Chi Bao Si Le

After trekking around the city on Saturday afternoon, it came to my attention that evening that I was dangerously low on cash, with about $300 NT, which corresponds to just under $10 US. After learning from the experience of my first day in Taipei, I decided to search for a Bank of America. I found the address online and according to the map, it should have been one street over from an MRT stop. I got off at said stop and walked around quite a bit in both directions, dripping with perspiration, then finally gave up and just decided I would pay the stupid international and non-BofA ATM fees.

Shortly before this, an old man on the Subway came up to me and started speaking English (apparently I was the guinea pig with whom he could practice his English). I didn't want to be rude, so I continued speaking with him and ended up missing my stop. As we got off, he said, "If you want to practice your Chinese, come with me. I can teach you a few hours a week. Are you busy now?"

What are you thinking, old man? Of course I'm busy now. Why else would I be on a subway? Am I just taking the train back and forth for kicks because I have nothing better to do?

More politely of course, I said that I was busy and that I needed to find a bank. I'm almost glad--no, actually quite glad--that I missed my stop because that gave me an excuse to turn around while he kept walking.

After striking out with the Bank, I decided to continue onward down the MRT line to Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. After making the many obligatory wrong turns, I stumbled into this building across the street from the hall that said it was a market. As I entered, I swore I had stepped into a room of treasures. This place was about two floors, and all the Taiwanese merchants had tables selling a myriad of ecletic foodstuffs--from produce to seeds to meats to baked things to dried foods. I picked up a couple bag of dried foods and lizi (lychee fruit), partially because I was just so overwhelmed I didn't know what else I should buy. I spoke with ladies at two separate stands when I bought my things, and they understood me and I understood them. Mind you it was very simple speaking, but for me, a small smile goes a long way. I'll never underestimate that seemingly small detail again when students from abroad come to America.

Fresh lizi. Deeee-lish.

I finally made my way to my original destination after my dealings with the market. I know the memorial consists of a National Concert and Theater Hall, but I also thought there was a museum or exhibition aspect to it as well. If there was, I couldn't find it, so I walked around the plaza a bit, where there was some kind of World Cup festivities (very small, mind you, but props to them for having something nonetheless). It was very similar to the soccer festivities back in the states, with measurements of ball velocity and contests to see who could execute passes the most accurately. (On a side note, I'm pissed England lost, and I'm even more pissed I can't see any games. This only happens once every four years, and here I am missing it.) Apparently there many opera and classical music concerts as well as jazz performances that will be taking place there this summer, so I really want to exploit those opportunities and go see a few shows.

World Cup stage and backdrop. I'm guessing this was for some kind of speaker or performance, but I didn't see any.

Giant World Cup ball with signatures for some reason or other.

So apparently THIS is the memorial building. It was like a ghost town so I figured there was nothing in there, when in reality that's exactly where I wanted to be. After looking at the website, apparently everything I wanted to see was inside. Whoops. I would not have had enough time at this point anyway, so I will just go back another time.

At about 1 or so, I made my way back home to meet up with the lab folks at 3 pm for a barbeque. We drove to this restaurant up by the National Palace Museum, which allows you to cook your own meat and veggies on the table. (Too bad I don't like seafood. There was so much, and given the all-you-can-eat nature of the place, I really could have gone to town.) We arrived probably around 4 and waited for others to show, killed time by walking around the garden for a bit, then probably started eating around 5 or 6. We didn't get out of there until after 9.

Andy was in charge of the grill for the first hour or so.

"Oh, look at all the wonderful things to eat!" 10 points if you can place the quote.

Crawfish, I think? I passed.

This is bamboo. I thought it was green onion at first, but you peel off the green then roast and eat the white part (more towards the bottom). Call me a panda, cause I loved it.

An intense after-dinner card game.

At the conclusion of the festivities, I came back and crashed hard. Tomorrow I'll probably be doing some cell cultures on my own this time, so I better review some stuff.

Until then, zai jian.