult task: Our more gregarious and, dare I say, less humble American colleagues seem to find the role as easy as sliding on a silk glove! Cassy has an onerous duty as well. Her annual "Back to School" night is on Thursday night, and she, as a team leader, has quite a significant role in presenting various parts of the evening's program. We'll both be pleased when this Friday rolls around!

The pocket park behind the tennis courts opposite our apartment is full of typical Taipei exercise equipment of dubious fitness and strength value. While there is a quite useful horizontal bar set-up, even the higher bar necessitates some strange contortions so that parts of the body don't drag along the ground. Others seem to use body weight to push another part of the apparatus up in the air, then release it down again and the net exercise trade-off is approximately zero. Still, the oldies seem to like it and think they are doing something worthwhile!

Photos:just some of the exercise machines in our park, a frieze from the temple across the river, and flourishing bushes that are defying the fact that the first day of autumn has already come and gone. I'm reading Lionel Shriver's dystopian "The Mandibles" which is quite riveting, while Cass wraps up her reading of  Viet Than Nyuyen's, "The Sympathizer", which has been quite a bit longer than she originally thought (the curse of the Kindle)!

Oh, and....Looks like the secret's out regarding Taiwan. It's just been judged the number one country for ex-pats in the world!