Winter Break
Trip Start
Jul 27, 2006
1
15
19
Trip End
Aug 2007
Taipei,
Taiwan
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
01. Hello Kitty Madness
. In the plane we were having our own little party. It was fantastic. Nomihodai (all you can drink!!). They didn't charge us for drinks on the plane so we took advantage and had a few beers. Well, I had a few and some red wine, the boys had QUITE a few!! It was hysterical. Alcohol, I've realized, is the cure all for any flying phobia anyone has. It truly works wonders. However, just to be sure Im going to have to test this theory further of course. We all have a bunch of time to chill in Taipei, we separated to check into our respective hostels. After that, I had just about one singular goal for the entire trip.....See the Taipei 101 so this is what we did!! And I am so glad we did. It's currently the tallest building in the world with 5 stories underground and 101 above ground is how I think it is all laid out. I mean just looking at this building is cool. It's gorgeous. And inside is even more goregous with totally upscale shops and truly awe inspiring architecture. I mean it is just so damn cool. Then, Andy and I got into the world's fastest elevator and went to the top!! The view is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And who knew at that height it is so windy. I mean it was windy up there. Thank goodness for all the fencing to barricade us off from being blown away. Also there is a small museum up there with some crazy expensive but truly amazing artwork and a movie about the making of the Taipei 101. It was pretty interesting. Really interesting actually. This is when we found out that on New Year's Eve there are fireworks lit off from the Taipei 101!!!!!!!!!!!! It looks spectacular and I would definitely love to get to Taipei to watch that someday. I mean I was probably a little too excited just from watching the movie that to see them in person would be excellent. Seriously, Ask Andy, I made him watch the movie twice just so I could see the fireworks part again. They were that good. The other boys met us at the top of the building and bummed around for a bit. So, Andy and I decided to meet them downstairs
02. Hello Kitty Demonstration Film
. Once we all re-grouped again it was off to the market. A night market that is. I guess THE night market in Taipei. This place kicked some serious ass. And my sense of smell was working at this point still and to be honest there are some points in the walk thru that it really could have been on the fritz and I would have been totally ok with it. Some of the food they were cooking literally made us gag because the smell was so so so so terrible. There were three such moments throughout the market. There was actual gagging on everyone's behalf, I'm not even lying. But, even though it was smelly in some parts, it was still very cool. The shops, and stands, and restaurants, and food stands. It was pure chaos, and there were just so many people. Let me tell you, they have some amazing shoes in Taipei. Wish I woulda budgeted for some of those. If only I had known. They were gorgeous. Part way through Andy and I are hungry so we're looking for places to eat. Bob spots a lovely little cart serving some marinaded concoction and he asks me what it is.......and I was like....They're....ummm....Oh MY GOD!!.......It's CHICKEN FEET!!!!!!! It was too, nail and all, bony little fingers. Just chicken feet marinaded. Craziness. Well, when you are in such a situation, there is only one thing to do....try em. So, Bob and I ate some chicken feet. Ok one chicken foot each. I'm just going to say it......they were awful. Absolutely terrible. The marinade on the outside was fantastically delicious. But once that wore off you were left with nothing but chewy cartlidge
03. Hello Kitty Food
. Not only did it taste only like cartlidge but the taste coats your entire mouth...teeth, gums, tongue, even the roof of your mouth. There is absolutely no escaping. I was doing ok until I realized that even though I swallowed the damn thing, I could still taste it and strongly. I had to turn and walk away from the little booth so as to not offend the cook with the gag that was coming on. Once I got that under control I made turned again at the edge of the booth and lo and behold there was a little cart with chocolate samples!! Here is some advice for all you chicken feet eaters, chocolate gets that lingering cartlidge taste out almost perfectly. It was a god send. Am I glad I tried a chicken foot, yes, will I ever do it again, under the right circumstances maybe, but probably not. This is an example of how cool this market was. Not only did they have chicken feet cooking, but they also sold the most beautiful shoes and tapestries. And one store over are bras. I mean come on. This is a cool market. There was even fresh fruit. We had a bananna smoothy. It was marvelous. However, Andy and I are still starving. The other boys head off to find a bar, but I'm really thinking it a better idea for Andy and I to eat and head back to our hostel since the first part of our trip in the Volunteer portion and not the beach. So recovering from a hangover and jet lag would probably not be ideal. On our way thru the market we saw a restaurant where they fry up some meat and veggies right infront of you. It looked amazing
04. The Boys
. So we went there. And it was so good my mouth is watering right now just thinking about it!!!!!! I got pork and Andy got shrimp. Both were fantastic. They bring you some soup and a bowl of rice as well as a cup for all you can drink tea or pop. Then the chef fries up the food with this oh so perfect sauce. You get three veggies I think and 1 meat. I just can't even explain how delicious this food was. It was just what we needed. When we finished eating we headed to our hostel. Which quite honestly could have been the setting for that terrible horror movie Hostel. It was that sketchy and we were a little nervous. Everything turned out to be just fine, but man it was rough going with the sleeping. I mean there was one guy who was actually living there, in the little cubicle bed. Like he moved in. Books, CDs, CD player all in about a 6 foot long by 3 foot wide space that he had to sleep in too. I mean wow. This is the kind of stuff that people running from the law do. I was a bit skeptical. And someone stole Andy's blanket while we were gone. Hmmm.......had I not been so tired I would have been up for sleeping at the airport, but that was an hour away. I must have been ready to get outta there too, cause I woke up an hour before we had to and didnt realize it, got dressed woke up Andy so he could get ready to go, and then said oh wait haha we still have an hour! Yeah, I was ready to go. Now we are on our way to Thailand!!! Only 6 more hours in the air. And boy, was it worth it! Taiwan was fantastic though and I could've stayed much longer. 
