Unbeknown to us, when we were at the supermarket last week, we should have bought some toilet paper. In fact, Cass even had a pack in her hand then put it back thinking we already had enough to carry. Little did we know that not only our local supermarket, but every shop the length and breadth of Taiwan has been stripped, fleeced and denuded of paper ever since that time. Apparently a world wide shortage of pulp paper has led to a price increase, and in the minds of the populace this is either unwarranted, inexplicable or poorly communicated, hence the panic buying: apparently, people have been exiting stores with trolleys stacked six feet high with TP.....all to save a few bucks!
Even though it is extremely amusing (I did post on Facebook a link to the article with the quip, "I nearly shit myself when I read this, then thought better of it"), it is vaguely annoying as well. I'd hate to see what would happen if something like water became scarce and rationed...scary!
We tried a new local Indian restaurant on Saturday night, Moksha, and it had a relaxed ambiance and fine food. It is situated just opposite the huge SOGO departmet store near our place, so it's very convenient to get to and is also right next door to another of our favorites, Pino the pizza restaurant. We choose relatively conservatively as it was our first visit, but the menu is extensive and different, with many chef's specialties, and specialties from the region of India they come from. Mine was spicy, yet slightly less salty than I expected....perhaps an acquired taste? Despite this, the meal was first class and we vowed to re-visit soon.
Meanwhile, Cass bought a short, wool skirt at Uniqlo and tried it on in store but one of those annoying security discs proved to be placed at an awkward point right where she was doing it up. As it turned out, it was too tight, so we decided to visit another store the next day down in the Zhongshan district, partly to change the skirt and partly to take advantage of the, unusually of late, stellar weather.
The area is characterized as being just before the Taipei main station stop and leads into that area with a bevy of restaurants, galleries and specialty clothing stores. For this reason, it's usually abuzz with people out shopping or dining or just taking in the sights and sounds, yet today it was curiously quiet. We guesssed that it is a combination of factors: the 2/28 holiday and lantern festival holidays were almost back-to-back this year, so some might have combined this with the weekend to give themselves an extended break out of the city.
We came back via the Zhishan district and while Cass traded up her skirt (the other store didn't have any), I relaxed in the garden on a slab of granite which overlooked a manicured garden with carefully tended vegetables. It's a strange little oasis nestled among all the high-rises, but a lovely area in the big city to sit, contemplate and relax on a sunny day.
I neglected to mention why we had a rather low-key weekend: Cass and I were both out on Friday night drinking, eating and socializing with different groups. I was with Wal and Shaun, and Cass joined her "Bookies" group for a night of fine fare at Darby's place and we both caught up on all the latest, news, intrigue and gossip!
I need to catch up with Cassy's reading....she's read a pile of books since I last commented or updated our reading links above. Photos: more and more Australian products are creeping on to shelves or promotions, the TP runout, Zhongshan and the MRT, and bucolic scenes in the concrete jungle.