NO SLEEP TILL.......

TAIPEI - or Brooklyn.... something like that. If you have to ask, it's already too late!

As I was walking and exploring this weekend, I heard Beastie Boys No Sleep Till Brooklyn playing from a radio which I thought was kind of cool. Then I went into a 7-11 for a water and heard SpinDoctors Two Princes which made me sad. I go halfway around the world and hear that crappy song? Seriously....

Today's Lesson from Taipei: How I accidentally climbed a mountain this weekend.

Yes, you read that correctly. I "AXidentally" hiked up (and finally down) a mountain here in Taipei. So here's the story:

I went exploring as I had intended on Saturday. It was blue sky (a light blue - about as blue as it can get in this part of the world... probably still bluer than in LA) day and about 80 degrees (nice breeze). So I took advantage and said I was going to explore north part of Taipei that feeds into the Grand Hotel that we went to before via driver.

I started out by checking out the Jade Market which was full of probably 500 different vendors all with their own jade jewelry, figures, souvenirs, whatever you can think of, for purchase. I then walked along the train route and discovered the "Electronics" part of town where it reminds me of walking in downtown Hong Kong. It's the place to go for computer gadgets, or even if you just need new accessories for your cell phone, etc. I then kept walking to a Buddhist Temple (you'll see it in the pictures) for a viewing and picture taking opportunity. Then a short train ride to the North.

I walked by the soccer stadium - there was some rock concert going on, all in Chinese of course. There were a lot of people in the Art Center Park (or whatever it's called... depends on which map you look at) and a TON of kids there. It was some organized event for the kids as some were dressed for performing (as you'll see in the pics, some were part of a dragon show). Of course I got a lot of looks there from the little ones. I do have to be careful here, I think if I accidentally step on a kid, they might arrest me for attempted murder since I am so much bigger than anyone else here. I've thought of this a couple of times as I walk around Taipei....

I headed more North to the river, then crossed the river to where the Grand Hotel is. I headed East, past the American Club (a Country Club of sorts that has WAY too expensive of initiation fees/monthly fees so my interest in joining there has dropped to zero) to the Martyrs' Shrine. This was another beautiful shrine and plaza area, similar to the Memorial from last weekend, but this time next to the mountains and away from a lot of the city traffic. You can see a lot of the pictures I took there (look at the right side of today's page - additional photo gallery there). Note the brown straight lines running the entire length of the walk the guards take between the Sanctuary area and the front gate. It gets walked every day, every hour from 9:00am till 5:00pm (Banker's Hours) I think.... Here's a video I shot of the actual march, not a typical march. I'll get video next time of the actual change - kind of cool what they do with the rifles (no shooting unfortunately).



I was just informed that these are "Navy" folks marching (in white). I'll find out more on the unique marching style as I can.

Another lesson to be learned (you'll see a picture in my collection). When you see a space between the words "Rest" and "room", it is called a "Rest Room", not a "Restroom". So walking in when you have to pee and be in the motion of using the urinal is not advised since it is usually elder folks and mothers with sleeping little ones. Fortunately I hadn't unzipped so I was able to continue holding it till I found the "Bathroom". Rest... Room... just like it says!

So after this, I wanted to get back to the train station. Instead of walking all the way back around the Grand Hotel, I saw a sign with a Trail that looked like a "shortcut". Well this is my lesson learned for the weekend. I started up the stairs (the entire set of trails was paved with blocks that someone had to haul up there... including the main, and not so major, paths) not aware of what waited for me. In order to get the full benefit of the short cut you had to climb a TON of stairs to the top of the mountain. So after about 30 minutes of climbing stairs (I wasn't quite to the top... I got lost on one of the side trails) - I figured that I was close to the top anyway so I might as well go all the way up. I didn't realize that this would be required anyways. But as I'm climbing, I pictured many mountain climbers before me who travel through adverse conditions to reach the top of the mountain in order to find a wise man that either has the answer to the meaning of life, or grants a wish, or something profound for the effort. I continued to ascend the mountain trying to figure out which wish I would use when I got there - or hoping that the wise man at the top spoke English enough for me to understand him.... But at the top of the mountain.... BEHOLD - a older lady singing Karaoke with her husband, all in Chinese, and really shitty Karaoke at that. I kid you not. Yes, there were many shrines and a couple of temples at the top of the mountain, but no meaning of life. Just Karaoke.

The descent was MUCH easier - but I did realize that I picked the correct path to ascend. The other side is much steeper climb so anyone who wants to visit and take my path, make sure you start on the East side.

With that said, I hope you enjoy the pictures.

And after reading the following article, not sure my excitement for Friday's train ride is as high as it was earlier in the morning.

Have a great Monday!