Hello Taiwan Pt 10 - The Round Up

This was one of the best trips I've taken and I actually dreaded having to load my bag pack into the taxi and watch Taipei city distant itself from the rear view mirror of the cab. The city we've spent the last two weeks at had slowly weaved itself into me.

Sure, I complain about the lack of English incorporated into menus, or how everyone is driving on the wrong side of the road, but everything else was to love. The people, the weather (God bless winter), the clubs, the topless dancing girl, everything. I'd have well loved to trade my passport in.

So many things happened, which I'm unable to detail it with credible justice at this point of time, but it's a memory I'd cherish and a befitting end to the year. Hence, I'd figured that pictures would do the best narration for now.

This was our last night in Taipei and it was a crazy KTV session, which eventually ended with a card session back in our room till about 6.30am in the morning.

These are two of the girls we got to know the last time we were in Taipei. That's Rita on the left and the other is XiaoBao.

Rita brought us to one of her girl friend's place one night to chill out. While I didn't immediately recognise her when we were being introduced, everything slowly fell into place and I realised that she was one of the girls we picked up from Room18 last year.

I had to actually scramble the internet to show her the picture we took in May last year, just to prove that we've actually met and I wasn't running by some cheesy pick up on her.

I can't remember her name, but she was the first girl in the club that we got to know. Or at least I think she was.

Our favourite smoking spot outside Taipei 101.

Meet Tracy. Store manager of DKNY, our 101 smoking companion and LB's favourite Taiwanese girl. To be fair t LB, this picture didn't do her any justice.

This was on Christmas day itself and Queenie invited us along to have dinner and drinks with her friends. They told us some hilarious stories.

One of it was about one of the girls visiting Singapore and how she mistook the 'Uniquely Singapore' balloon for the moon. She also summed up her perception of people in Singapore.

She: "新加坡的人不好看。有很多黑黑的，还有些喜欢在头上绑一条布."

I swear to you. I nearly choked on my pizza.

The other one was from this guy who used to be in a dog unit and he told us the best way to get a dog to obey you, was to give him a handjob. Funny, I believe this is how women train men too.

I was having pizza, gulping beer and listening to stories on how to give a dog a handjob. All I needed was to have a choir fall down the chimney start carolling "Joy to the world" and this would have qualified as the best Christmas ever.

LB and I decided to walk back from a club one night and we got lost and decided that rather than to spend our time looking for a cab or asking for directions, we would use that time more productively taking pictures.

This girl selling juices was VERY cute. I was almost smitten by her smile until I realised she hadn't even turn 17 yet and was probably not old enough to buy popcorns at the cinema.

Feng Jia Night market at Taichung. I didn't see the difference between this and any other night market in Taipei, except having less pretty faces.
Taipei 101

This was probably one of the WORST Japanese food I've had and we actually paid about SGD100 for it.

Bally's at 101

The thing I love about the tea cafe concept in Taipei, is the smoking allowed regulation.

The street we pass every morning to start our day and at night, when I'm drunk.

Goodbye Taiwan, hello 2008. And it's back to Singapore. I hope the weather has changed and it's been snowing since I left. I also hope that people have been religiously stripping in clubs and that the concept of an open bar is adopted.

Get the champagne ready, save on the cake and mothers hide your daughters. I'm coming back.