Taipei in June, Phoenix in July
It’s the difference between “hot and miserable” and “miserably hot.” Taipei’s heat and humidity will make you want to die. Phoenix’s will actually kill you.
Taiwan
Taiwan 2010 – Torn Between a Steak and a Vomitorium
“At no point in this story is actual vomit involved.” Honestly, I am seriously torn about how to “pitch” this particular blog post. It all relates to a single story and it has two different facets, it has the comedy vomit angle and it has the high praise for excellent food angle. You’d think they’d … Read more
Taiwan 2010 – Not My Most Successful Scheme By a Long Shot
LA sucks. Jet lag sucks. Put together they are a massive, steaming pile of suckage. Make a plan that glosses over those two points and you have a recipe for failure. The ways in which LA sucks are many and varied, so let me come to them as flows within the narrative. For starters, LAX, … Read more
Taiwan 2010 – This is the Sh*ts
I’m about five hours into the 11 hour flight across the Pacific and this has been a real mixed bag of a flight. Typically, there’s not much that can make being crammed in a tin can for 11 hours “fun” but the quality of the experience can certainly vary greatly. I’m plunked down in row … Read more
Taiwan 2010 – There are Stories Left to Tell
There are stories left to tell, like about the vomitorium in the classy restaurant inside the five-star hotel, but they shall have to wait until my return, for in about 30 minutes I’ll be heading out towards the airport to catch in flight 3 hours from then. The family will be staying behind for another … Read more
Taiwan 2010 – Apples in Taiwan
The changing face of travelling fascinates me. On my first trip to Taiwan, I didn’t have a cell phone, digital camera or laptop computer. Oh how things have changed! On this trip, we’re kitted out for every eventuality. Irene and I both have our MacBooks, our iPhones and my iPad. Linking it altogether, I brought … Read more
Taiwan 2010 – Wearing Glasses Sucks
About 3 bus stops away from the house is the Taipei Water Park (which, cleverly, appears to be connected to the water treatment plant.) We’ve been meaning to go there since we arrived, but a variety of things such as rain and trips out of town have stopped us. On weekdays, the place is virtually … Read more
Taiwan 2010 – Part VII – In Which I Do Totally Ordinary Stuff
It’s Father’s Day, and I’ve been given a rare opportunity to catch up on “stuff.” Irene has taken the kids to meet a friend and dubiously “…let them play in a playground, which [I’d] no doubt be bored doing.” Of course, that’s totally true, but at the same time, it’s rather an obvious excuse to … Read more
Taiwan 2010 – Part VI – Taichung Science Adventure
Oh, I may make fun of their mystical Chinese medicine, Feng Shui, superstitions, ghost concerns and a host of other completely illogical remnants to the dark ages of man’s reason, but that notwithstanding, the Taiwanese are at heart a science-loving, technology-obsessed people, which makes them infinitely superior to a vast swath of science-denialist Americans who … Read more
Taiwan 2010- Costco Menu in Taiwan
Like the US, Costco in Taiwan has a low-price food court, featuring products made from available ingredients at Costco. The menu is similar but different: Chicken ceasar salad Clam chowder Chicken bake Bulgogi (beef) bake Hot dog (all-pork) & drink Seafood pizza Hawaiian pizza Peking duck pizza Bacon cheese hamburger & drink Mango smoothie Hokkaido … Read more