Back in Taiwan / Fountaineblueu / Champs Eylsees
I have been having a relatively quiet time since coming back from Okinawa on Friday 20th.
Saturday 21st I went back to Philip and Teressa's for a Murder Mystery Evening.
I have always wanted to take part in a Murder Mystery evening. Andrew bought me the game at Christmas and I brought it over here to play with Philip and his friends.
It was a great evening good fun. I was the murderer. Philip ran the evening very well ;when it came to each of us guessing who the murderer was ; most people thought it was me, not because of my great acting skills but because they assumed Philip would pick me to be the murderer and of course they were right :)
This is my last week at the Mountain House and I want to savour this time. had a lovely walk through the campus today which took about one hour twenty minutes and it was 34 degrees so I took it slow.
I went to the post office to send some postcards and much to my delight the post here is very cheap I remembered it was last time. In Japan it was just the opposite, very expensive. In Japan for some reason you cannot send a post card unless it is in an envelope.
Philip came over last night after work to stay and we had a mum and son evening; very nice to catch up in a peaceful environment. He was going to an orientation day at his new job this morning which is close to the Mountain House and why they are moving here ( Fountainebleu) on 29th June and I am moving to the city apartment ( Champs Eylsees)
Philip off in the shuttle bus for the first time.Wednesday of my last week I went for a coffee at the Campus Cafe after a lovely walk; then finally I got to Tamsui.
After walking along the prom I turned into a street which took me straight to Blackpool . I had no idea the sea side is the same almost everywhere .
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.
and lastly always someone taking care of the place
I am afraid to admit I spent 1000 TWD ( £25 )on a lot of rubbish; there is something mesmerising about the shiny things in those tacky seaside shops
The following day despite the 35 degrees I got on the MRT to go back to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. I wanted to spend more time there.
I got off at the wrong stop and I am happy to say I quickly worked out where I should have been . I went back to Taipei Expo Park and for the first time saw it very quite most of the places were not opened yet including my favourite cafe.
Part of the museum is an old traditional house built in 1917 ( a rich persons house)
I was very tired after this day out I did 10,300 steps in over 30 degrees heat.
When I was on my way home on the MRT as we approached Zhongyi a woman waved to me to share her seat; I said it was Ok I was getting off soon. She came to me at the station and said hold on till the next stop . Her name is Gill she is from San Francisco. She knows the drivers at Guandu and she said I live in Fountainebleu we can share a taxi. She is fluent in Chinese ,has lived in Bejing, Viet Nam Taiwan and Japan.
Trs came over today to pack all her mothers things and get the place ready for them moving in at the weekend. I felt a bit sad; conversely I am ready for the next challenge too.
My last day at the mountain house it was 35 degrees . I had a culture day; I listened to a play on Radio 4 Dostoevsky White Nights; then This Cultural Life interview with Katherine Randell she inspired me to buy her biography of John Donne.( audible version)
The rest of the evening I packed for the move; It was Canada Day on my last day here and we had planned to go into town to soak up the atmosphere but P&T were up to their eyes in packing and I was glad to stay home and enjoy my last evening here .
I don't drink beer as a rule but I had some Taiwan Beer in the fridge ,I drank one on the balcony and watched the sun go down; it was beautiful and sad too.
My wee Taiwan Beer.
Today as I type the A/C engineers have arrived to fit the units which they brought over from the city apartment.I am waiting here till the removal van brings P&T 's stuff over.
When I hear P&T are on there way with the three cats I will get an Uber and set out to the city apartment and the next stage of this three month adventure.
“The last time always seems sad, but it isn't really. The end of one thing is only the beginning of another.”
― These Happy Golden Years
― These Happy Golden Years
Champs Elysees Apartment
After a very long hot day waiting at the mountain house for the a/c engineers and the removal van bringing P&T's things over ; I made here and they made it there. The swap was done.This apartment ,I am familiar with as I have stayed here with P&T and the three cats. It feels so big now with all their things gone. I like the sense of space.I had a nice almost cold glass of wine to welcome me to me new apartment .
I slept really well last night ; I went to get a little shopping from the local seven eleven including my morning coffee.
After unpacking doing a bit of cleaning I went out to explore this area Donghu is my local MRT station now.
Some things I saw on my morning walk; very stimulating and very warm 34 degrees. I am always amazed at the little shops putting their wares out on the pavement and for some wonderful reason nothing is taken . I have heard many stories since I came here about people who dropped wallets and phones and they were always there when they went back for them or handed into a local police station.
I have often seen one solitary person sitting on a chair out side a bigger shop with a few thing to sell on a little tray. It gives them their dignity; I have not seen anyone sleeping on the street or anyone asking for money.
It was 36 degrees this afternoon the last day of June. I watched an afternoon movie till it cooled down then I went out for another long evening walk in search of Donghu MRT station.
I did not find the station but I did find a local Carrefour which was a nice surprise. I loved walking the brightly lit streets in the very warm evening I am not very good with google maps I think I am a bit dyslexic when it comes to maps; Philip is trying to encourage me to learn to use them as they are obviously a great help when finding places when you can't ask for help due to the language barrier.
I do use google translate now .I don't speak but I show people what I want in shops. I have mastered the MRT I have negotiated my way around the Mountain House and that area and now I am learning about Donghu.
Goodbye to June my first whole month in Taiwan and what a month is has been.
July 1st.
36 degrees in the city is HOT. My mission for today was to get the flat the way it suits me and to find the MRT.
After this I went in search of Donghu MRT and this time I fount it.
.
relatively cool when I opened the window.I stayed up and went for my walk early; it was lovely to be out in the cooler morning; I have not seen the streets round here quiet we always have busy traffic and the sounds of the thousands of motor bikes and scooters.
.
I am now on the brown line 22
I was very very hot while I was out; I had a lovely chilled oolong tea with pomegranate juice and lots of ice.I came home really too hot; I had a cold shower and some iced water.
I am pleased though " missions accomplished"
I realise now that I was spoiled at The Mountain House with the shuttle bus dropping me at the MRT.
We have very hight temperatures and it feels much hotter in the city than in the mountains.I realised I was out too long yesterday and I felt a little nauseous for most of the day after that walk.
I wakened at 3.50 AM this morning and it was
3.50 am cool morning. Kitchen window.
relatively cool when I opened the window.I stayed up and went for my walk early; it was lovely to be out in the cooler morning; I have not seen the streets round here quiet we always have busy traffic and the sounds of the thousands of motor bikes and scooters.
I came across a street marker being set up on one of the side streets; I enjoyed wandering around taking it all in; there was such a buzz between traders and early morning shoppers.
I love these two they were busy sorting out the salads.
By 7 AM it was melting hot again; I came back home had a shower and another few hours sleep.
The last time I visited Taipei Philip took me to Allycats a pizza restaurant in a cool part of town;I think of it as the creative area because of the really nice shops full of crafts of all kinds made by local creatives.Unlike Tamsui there is nothing tacky or inexpensive here.
I decided to go back last night this would be my first trip from the brown line ( MRT)
In very hot weather at 6.00 PM I walked to the Donghu station and took the train for two stops. I then changed over to the blue line. Google maps told me Allycats can be got to from three stations. I chose to go to Taipei Main. It turned out it was a bad choice there are so many exits from there and I had no idea which one to take. I asked the woman in the ticket station using google translate. She got her phone out and told me I was in the wrong station. I should go back on the Blue line a few stops.As I was retracing my steps a very tall American guy stopped me with a big smile on he face and said" this is all crazy 100,000 grand a year to teach kids ABC"I was a bit taken aback but he was smiley so I stopped and said "it is a great city I like it here, my son is a teacher too."
I asked him if he knew Allycats; he did not ;yet tried to tell me where to go next.
I wished him well and went down to the blue line train and got a train back one stop to Shandao Temple thinking there won't be so many exits. I will get out there , get an uber as I am in the right area.
When I got out I tried google maps and they said it was seven minute walk away. It was a big lit up area with four lane traffic. I bravely headed in the direction I was told.I doubted myself a few times because I had been here before, admittedly five years ago, but I did not recognise any of this.
I saw two young business men chatting and I asked if they spoke english they said a little; they looked up Allycats and assured me I was on the right road. I kept going and very quickly I saw across the four lanes in the distance a familiar building. I crossed over and google maps said Bon Apite you are at Allycats.
Hooray I made it; it was exactly as I remembered it.Taiwan is supportive of gay rights and in this area I met last time ,and this time gay men and woman and trans folk too all simply getting on with their lives.
I had a greek salad and a small beer; I asked for a dry white wine but they only had sweet.It was simple and delicious the dressing made the salad.
I then went around every shop saw beautiful things had some nice conversations and bought a few postcards . it was peaceful quiet and smelled lovely too.Although it is close to a big highway and shopping area this place is in a very quiet quarter .I enjoyed the peace.
I wanted to go back to another bar I had visited with Philip.
Vinyl Decision.
It is a small bar with LP's ( remember those) on shelves from ceiling to the floor and interesting posters in the walls. Last time I found a Neil Diamond Album and they played one side for me.
This time there was a jam session going on , a regular Wednesday evening occurrence.
It was fabulous I saw amazing musicians playing;I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine, once again they said no dry wine.he then got the bottle out of the fridge and showed it to me " Pinot Grigio " it was dry cold and delicious
I stayed till the end .Various people from the small audience came up and played with them. It really was a marvellous evening altogether.
I noticed they have different kinds of music playing each evening except Friday when the place is closed for private parties.
I will go again maybe a few times, perhaps just for the music and the Pinot Grigio
I planed on going back via MRT but it was about 10.30 and it was still very hot so I got an Uber which cost $420 TWD.( about £10)
"Jazz music is an intensified feeling of nonchalance"
Francoise Sagan.
I slept much better since the a/c in the bedroom now works properly.
A wee gift from the woman in the local post office
I went to post some post cards; it costs 10 TWD ( 25 pence) to post a card to UK and 12 TWD ( 31 pence) to Australia
Our local temple; each area has its own "wee " temple each with a Buddha concerned with the needs of the people in the Buddha's own area.
You can make a contribution if you choose to and light a very long incense stick.
I will be visiting some very grand temples in the next few weeks and I will take some pictures.
Below are a few familiar sights around here 
Motor bikes and laundry
Always plants looking healthy in 30-40 degrees.
The local doctors ;one on evey corner
Amazing tree
This is a familiar tree( no idea what it is) its lovely
Two peace plants; possible for sale.
Always plants; these have eggshells in them
Washing is all over the place
A few things I keep meaning to write here then I forget; so much going on. 
Washing is all over the place
Bins
At the Mountain House I just put my rubbish outside my front door at night and it was gone by morning.
A pink bag for general wast and recycling beside the big blue bin ,one of each landing.
Here general waster has got to go down to the basement level "B2"
Outside in on ground level are many recycling bins; all with pictures on to let you know what goes where.
The first time I took the pink bag of general wast to the ground floor by mistake. The concierge came running after me shouting " B2 B2 B2" He is one of the few crabbit folk I have met here in Taipei.
I also forgot to mention that in my first week in the Mountain House we had an earthquake.
I was told it was likely ;but of course I did not really believe it would happen when I was there.
People all over Taiwan get a warning on their phones and other devices; I did not get one; I just felt my seat was like a roller coaster for seconds. Then I thought I had imagined it till Philp and Trs contacted me to see if I was ok.
It was very odd because my sister was in Greece the week before and she let me know they had a mini earthquake while she was there. She did get a warning on her phone.
Back to this morning; We don't have very many cafes like we have them in Europe , which reminds me I met a man on the elevator he said "hello" and asked where I was from ; I said "Scotland"he thought for a while they asked " is it in Europe"
We had a beautiful cafe at the campus near the Mountain House and there are plenty around Taipei 101.
Here people get coffee from Seven Eleven and similar places, often take out but they sometimes have a few seats if you want to sit it.They have lots of prepared food in the chill section, which you can warm up in the microwave provided or the staff will do it for you.A big thing here are Tea Eggs you see them in those places; eggs boiled in tea they are sold with the shells on.
I have found a similar place this morning on my walk but it is more comfortable and quieter ; this will be where I go to sit in for a coffee and to read my book.
The Ferris wheel at Miramar Entertainment Park in Neihu is 95 meters (316 feet) tall. It also has a diameter of 70 meters (230 ft). The entire structure, including the building it's on, reaches a total height of 100 meters (330 ft).
The last few days have been very hot above 35 degrees at times.
I have been getting out for my morning and evening walks and staying home in the afternoons; listening to Radio 4 ( I can thankfully get some programmes over here ) I really enjoy This Cultural Life. I have been reading a book called Taroko Gorge which I bought especially to read while I was here. I visited Taroko Gorge on my first visit. It is awesome.
I think the hot weather has affected my ability to read as I have not finished this book after over two months reading it. I have never taken so long to read a book ( except perhaps when John died)
Some local men in a wee cafe near me which opens in the evening.
When I arrived P&T gave me one of these eggplant bags ( strip-y) and my yoyo card is in a mini version of it. I bought my self a pendant of one at Tamsui ( something that just has to be done ) https://en.pinkoi.com/product/Vp8idb4Y 
I love those traffic lights; they have them in very small narrow street too; essential as there are so many bike on the roads.
I want to buy one of those hats very local and I have seen elderly men and woman wearing them They remind me of a whole episode of TENKO ( a very old BBC tv series)
I am about to publish this blog. Before I do I will tell you about yesterday.For the first time since I arrived nine weeks ago on Tuesday; I wakened feeling a wee bit shooglie; I had a bit of a tummy bug.I was to meet P&T last night and really wanted to go. I figured out that due to the heat I had been eating a lot of fruit and salad , maybe I needed some carbs. I went over to Seven Eleven and found
I have visited Tuscany ( thanks to Andrew) I don't remember this but I thought I could get it down.
All it is is two pieces of bread each toasted on one side and stuck together with thick white honey.
Funnily enough it was just what the doctor ordered ; delicious ( at that moment)
I felt better quite quickly and went into meet Philip at the new Dome at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park.
https://www.songshanculturalpark.org/english
`I met Philip and we headed off to meet Teressa who was having her nails and eyelashes done; she looked great. We went to Toasteria a Mediterranean style restaurant;I was very happy to see such a familiar place; due to my fragile tummy I stuck to humus , which I have missed you cannot get it here anywhere and you can' t get tahini to make it; you can get chickpeas in fancy Delis.
I wonder how they made such lovely hummus.I had spaghetti and pesto made with hazelnuts instead of pine nuts; all delicious.
We then went to a bar where we sat inside as it had a/c. It felt like a bar you might come across at home. In the two places I have lived here there are no bars where alcohol is sold; it is all soft drinks teas and coffee all kinds. Many are new versions to me . Hardly surprising that I have never seen a drunk person; apart from Philip and his friends at The Dragon Boat race. :)
I plan on visiting Keelung next week and mentioned this to Philip and Teressa and before I knew it my trip was booked with a great tour starting at Taipei Main Station and finishing there twelve hours later.
"Not all who wander are lost" July 6th 2025.
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