Saturday saw us trip to the coast to try to milk the surf that should be compressed into action from all this swirling wind and water: it didn't eventuate! We drove and checked all the spots on the north coastal tip till we settled on the cliffs just outside Jinshan town. Cass positioned herself on the top of the cliff, coolie's straw pointy hat adorning her as she sat on her favourite perch to enjoy the spectacular view of sun and sea. I got a few waves, nothing spectacular and by the time I got out it wasn't even quite time for lunch. Nonetheless, we decided to grace the most impressive Jinshan restaurant, "Victoria" for lunch on our way back through. It is 4 star dining, of 3 courses and coffee, all for the princely sum of just $30 Australian (that's for both of us)....incredible! Satiated for food and nature's beauty we meandered our way back through the mountain road's endless curves to home where we watched the Knights capitulate yet again and then the Wallabies triumph over the All Blacks in the Tri-nation's final: good fun! (well the Wallabies part at least!)
Today, I ventured to the coast by myself, as Cass had lots of other stuff to get done. It was very frustrating! Again the swell did not eventuate and indeed, every spot from the Pillbox near Damshui all the way through to Baishawan was totally flat. The spots through to the Rocket were messy and blown, but the Rocket provided me and Dan (who I eventually met up with) some OK little fun waves. I was exhausted when I got home because of all the driving, and was ravenously hungry. My darling wife cooked up a huge plate of curried chicken for us and I ate that with relish just a few minutes ago!
Typhoons give an unusual gift just before they torment us with their real content. The days before a strike are resplendent in clear as glass blue skies, puffy white clouds and just a whisper of wind. They can suck all the polluted haze right off the city for a little while at least. We took this panorama shot of the Taipei basin on Saturday afternoon: it's a rare gem to see the city so clearly delineated. It spreads beyond this picture, but this gives an idea of the "city in a bowl". Other photos are of Cassy's favourite house on Yangminshan, totally made of granite, a few shots from the coast including kayakers in the river and some surfers learning their craft. Yet others show the interior and food of "Victoria", and a recently balded fellow inspecting his board! STOP PRESS: we just got the call: no school tomorrow, the typhoon is lumbering shoreward.