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Thursday, June 02, 2005
Din Tai Fung. Went here with Ben, Jennifer, Musee, Rita, and Sean. We ordered a stack of dumplings so high, I could barely see Ben at the other side of the table! Ohhh such nice Siu Mai... I wonder why they don't make them soupy like that in Toronto...
Mandarin Church Service. They inducted like 4 pastors, 2 church elders, and THEN went onto have 2 regular sermons, all along with special musical interludes. i thought i was going to scratch my eyes out, it was so long! Even at that, I think I learned a bit of Chinese and got a good feel for the style of service they have here.
Poison Tea! Met up with Adrian Cheng today, went shopping for Mahjong software ($8CAD), a movie for all the Vivian fans back home ($1.60CAD), and a Penny Tai CD ($14CAD, and worth every Penny... har har ok slap me). We had dinner with Laura, Rita, and Sean at a place called "Poison Tea" behind SoGo on Fuxing road... and I thought the 500cc bubble tea ($4CAD) was a crazy amount when Adrian ordered a 1000cc (1L, $6CAD) bubble tea! I think he nearly died trying to drink that. Half-price refill anybody?
El Barrio. Went salsa dancing with friends yesterday to El Barrio near Meihua Theatre (Heping and Fuxing). Ladies' night! $12CAD cover for guys with 1 drink. The guy teaching the lesson was a gringo teaching some cuban style... personally though, I think I was the best dancer in the room (which is scary). There I met up with Sue, Caroline, Paula (?not sure), Mika, Denise, Mike, Mike, and Derek. Felt an earthquake too!
Mandarin Church Service. They inducted like 4 pastors, 2 church elders, and THEN went onto have 2 regular sermons, all along with special musical interludes. i thought i was going to scratch my eyes out, it was so long! Even at that, I think I learned a bit of Chinese and got a good feel for the style of service they have here.
Poison Tea! Met up with Adrian Cheng today, went shopping for Mahjong software ($8CAD), a movie for all the Vivian fans back home ($1.60CAD), and a Penny Tai CD ($14CAD, and worth every Penny... har har ok slap me). We had dinner with Laura, Rita, and Sean at a place called "Poison Tea" behind SoGo on Fuxing road... and I thought the 500cc bubble tea ($4CAD) was a crazy amount when Adrian ordered a 1000cc (1L, $6CAD) bubble tea! I think he nearly died trying to drink that. Half-price refill anybody?
El Barrio. Went salsa dancing with friends yesterday to El Barrio near Meihua Theatre (Heping and Fuxing). Ladies' night! $12CAD cover for guys with 1 drink. The guy teaching the lesson was a gringo teaching some cuban style... personally though, I think I was the best dancer in the room (which is scary). There I met up with Sue, Caroline, Paula (?not sure), Mika, Denise, Mike, Mike, and Derek. Felt an earthquake too!
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Chinese school. I was getting really bored during the days here because everybody I know here actually DOES something. Whereas I'm here on vacation. Anyway, the classes are about $6CDN/hr and are taught by two teachers, a hyper one who walks to us like we're 5 years old and one who's talks to us in standard, fast Taiwanese Mandarin. My class consists of 7 people (4 Japanese girls, a young American highschooler from Colorado, and a CBC from Toronto), plus an eighth guy (who is reputedly the singer Nicky Lee) that is apparently never there (argh!). Met some other Americans in the neighbouring class too.
Da bian shao! The first or second night here I went to eat Da Ban Shao / Wen Zi Shao with Rita's friends - Julian (Rita's rapster friend who apparently is casted in a Taiwanese drama), Musee (a professional trendsetter and foot-massage fan from NYC), Calvin (software programmer), and Lydia (works at a club at Taipei 101). Anyway, about the food - it's Japanese, and basically consists of a whole bunch of crap that's served with batter and fried (by YOU) on a Teppanyaki-style grill. Takes awhile to cook and doesn't really taste as great as it should. Eh.
Partyworld. Went KTV for Julian's birthday. The KTVs here are unbelievable - 10 floors, chock full with rooms that are twice as large and twice as well-equipped as the best KTV you could find in Vancouver. Hoochie mama!
This Internet Cafe. The 24-hour internet cafe here has like 80 machines, 2 floors, and smoking/nonsmoking sections! Why do people go here? Well, as I type, everybody around me is playing some sort of online RPG.
Bar 45. Went to Bar 45 with Devon and her friends the other day. Crap, it'd been the first time I had that much beer for awhile. I stumbled home and was to afraid to take a shower because I was so tipsy. No more drinking for me for awhile!
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. Visited this place with my friend who works in Taipei University Hospital. It's beautiful at night! Laser lights everywhere and it's realy quiet... which is rare for Taipei.
Taipei 101. Visited this place with my friend here who works in a medical device company. Didn't climb to the top of the tower though... spent more time playing a Japanese drum game at the arcade. Ooh I so kick ass at that.
Da bian shao! The first or second night here I went to eat Da Ban Shao / Wen Zi Shao with Rita's friends - Julian (Rita's rapster friend who apparently is casted in a Taiwanese drama), Musee (a professional trendsetter and foot-massage fan from NYC), Calvin (software programmer), and Lydia (works at a club at Taipei 101). Anyway, about the food - it's Japanese, and basically consists of a whole bunch of crap that's served with batter and fried (by YOU) on a Teppanyaki-style grill. Takes awhile to cook and doesn't really taste as great as it should. Eh.
Partyworld. Went KTV for Julian's birthday. The KTVs here are unbelievable - 10 floors, chock full with rooms that are twice as large and twice as well-equipped as the best KTV you could find in Vancouver. Hoochie mama!
This Internet Cafe. The 24-hour internet cafe here has like 80 machines, 2 floors, and smoking/nonsmoking sections! Why do people go here? Well, as I type, everybody around me is playing some sort of online RPG.
Bar 45. Went to Bar 45 with Devon and her friends the other day. Crap, it'd been the first time I had that much beer for awhile. I stumbled home and was to afraid to take a shower because I was so tipsy. No more drinking for me for awhile!
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial. Visited this place with my friend who works in Taipei University Hospital. It's beautiful at night! Laser lights everywhere and it's realy quiet... which is rare for Taipei.
Taipei 101. Visited this place with my friend here who works in a medical device company. Didn't climb to the top of the tower though... spent more time playing a Japanese drum game at the arcade. Ooh I so kick ass at that.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Night markets. Went to a bunch of night markets. Ximending. Shilin. The clothing night market near Houshanpi. Eh, not much to comment on except that they have a LOT of second-rate food and only a few things I would actually repeatedly eat. More on that later!
Penny concert. On Saturday, I went with Rita to a concert by an artist who also works for EMI, Penny Tai. It was sensational! Being a musician, I totally dug her creativity, originality, and onstage cheekiness. The only thing I think keeping her from being big in Taiwan is generally poor marketing - while less talented people like Vivian Hsu (I'm talking a different kind of talent) and Jolin Tsai are taking the limelight, Penny (originally a Malaysian) is generally known but relatively invisible in the media. Oh yeah, I must mention, sitting in front of me was Fish Leong (Liang Jing Ru; I was kicking her chair), to my right side was Jackie Chan's coattail-riding son, and Hebe from S.H.E.! How lucky they were to sit that close to me. Rita caught Penny's autographed top hat! You just wait Rita, those fans are SO gonna regret taking a picture with your caught hat and not with you.
Church BBQ. Went to Laura's church service and BBQ on Sunday night. What did I learn? May is not a good month to have a BBQ in Taiwan. And always check the chicken leg is not bloody before you devour it whole. The service seemed really nice, but I thought had toomuch singing and not enough meaningful sermon - I didn't really understand these three skits that were put together by this Missionary Troupe.. and I don't think I was the only one.
Guanghua Electronics Market and Jade Market. Went twice, once with Janet/Rita/Laura and the second time with Rita/Mike Lin. A couple comments - 1. electronics here are not terribly cheaper here than they are in Canada - although I did pick up a snazzy white LED flashlight for $8 and a new cell phone (Panasonic G51E, it's tiny!) for $104; 2. the Taiwanese really like their porn (maybe 30% of the CD merchandise there); 3. Taiwanese are stiff on the bargaining - because they aren't poor like people on the mainland.
Penny concert. On Saturday, I went with Rita to a concert by an artist who also works for EMI, Penny Tai. It was sensational! Being a musician, I totally dug her creativity, originality, and onstage cheekiness. The only thing I think keeping her from being big in Taiwan is generally poor marketing - while less talented people like Vivian Hsu (I'm talking a different kind of talent) and Jolin Tsai are taking the limelight, Penny (originally a Malaysian) is generally known but relatively invisible in the media. Oh yeah, I must mention, sitting in front of me was Fish Leong (Liang Jing Ru; I was kicking her chair), to my right side was Jackie Chan's coattail-riding son, and Hebe from S.H.E.! How lucky they were to sit that close to me. Rita caught Penny's autographed top hat! You just wait Rita, those fans are SO gonna regret taking a picture with your caught hat and not with you.
Church BBQ. Went to Laura's church service and BBQ on Sunday night. What did I learn? May is not a good month to have a BBQ in Taiwan. And always check the chicken leg is not bloody before you devour it whole. The service seemed really nice, but I thought had toomuch singing and not enough meaningful sermon - I didn't really understand these three skits that were put together by this Missionary Troupe.. and I don't think I was the only one.
Guanghua Electronics Market and Jade Market. Went twice, once with Janet/Rita/Laura and the second time with Rita/Mike Lin. A couple comments - 1. electronics here are not terribly cheaper here than they are in Canada - although I did pick up a snazzy white LED flashlight for $8 and a new cell phone (Panasonic G51E, it's tiny!) for $104; 2. the Taiwanese really like their porn (maybe 30% of the CD merchandise there); 3. Taiwanese are stiff on the bargaining - because they aren't poor like people on the mainland.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Brevity-ness is next to godliness. Due to high demand and my personal laziness, I'm making these posts short and sweet.
Long plane ride. Spent 16 hours on a plane! Toronto => Detroit => Osaka => Taipei. Had the exit seat, which sucked, and the anal Northwest Airlines attendant repeatedly insulted my intelligence, at one point chastizing me for putting my books on the emergency exit door - "if you had read the safety card you'd know you're not supposed to do that!" - when really the safety card says squat about not placing items on the door panel. "If you cannot understand the safety card instructions, I can get another passenger to replace you!" Hmph! Met two nice flight attendants, Mo and Kay. Eh.
Staying in Taipei. I was received at the airport warmly by who else than SMEETA, Taiwan's next hottest sensation! It just turned out that she had extra room in her apartment and was hankering for bodies to fill them, so I volunteered. Actually I really couldn't ask for a better person to spend a few weeks with - she's been nothing but upbeat, helpful, and inspiring. Which I really need after being void of all things fun for 5 months. Ooh her cable goes up to channel 116 too. Which brings me to...
Taiwanese TV. Omigosh I am addicted to Taiwanese TV! I spent my first night in Taiwan channel-surfing, and found the forbidden adult channels. The thing was, adult channels here aren't explicit - they just have interesting content - like a game show where they make girls in bikinis play twister, or loads and loads of infomercials on sexual stamina treatments and breast enlargement. So far my fave TV show is a Japanese import called Super Bun Man (Mianbao Chaoren)! Huh, so what it's for 5-year olds. Shut up!
Wandering. Got lost a couple times trying to make my way around Taipei. The details are boring. The MRT here is just like Singapore's - amazing! Much cleaner than TTC too.
Bookshop street. Went to a street full of bookshops near New Taiwan University Hospital.
TBC
Long plane ride. Spent 16 hours on a plane! Toronto => Detroit => Osaka => Taipei. Had the exit seat, which sucked, and the anal Northwest Airlines attendant repeatedly insulted my intelligence, at one point chastizing me for putting my books on the emergency exit door - "if you had read the safety card you'd know you're not supposed to do that!" - when really the safety card says squat about not placing items on the door panel. "If you cannot understand the safety card instructions, I can get another passenger to replace you!" Hmph! Met two nice flight attendants, Mo and Kay. Eh.
Staying in Taipei. I was received at the airport warmly by who else than SMEETA, Taiwan's next hottest sensation! It just turned out that she had extra room in her apartment and was hankering for bodies to fill them, so I volunteered. Actually I really couldn't ask for a better person to spend a few weeks with - she's been nothing but upbeat, helpful, and inspiring. Which I really need after being void of all things fun for 5 months. Ooh her cable goes up to channel 116 too. Which brings me to...
Taiwanese TV. Omigosh I am addicted to Taiwanese TV! I spent my first night in Taiwan channel-surfing, and found the forbidden adult channels. The thing was, adult channels here aren't explicit - they just have interesting content - like a game show where they make girls in bikinis play twister, or loads and loads of infomercials on sexual stamina treatments and breast enlargement. So far my fave TV show is a Japanese import called Super Bun Man (Mianbao Chaoren)! Huh, so what it's for 5-year olds. Shut up!
Wandering. Got lost a couple times trying to make my way around Taipei. The details are boring. The MRT here is just like Singapore's - amazing! Much cleaner than TTC too.
Bookshop street. Went to a street full of bookshops near New Taiwan University Hospital.
TBC
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Write me at antwkf1981@hotmail*com or click below to comment - I check my email compulsively - and if you're too busy to say hi, at least give me a home addie so I can send you a postcard if I have time.
Pictures will all be posted upon my return at http://individual.utoronto.ca/fong. My past blogs (Cambo and Costa Rica) are both there .doc format as well.
Love y'all!
-Ant
Thursday, June 12, 2003
(Test blog)
What the heck is blogging? Why do people do it? What's the meaning of life?
What the heck is blogging? Why do people do it? What's the meaning of life?