Day 27 (Aug 4): Drawing to a Close

Our explorations have neared an end. We started with about two weeks in Taipei, spending mornings in class, and the rest of the day getting to know others in the program - through activities as well as afternoon outings to some of Taipei's sights, including Jinshan Beach, the Taipei Discovery Center, and the National Palace Museum. Free days allowed us to visit even more places, along with friends and family also in Taiwan. Once our cultural knowledge was "up to speed", we started a ten day tour around the island, touring around from morning 'til night.  We arrived back in Taipei and continued exploring for two long days. Today - we start wrapping up.

Preparations for tomorrow's closing ceremonies have started, an opportunity to show the heads of the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission that yes, we did actually learn stuff. Our lobby had a few people working on speeches - a few students were asked to say some words - while those in the performing culture classes needed to gather and rehearse. That included the flutists - along with those who practised traditional dance, the Chinese yo-yo, and Kung Fu.

Our relatively unproductive practice started at 9:30 and ended soon after eleven. We spent most of that time looking for a place to practice; apparently, people don't like to put up with a dozen players of the Chinese flute (louder and buzzier than the Western flute) who are out of tune, and struggling through their songs. After being asked to move several times in several places, we found an empty hallway, played a bit, and then the director came to listen. If she expected a sloppy performance (and I think she did), we definitely qualified! =D. Our main goal though, was to try to get the music memorized. My playing still wasn't great, but having performed the Taiwanese folk songs before, the notes were already in my head =).

We were given a boxed lunch, and we had the rest of the day for free time. Along with four other friends, all roommates, we headed back south to Ximending, Taipei's go-to-place for young shoppers. Two people in our group were looking for a haircut, and they found a pretty nice place above a tea shop. We then went shopping, looking for last minute gifts, and had some fun at the Tom's World arcade (I've already been there twice before, so I've said enough about it).

mmm... lunch.

heading out. Abbey Road style.

Heading back out of Ximending, I suggested that we visit the 228 Peace Park, as the other four have not visited the area yet. My journey there happened about two weeks ago (link: here), but it was good to pass through again. We boarded the MRT and went back to Jiantan to drop our bags and rest a little, before heading back out for dinner.

The larger MRT stations feature a station profile, to guide you through the maze of escalators.

We had hot pot at a restaurant just south of the Shilin Night Market. There are two places right next to each other, featuring dinner for $200 NT (just over $6.50 CAD, no sales tax, no tip needed). One was all you can eat, but the other had better reviews from friends, so that's where we went.

The restaurant was fairly packed. The menu was on the placemat. First, we picked our main meat style (beef, pork, lamb, etc... or a variety of meat, or fish + meat, at a slightly higher cost(; I chose lamb. We all chose the standard broth, and the standard set of hot pot items (everything minus the lamb) were brought out: plenty of vegetables, various mushrooms, corn, various fish balls/cakes, tofu, other soy-bean based products, a piece of pumpkin/squash, some taro, a shrimp, and a piece of pig blood rice cake. Of course, eaten with a sauce based on sa-cha sauce. Well, standard stuff - Taiwanese style hot pot. Yet, it always seems too hot in Taiwan to fully enjoy it. Best had at home, in Canada, with friends, on a snowy winter's day =).

Left: Placemat Menu. Right: Plate of vegetables, mushrooms, etc.

Left: starting to cook... Right: the arrival of meat. yum!

For $200 NT, the meal was very good - we had more than enough food so that if felt like a buffet anyways. Also, there were self-serve drinks (I liked their milk tea) as well as dessert, including ice cream, grass jelly, green bean soup, and a chocolate fountain along with biscuits.

Leaving the restaurant (after stopping by at another table to say hi to other friends), we decided to take a walk through Shilin yet again. We considered going bowling and trying bumper cars (yep, all at the night market), but opted out for a bit more arcade fun before heading back to the Youth Center for our second last sleep at Jiantan. Actually, knowing how life is on the last night of most summer programs, I might as well call this our last sleep at Jiantan =).

A photo taken from the MRT Red Line, passing over the Keelung River.

The building on the very left is the Grand Hotel. The building in the centre is where we sleep =).