Rain bucketing down on sodden streets and we were stranded downtown, 40 minutes from home on the scooter! Saturday night proved to be even more of an adventure than we had planned when we set off relatively early at 5.15 pm to try to beat most of the Saturday night Taipei crush. Didn’t work! The scooter ride down was just amazing, probably one of the most frenetic we have ever experienced. I think a combination of good weather on top of a rather frowsy week had enticed the multitudes out to wine, dine, party or just to wiz around and be seen. We were stopped at traffic lights in a snarl of at least 200 scooters each time before the launch off at full throttle to the next set. It was a great buzz and as usual, we saw all the very best and worst that Taipei has to offer in the fashion stakes on the back of these scooters as well as whole families, tiny toddlers standing on the platform in the middle in little bamboo cages, full sized ladders strapped to the back of scooters as they weaved amongst everyone else and the constant puffs of air as riders zoom within a whisker as we both reach top speed flying down the road.We had started the night in search of a place called “the Diner”, the name not creative, but nor did it need to be from all reports. It is tucked away in a back lane near Heping East road, an easy 40 minute ride down for us. We were tempted to ride the MRT, but it would have entailed two changes there and back, so elected to get there under our own steam. It was a bit tricky to find, but fantastic after we got in to eat. We had to queue for about 20 minutes, a novel experience, but it was well worth it: these people don’t advertise at all, but word of mouth has people flocking. It was cheap, home cooked, western style food, pretty good service and a hum of excitement in the place. Cass wanted to get spinach lasagna, but they had run out so she got a lentil burger and I went for the home made meatloaf with mashed potato and gravy…wow! Just opposite was Gusto Hot Dog, offering about 30 different varieties of hot dogs, so we’ll have to check that at a later date.
My camera was ready to be picked up from its repair job at a little camera shop behind the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi building behind Taipei Main Station, so we decided to head north west after dinner to pick it up. The rain had just started and wasn’t much and we jigged in and around some one way back streets until we found a park nearby. Hou Kang Street is home to about 300 camera shops. As is the Taiwanese way, and sooo good for the consumer, sellers of like goods tend to congregate together. It is convenient and usually cheap, as traders have to keep prices down to compete. Our guy has been used by a number of people we know, so we went to him and the camera seems all fixed up. By now, however, the rain was tumbling down, so we got some throw away rain suits and boot covers, and went out to brave it. It certainly proved to be an interesting trip: all the mad stuff that happened on the way down happened on the way back as well, this time with sheets of water on the road thwarting the tiny tires getting a decent grip. Spazzies were flying along, we were getting showered with spray from passing cars and buses and drivers with Coke bottle bottom glasses neglected to see us at all a few times, necessitating hurried avoidance action! Suffice to say, it was an interesting trip, but we survived.
The weekend had started much more sedately, when Cass joined Kristin and Kathy to celebrate Kathy’s 50th birthday at Pizza Realto. They had a great time and enjoyed some wine at Kathy’s place before some excellent food at the Realto. I met up with Wal at the Green for a few drinks relatively late, so we both didn’t get to sleep till near midnight. To our horror, the “girls” decided to wake up and cry incessantly at 6 am, so we had to get up and let them out. That shortened sleep saw us both keen for a sleep-in today, which we had, before a very lazy day catching up with some news from home via the Herald clippings that Mum regularly sends, some internet news, including footy chat on the radio and state election results via the electronic news media (looks like Tate and Gaudry have split the Newcastle protest vote, handing the seat to Jodi Mackay in Newcastle despite their efforts)
Anyway, enough! I’m starting to bore myself, so I pity anyone else reading this drivel! Photos are of Cass lined up at “the Diner”, a view inside same, and a sign for an English school near the photo shop..!