Oh hey Taiwan, it's been a minute. Hao jiu bu jian. We survived a pandemic and even a few more years has passed since my last post (also to Taiwan). This time it's even a shorter trip - only 8 days!! Ah, that great American work culture.
The weather is great, a bit chillier than anticipated, but hey, no rain! While all of Taipei is wearing puffies and winter jackets, us American young-ins are wearing a thin cardigan at most. We're not even out of the Taoyuan airport and my sis is already scolded by an auntie as the kids are in shorts and a T-shirt! LOL. Put on your jacket before we get outside! I don't want to get scolded anymore.
We meet our parents at the apartment. They've already been here for a week, well adjusted to the time difference. They show us around the new neighborhood. It's New Years Day, so the streets are quiet and most everything is closed. Though, thankfully, the 7-11 down the street is open, 24/7 in fact! Thank goodness, as we later find out they will be our 430a breakfast savior.
My nephew and niece, of 9 and 7, comes too! It's technically the boy's second time here, but their first formative time. I love how excited they are to be here, embracing this half of their culture. I certainly did not feel that was as a 10 yo (took about 'til 20 for me). They're excited to meet some of their cousins they've never met. They're practicing some phrases in Mandarin, trying new foods; not to mention embracing the city life, walking 15-20k steps a day, dodging mopeds left and right, working the metro subway system.
Most of our outings were kid-oriented: we went to the zoo, checked out an amusement park, a Hello-Kitty themed 7-11, a Pokemon center, and played a lot of claw machines. While the kids had their fix of boba tea everyday, I, like every other trip to Taiwan, dropped my coffee habit and found the high mountain oolong tea instead, and an occasional warm soy milk, dou jiang for breakfast.
Aside from the jet lag and plane ticket$, traveling to Taiwan from Seattle isn't too difficult or expensive, and we plan to visit more regularly. The kids are on board. It was an on-going theme of the trip - "cheaper than Disneyland!"
So until next time, xia yi ci jian!
