Day 19: Taipei

We’re in for the night, but I blew it today – I’d been thinking about going to the jade market, and it only happens on wkends. But I think w/ my being sicky everything works a little slower and dimmer, so I assumed they wouldn’t be open Sunday during the day (only Fri and Sat nights). But, I think I’m wrong about that and they’re open during the day on Sundays. Dammit. I really wanted to go – a good place for getting little gifts. Ah well.

We were moving a little slowly in the am. I actually felt a little better, moving a little easier than mornings before. But amanda’s starting to get a sore throat, so neither of us is doing great. We made it down to breakfast before 10. They had hot tea which felt nice. I was gradually formulating a plan for the day w/ the book.

We gathered our stuff and headed out to Taipei 101 first. By train from zhongshan, transfer to red line, to Taipei city hall stop and walk south. We walked on the aboveground covered walkway which was nice b/c you don’t have to stop at the streets. It goes through a mall w/ all the expensive brand stores, and then all of a sudden you’re at the tower.

Tix are 400NT. The elevator ride is super ear poppingly fast. Their 89th floor observatory is inside w/ glass windows all around and signs telling you which direction you’re looking. Then you can walk up 2 flights of stairs to the 91st floor outside observatory. It’s cool being outside that high up, looking around. It was a bit cloudy/hazy today, so visibility wasn’t great beyond the mountains, but you could see all of the city just fine. From the 89th and 88th floors you could also view the Super Big Wind Damper – this big gold “ball” for building stabilization. There’s a whole video about how it works and how it was made. It reduces the tower’s movement by 40% I believe, and makes it better suited for earthquake resistance. And there are 4 cute little colored monster guys who they use to glamorize it. You aren’t allowed to walk all the way down w/ the stairs, but looking down in the stairwell, it certainly looks like the stairwell goes down a long ass way.

We then ate lunch in the most overwhelming and amazing food court in the basement of Taipei 101. They had all kinds of stuff there. I got a special for 130NT that included oyster omelette, rice vermicelli, some veggies, a soup, and I added lu3 rou4 fan4 (which came w/ an egg) for 40NT. Amanda got some noodles too, but wasn’t feeling very hungry. Uh oh. She may be starting to either get what I have or what Dylan has, or some combination.

Then from there we went to the Confucius Temple and Bao-An Temple (close together). I really like visiting temples just to see what the décor and atmosphere is like b/c it’s different at each one. The Confucius temple was so quiet and calming. There were very few visitors. We sat for a second and just chilled. The Bao-An Temple had a ton more people there praying, getting food and incense ready as offerings, etc. There was a lot more gold and red colored stuff there too. Plus, when we entered, it started pouring rain. We walked around, saw everything, and called a cab back to the hotel to rest.

Watched some tv (27 dresses). Then decided to motivate for dinner at the Shida night market. We went by train, and I was kinda hungry when we got there but more than anything, super indecisive. We walked around a bit and shopped. By this point I am a little tired of not being able to read. Kinda frustrated w myself b/c I’m sick and don’t feel like talking and working out details of getting the food I want – just want it to be easy, which it’s not b/c I can’t read what some places are serving. But I remain calm and find an easy dumpling type place. And the only problem is that it’s got a line. So I take a number, and we shop across the way looking at shirts, and soon my number comes up and I get 12 of these steaming hot things in a box. They’re more like buns than dumplings, but mini buns. Pretty good, super hot, very oily. We eat as we walk around some more. Then we walk back so Amanda can get this shirt she was eyeing before. And then we’re ready to go. This night market is smaller and w/ less selection than Shi Lin… which maybe makes it more manageable. But I didn’t see anything that I thought was super sweet.

And that brings us back to me blowing it… dammit. In the cab on the way back to the hotel was when I realized it. I asked the driver whether he thought the jade market was still open today, and he said prob not. And then I was like, doh – probably it was open earlier and we could’ve made it but we were doing other stuff b/c I wasn’t thinking clearly on it. It’s cool. I’m letting it go now. Tomorrow’s the last day here. I can’t believe it. But I am definitely starting to be ready to come home. Adventures are awesome, but there’s only so much of not being able to understand everything that’s going on around you that you can take before feeling a bit uneasy I think.

I called mom’s friend Helen, and we’re planning to have lunch together tomorrow. And there are a lot of things to go check out in the morning and afternoon besides that. Time to rest up for now.