Formosan Phun

I noticed lot of bits about the place are different than other cities and nations here in NEA. And different is one reason I decided to try on Taiwan to see how it fit as a place to spend a week.

Restaurants close up early so if you want dinner at 9 p.m. in Taipei, the island's sprawling capital, you would be SOL, as Taiwanese eat and close shop prior to 8p.m on average. In the morning they fancy the fried egg as a main in their diet. Stinky tofu is the afternoon snack of choice. 7-11 has a big presence on the island and one big seller is the egg, but pickled and blackened due to its cooking process.

Transit was refreshingly straightforward in Taiepei and very refreshingly cheaper than Japan, but on that note what place isn't? The stone floor of CKS International Airport was not camera friendly, as it turns out but no surprises there.

Spotted some giggle-inducing Japanese tourists, always fun to watch their antics as they group themselves around non-Japan. Details of three cases follow:

1. Old I am going to rupture my bladder man: Regardless of nationality, the old man having to find a toilet is amusing. When my time comes hopefully I will be able to laugh, too. The frantic dancing, pointing, red face and pointing to his bladder region was the best part.

2. The elevator crew. Imagine an elevator. Okay, now add 12 college kids with no idea of timing, others or a plan. Add a choice of 11 floor buttons on the controls. Insert dissarray and Nayr standing in the corner wanting them the bubonic plauge to befall them all (swiftly). It was something to see. More than half go clonked by the elevator doors at several possible exits.

3. They don't speak Japanese in Taiwan? Man and Woman:
At a hotel in Taipei I was checking in and this middle aged couple started firing away in rapid Japanese and the Chinese hotel clerk asked them in Japanese "Do you speak some English, because I cannot follow your Japanese..." To which the couple replied: "Ehhhh???? Gaigokugo wakanai, muzukashi ne... which translates to: Foregin languages are too difficult and I don't understand them. Note the genuine aura they couple sent off, that the could not be bothered to even try. I laughed but I felt sympathy for the clerk, who made a genuine effort to be polite and communicate.