Beautiful young women in full tizzy wedding gowns, heavily made up, layers of silk and lace and tulle. Their fiancées are similarly attired in white 3-piece suits, the couples flanked by a shutter of photographers and attendants. This might be a typical scene on the weekend in one of many reception centers around town, but totally incongruous on a wind swept rocky inlet just this side of the Damshui River. The Pillbox, our secret surfing spot of sorts, is adjacent to a coastline landfill and a sloshing pig farm, adding to the ambiance a herd of wild goats eats every piece of foliage in sight. It’s hard to describe the associated odours, but suffice to say, when the wind is blowing offshore, the waves look great but only the level of pungency varies the assault on our nostrils.
It is on this beach that we often encounter said betrothed and parties, shyly acknowledging our presence with a smile and a wave. I’m sure the subsequent photos look sublime: the odours not wafting from their snapshot prison and the dull half light from smog and sunset adding to a smoky romanticism suitable to the soon to be wed’s shots. The bride and groom to be frolic in the lapping shore waves for the benefit of the photographer, their finery being muddied and saturated from shin down. I assume it is all dry cleaned again for the big day, which can be weeks away. When the newlyweds arrive at their reception, the practice is to have a full album of “romance shots” for their guests to choose from, hence the pre wedding photo madness.
Ross and I had a surf which he rated as among the “worst five surfs I’ve ever had” on Friday evening. The surf was small, the wind was howling and a cold snap in the wind and water sent our extremities numb in about 15 minutes. We had a slightly better effort today, heading to the Rocket, but spoiled somewhat by the 18 other guys who joined us. Blown out everywhere else, our other spot was invaded by first timers who saw us from the highway as they scoured the coast for rideable spots. It was just too crazy; normally, we have the spot to ourselves and the oft-mentioned Taiwanese surf madness was in full swing by the time we gave up and left them to it. Poor Ross is a bit glum this weekend after the Aussies trumped the NZ netballers, our cricketers smacked the Black Caps and even the Pommies beat them in the league!
Cass and I had an intriguing Saturday afternoon. I had read that Chiang Kai Shek’s summer residence and garden was the 2nd rated spot for tourism in Taipei and, as we hadn’t been, and it was just a short scooter ride from home, I decided that we must check it out. Apart from the very tactile granite insects we found (see photos), to say that it was disappointing is one of the biggest understatements of all time! Cass disagrees with me here: she thinks it was so bizarre that it was actually a bit of a hoot!!
As we wandered through the beautifully cared for gardens we came to realize that all the other Taiwanese parks and gardens we had visited were different versions of the same horrible design and kitsch inspiration, but this was the grand daddy of them all! The electric blue pebbles in the western garden, the ugly bronze statue in a strange little fountain and the aberrant designs of each successive garden were a shock to body and soul. It just could have been so beautiful: instead, hordes of tranquility seeking Taiwanese crowded each pathway through a shocking maze of kitsch splendour. Piped music of James Taylor wafted from the garden’s speakers adding to the overall surreal and ghastly effect. To top it all off, we trekked up what seemed like 5000 steps to view the signposted “Buddha Heart Pavilion”, but when we arrived the view was obscured by trees and the pavilion looked like a World War One air-raid shelter painted white with funny looking Chinese scrolls attached to it. The highlight of the climb was spying a rubbish bin disguised inside a fiberglass “boulder”…maybe it fooled the little kiddies who were shortsighted! Oh well, put that one down to experience!
We’ve got a short week coming up due to Thanksgiving, another slightly mysterious holiday for us, but one which we’re happy to take. I think Chad is going to invite us around on Thursday for lunch, a lovely tradition that they’ve kept with us: amazingly this will be the 4th year that we’ve done this! It’s very generous of them, especially with Cathy pregnant and the “Little Chief” Levi to care of, not to mention that they have family of their own here now: Cathy’s parents Doug and Jerry working at the school and doting on the Little Chief every chance they get. I’m due to give a presentation to the lower school parents this Wednesday and gave a talk to 50 visiting teachers from a local school last week, which I think went very well. Cass is going bowling with her grade 8s this Wednesday and looking forward to our long weekend. Just think, we’ll be home in less than a month!
