Taipei Travelogue Part 1: Taiwanese Trivia

1. The Taiwanese seem to have a penchant for all kinds of games. There's this huge, sprawling section in the Shi Lin Night Market (士林夜市) where you will find all kinds of games possible. There's one that's like bingo, but it uses mahjong tiles and anybody can sit down and join the rest to play it at any time. There's another that involves trying to make an empty glass bottle, which is lying on the floor, stand. With the help of fishing rod thingie, that is.

I was pulled in to play this game (above) where you choose 15 mahjong tiles that are placed face down. You then have to match them with the pictures on the chart in front of you. If you form a line vertically or horizontally, you win. And I won on the first try!!! Talk about beginner's luck. Heh. My prize: a xiao ding dang umbrella. Hahaha.

2. The Taiwanese' fav sport should be basketball. Everywhere you go in Taipei, as long as there's a semblance of game stalls around, you will see this basketball game (above). Slot some tokens in and you're ready to go. Shoot enough hoops within a certain time limit and you get to advance to the next stage. It's damn tiring.

3. The Taiwanese are either an innately curious bunch, or they are simply appreciative. People actually stay around long enough to watch free performances and that includes sitting down to listen to buskers sing and play. At 渔人码头, or Fisherman's Wharf (above), an elementary school's symphonic band was playing, while many onlookers hung around to watch. The band's teacher even introduced all the different instruments the kids were playing, by getting the various sections to perform a short piece each. Very educational one horkay! And I think you no need to drop any coins in for them!

4. People actually earn money by holding up signboards pointing the way to eateries! Like these chaps in 西门町, a place somewhat like Singapore's Bugis Village. Come rain or shine, they are there.

Back...and first day at work

Today...well, more like yesterday cos it's past midnight, I started my new job. It's weird to be called by my job title. I can't get used to it. What I can't get used to more is the fact that I have to go on an overnight trek next Friday, from Bukit Timah to MacRitchie. Like what??? I'm so going to die. I'm so not prepared. I'm so...so...

Ah well. Why not let me relive those glorious teenage years when I scaled Mount Ophir and Mount Kinabalu like a never-say-die strongwoman? When I would sleep next to the campfire, make an A-frame fire and kill a chicken for food (yes I did that)...like, like, like Xena? Whatever.

But now? Today? I'm old. Achingly old.

Sports is perfectly fine. Bungee, tandem sky-diving, you name it, I've done it. But to lose that many hours of sleep trudging through some forest? I'm old...

NEVERTHELESS.

Apart from overnight treks, I think I'm gonna like my job. :)

As for Taipei, more about it later. I'm too lazy to post pix and blog about it :) Too much to say.

Off to Taipei!!!

I'm off to Taipei tomorrow, won't be back till next Tuesday. Excited but a little worried as well. Worried cos Typhoon Chanchu is nearby. Though it didn't hit Taiwan, but the torrential rains it caused in Taiwan has brought about a few landslides and flooding in some of the counties. Not Taipei though. But this means an umbrella or raincoat is a must! Heard from my Hong Kong friend that her fav time to shop is during a typhoon, cos the fitting rooms are all empty. Her advice: watch out for falling trees and signboards. But well, Taipei is not hit, so I should not worry I guess?

Anyways...I think going to Taipei is a homecoming of sorts? Haha. Cos I watch so many Taiwanese variety shows...let me name them:

1. 康熙来了 (my favourite!)
2. 我猜我猜我猜猜猜
3. 娱乐百分百
4. 娱乐新闻
5. The one by 菲哥
6. 女人我最大
7. Some fashion one hosted by Linda
8. Some singing one hosted by Linda and 王仁辅
9. Occasionally the one by 伊能静
10. 周日八点党
11. 全能美食秀
12. That one hosted by 5566 that makes all stars do stupid things
13. That gambling game of bluff by 乃哥 and this other guy
14. That one by 康永 and Lin Chi Ling (also very nice)
15. Some 电力 show hosted by康永
16. And 齐天大胜

I think there are a few more (including the 1990s repeats of Super Sunday)...but can't remember off-hand now. Wah lau...I watch a lot hor? :p

Speak of the navel!

Today, ethan and I bonded over our belly buttons. Don't underestimate the significance of this act. It works.

Me: Ethan, where's your navel?

Ethan unfolds his tiny index finger and touches his teeny weeny navel gingerly.

Me: Toot!!!
Ethan mummy: Ding!!!
(We both speak at the same time)

Me: So clever! Where's auntie's navel?

Ethan looks up at me tentatively and stretches his finger slowly to within 10cm of my navel and withdraws suddenly. He is shy. But not after a few attempts. He finally touches it.

Me: Toot!!!
Ethan mummy: Ding!!!
(We both speak at the same time)

Ethan also presses his mummy's belly button, and also Pooh Bear's. Technically speaking, Pooh Bear has no navel, but Ethan can imagine. So Pooh Bear has one.

Me: Toot!!!
Ethan mummy: Ding!!!
(We both speak at the same time)

Ah...the joys of bonding with a kid. He even let me hold his hand when we left his grandma's house. :)

Love story

The next movie I would like to catch is Love Story, directed by Kelvin Tong. Apart from hearing that it's good, I also have two friends who have cameos in the movie. Well, they were extras, and I recommended them for the show. They are supposed to appear in some dinner scene. Can't wait to catch them in the film, even if they take up like just two seconds in the show.

I must not blink.

Most people have a love story to tell, don't they? Over the weekend, I was privy to two love stories. One wild and crazy, the other sweet and lovely. The first is what you would not fail to tell your grandchildren, something that would make them feel what a sassy young thing their grandma was! The second just makes you go awww......

Two different situations, but both love stories. Those that never fail to make me sit up and listen. I really love a good love story!

I'm half-paralysed

I can't even lift my arms to take off my shirt. It's a chore to straighten them too cos they hurt! What a loser I am. Haha. Yes, I've inflicted myself with such pain by going cable-skiing at East Coast Park.

Pain aside, the Cable Ski Park - Singapore's first - is a really nice area for a relaxed stroll. There's a cafe as well where you can have a cuppa, read a book, or just watch people cable-ski (including people like me who crash very unglamly into the water, but don't worry there are pros too).

There are three to four options you can choose from. They include the kneeboard (which is the easiest), water skis and the wakeboard. I must say I really prefer going wakeboarding with a boat, cos the boat picks you up where you fall, which is very important for a clumsy beginner. At the Cable Ski Park, every time I fell at the furthest end of the lake, I had to swim to the bank, climb out, and lug my kneeboard all the way back to the start. It's at least a three-minute walk I believe. And it's really hard to launch on a wakeboard cos you launch from land, unlike wakeboarding with a boat where you get pulled out of the water.

Oh look, Ethan was there too. He didn't cable ski. But...errr...he poured milo on himself!!!

Polling Day: 6 May 2006

So it was, I cast my vote yesterday. Even 15 minutes before doing so, I still could not make up my mind. It was really tough. And it was over so fast - in five minutes - that I didn't have time to register what I really did. I just knew I was pretty nervous and that the guy who checked my IC was quite irritating cos he had to say my name very loudly (it's something they have to do) and he didn't know how to pronounce my name properly. I had to show this slip that was mailed to me (see picture above) and my IC, the guy would then match them with some records and give me my voting slip. It was then cross or never. What a scary act it is to vote.

Then while leaving, I tried to secretly take a picture of the place I cast my vote at. Well, I'm not doing anything wrong lah, cos I was so far away from the location. But still, there were policemen around and I didn't wanna risk being singled out. Place where I voted was under this little pavilion surrounded by blocks of flats (see picture on right). The walkway you see leads to the pavilion. So ordinary a place, but such a symbolic act. For me, at least.

suay sway

Was it last night or the night before, someone called me near midnight to try to sway my vote.

Suay suay this sat polling day I have two church weddings and one wedding dinner to attend. Am I supposed to vote in heels? Sheesh.

Picture op for ST: look out for a bride at the polling booths of Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. She velly suay. But I better donch say too much because some people feel it's a privilege to vote, so you want to comprain what???