Bowling is an interesting pursuit! I get flashes of "The Big Lebowski" and fun memories of uncoordinated attempts at the local (now defunct) Mayfield Bowling Alley in our early 20s along with sessions with Gurecki in Nagasaki. What intrigues me the most at bowling alleys all around the world is the sameness and nostalgia generated every time one walks in the door. The clunk of pins, the echo of strikes reverberating around the complex, the slide of hire shoes on polished boards, and the kitsch 60s vibe in the decor: they're the same everywhere!
Downtown Banciao in the outer southern reaches of New Taipei City also has a bowling alley and, surprise, surprise, it is no different from any other! The molded plastic seats, the electronic scoring machines, the suspiciously dry hot dogs, the air hockey tables and the sideshow alley attractions are all there along with the aforementioned elements. We took 220 8th graders there for a morning of "celebration and wellness" and my noise cancelling headphones were a god-send! (pictured)
We held our own celebratory party on Wednesday night and gave thanks for our Thanksgiving holiday (god bless America!). Eschewing the delights of the full turkey carvery at school (complete with 100s of screaming kids and the entire staff and faculty invited along with their extended families), we decided instead on a civilized, private affair at one of our favourite restaurants, Ruth's Chris over at Dahzhi. We texted up an Uber for the trip which took about 30 minutes in heavy rush hour traffic in the big city before we were deposited right in front, whispered up in the lift and entered the slick, couth world we've come to know and admire.
You could almost hear the heavy linen crack as we were ushered into our booth for a delightful evening and meal. The steaks were divine and the accompaniments fresh and tasty and we rounded out the meal with Australian Shiraz and rich cheesecake. Liveried waitstaff, subtle service and luxurious fit-out: it's an escape through the back of the wardrobe into another world. Narniaed back to reality, we got an Uber back home in half the time as the city's commuters settled in for a quiet night and eased the constant stream of vehicles lighting up Taipei's highways and byways.
We reveled in the beautiful spring-like weather over the remainder of the weekend with boutique excursions to do some shopping, pick up some furniture or scooter across the suburb for movies or meals. Normally, the start of winter here can get a little frosty, but we luxuriated in warm days and cool nights, full sun by day and a tinkling shower or two in the evening, lulling us to sleep as the rain tapped and clinked on the iron awning downstairs.
We also watched a lot of cricket! How decadent to get some days off work to fire up the VPN, access our Kayo subscription and beam the days' play from the Adelaide Oval and their day/night test against Pakistan. What could be better than sitting back on the lounge watching the Aussies break some records and David Warner get the 2nd highest test score of all time by an Australian? Not much, we say, and the pink ball sizzled and swung as the bats flashed and flew.
The temple just around the corner lit up like a cracker, quite literally, and entertained the neighbourhood with some giant puppet and portable shrine work. The temple boys sweated buckets on the warm day as they danced and swayed, the Taiko setting a hypnotic beat and the string of fireworks punctuating the happy mood with further excitement. It was a fitting end to an enjoyable and relaxing long weekend: we're ready to face another week....95 persuasive speeches each to sit through in the next three days(!).
Photos: bowling, Ruth's Chris, Mary sunning herself and the temple, with a final bowling shot included in the stop press: a colleague with a decent camera snapped us at the alley.