There was no howling choir as sled dogs railed against the moon, no snowshoes snarled with grit and ice, and no blinding blizzards to befuddle and disorientate. It was deemed however, according to the citizens of Taipei, officially winter. We know this because when we strolled across to the other end of our city suburb on Saturday night we were greeted not only by Europeanesque window furnishings and outdoor displays, but also by hordes of people of all ages who looked like the vanguard for Mawson's ill-fated trek to Antarctica!
We'd been enjoying a quiet day at home, pottering around, before deciding to catch a movie and a meal out on the town like adults occasionally do! Normally, we'd jump astride Blackie for a spot of scootering across to the movie theatre, but we decided it was such a pleasant, if crisp, afternoon, that we'd stroll across instead. We were prepared for a little cold, as the mercury had plummeted in recent days, but the over-reaction from the general public had to be seen to be believed. Little kiddies resembled miniature Goodyear blimps, they were so layered in puffy jackets, scarves and beanies and the adults were similarly puffed up in their own belief that snow was blowing off the hills (which, of course, it wasn't!)
The European flavour is not confined to the fashion: the window displays and stores along Chung Chen Road are always sophisticated, but their seasonal iterations are a notch above the usual. It was great to walk along in the Christmas crowds, a happy buzz in the air, and buttery light leaking onto the footpath from the storefronts and restaurant signs. We'd been entertained before we even got to the movie!
The remake of "Murder on the Orient Express" was crafted quite professionally, yet Cass was more enamoured of it than was I. Kenneth Branagh couldn't quite channel the incomparable David Suchet in the role of Poirot, (especially with his incessant twirling of a ridiculous waxed moustache) nor could the majestic and sumptuous sets, along with modern drone shots of steaming rail engines cutting through gorges and bursting out of tunnels quite jazz up the story to my taste. However, the shivery whitescapes and icy settings certainly evoked further images of "real" winters...
The recently renovated Spice Shop served up hot, hearty fare for us at the conclusion of the movie, in particular a fish dish from the Tandoor which was perfectly cooked and delicious. We ate quite ravenously owing to our tiny lunches and the cooler temperatures, along with the always tasty Indian fare: always a recipe for a good appetite. On the way home we stopped in at Il Mercato's new patisserie and bought some of their banana bread to take home and compare to Wendel's: (it didn't quite stack up, despite a goodly serving of cinnamon which we like)
We're being swept away by exam preparation and various end-of-year protocols and necessities like report writing to fill up our last two weeks. It's hectic, and we haven't given much thought to our next European adventure, this time for real! I suppose when we board the plane on Thursday week we'll be able to catch our breath and think then. We've both finished the disturbing "Road to Jonestown" and now I'm indulging in some comfort reading with "Y is for Yesterday" by Sue Grafton. It's a delight! Cass is reading Elena Ferrante's The Days of Abandonment. Photos: Out and about by night and day.
