This past weekend, armed with a plan of action involving an old street and a giant buddha statue, we set out for Changhua. Securing breakfast(s) and milk tea, we headed to the information booth of Songshan station to double check our travel plans and what train to take. Using the map on the counter and the few Chinese words we know that were applicable to the situation, we confirmed the 10:30 train as our means of travel; off to the ticket booth to ensure seating. The 10:30 train had no available seats, and instead of standing or getting moved from chair to chair for three hours we opted for the later train to Dounan at 10:48. It is important to note that in confirming this train as our means of transportation we checked to be sure we'd have seats, we pointed to Changhua on the map, we located Dounan was on the map and we, again, pointed to Changhua on the map. The elderly agent confirmed that this was the train for us.
It was not the train for us.
An hour an half into the journey (and far too long after enjoying our breakfast(s)) we were asked to move from the seats of a new passenger. Showing our tickets to prove that we were authorized to sit there, the woman informed us that we had missed our stop--the train was just beginning to pull away from our station. The timing seemed off, but we had faith that we had stated our needs clearly to the agent--he wouldn't fail us.
He failed us.
The station that he had given us tickets for was only half of the distance we wanted. Bottom line: We got handled...again.
We got off at Miaoli and began to wander, reflecting upon our luck during planned explorations in Taiwan--our poor, poor luck. A co-worker, acting as spontaneous tour guide via phone, read that Miaoli was home to the art of wood-carving, and there was a museum to commemorate the work. We couldn't find the museum (though we weren't looking too hard) and instead walked up and down the main drag of Miaoli--correction, the deserted-what we assumed to be main-drag of Miaoli.
The only establishment that has come through for us consistently in the last six months has been Carrefour, and its presence in this city was no different. We took a jaunt through said establishment where we made friends with a man dressed as an Easter bunny.
Beyond this photo, exploration Changhua was deemed a failure.
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Note: 'Linsanity' may have puttered out in the U.S. (or so the grapevine/internet has informed me), but Taiwan hasn't gotten the message. There remains to be a great competition among the students for whose team name gets to be the 'Knicks' or 'Team Lin' in classes.
In case you are unable to see it clearly, that's Spike Lee on the bottom left.
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On a different note: I have an admirer in my level two class. Last Friday night I received a box of truffles, for no particular reason. Innocently assuming that these truffles were to commemorate the end of level two (the following week), or a teacher appreciation of some kind, I accepted with enthusiasm. It wasn't until after the lesson that my co-teacher informed me that Wayne likes me.
I'm hoping to get more chocolate out of the kid before I have to break the news to him gently.
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Random photo:
It's so much more than just a latte; it's a life message. Thanks for the reminder, Hi-Life.
