Sunday 9/22:      Clothing Bargains

           

We’d mentioned church briefly but neither of us remembered how to get there and she vaguely mentioned going to a church near Ama and Agong’s, so I was looking forward to sleeping in, but at 8:45 the phone rang and afraid it was Gu Ma or Juling or Meiling, I didn’t answer.  Then I figured it might be mom, and sure enough at 9 it rang again and Mom said she felt guilty not going, and Dad had just called to make sure we were going, confound him, and had told Mom directions how to get there, so we planned to meet 10:10 at the Taipower station and walk from there.  I left late and then mistakenly took the Orange instead of Green line train since they’re both on the same track and I didn’t check right, and it ended up at a stop far away after the two lines split, so that’s when I knew, and had to take it back the other way then find the right train going the right way.  By then it was 10:30 and Gu Ma called, who’d been waiting at Taipower since 10:10.  She said Mom wasn’t there either and I wasn’t surprised.  I got there and stayed downstairs to look for Mom, called MeiLing told her to go on without  us, we’d find our way.  Too optimistic of me because when Mom finally arrived (had taken the Orange line too) at 10:45 and we studied the map, it turned out Dad either didn’t give good directions or she forgot or didn’t remember right, or all three.  Called MeiLing and she came to get us, turned out we were only a couple blocks away.  By now I was thoroughly PO’ed, and had suggested to mom, totally serious, that we forget church and go get breakfast, but MeiLing laughed that we were only late by half and hour (!).  At least being late meant less time to sit there and daydream, quicker time to go to lunch. 

 

After church I told Mom I was hungry enough to die, and it sounded like MeiLing and GuMa were taking us to lunch again; she felt bad about freeloading from them again, but I clapped my hands and said Yay. 

 

            We went to the Taipei Metro Mall/Hotel.  Downstairs we passed a bakery with all sorts of heavenly looking breads lying out on the table, even donuts, and came to a dining area where there were eateries all around.  Mom and Gu Ma got traditional Taiwanese food from one place, I and the rest got Japanese food.  I got a meal similar to the first Japanese meal we’d had, with eel, miso, side of cabbage, and steamed egg.  It was fine and I was starving, but not exactly what I wanted.  What I really wanted was some good pizza, or even just OK pizza, or KFC.  But they keep saying “let’s take you to a famous Taiwan place, or let’s go get what you can’t get in America, you don’t have chance in America for this, etc.”  more for my mom’s sake I guess since she’s only here a bit longer, but funny bcuz they don’t realize I DO want to eat what I get in America, at least once in awhile, what I really miss. 

 

I find it interesting how they eat so light here, don’t like sweets/desserts, ice cream etc, yet Mom and I are the thinnest of all our female relatives.  Only Agong is skinnier, and that’s certainly not for fashion’s sake but because he’s about to keel over any second, as Ama delicately puts it.

 

After that we strolled the mall which had horrendous prices.  A sign in a store said 10 Je which should mean 10% (or 90% off) and I asked MeiLing if that’s right?  She said yes but it looked like the original prices were exaggerated, for example $200+US for a short sleeve top.  Little Cynthia was suddenly very animated and tugging at me asking if I wanted to see the bookstore, I never saw her so excited.

           

At the bookstore everyone started browsing and settling in a corner to read and I bought pencil leads, eraser, red chop ink, and some Paperclip bear cards.  I thought I’d never come across Paperclip bear here in this Sanrio-ruled land.

 

ZuenHong was meeting Mom and me at ShiMenDing to take us shopping too.  By now I was quite sleepy and didn’t feel much like shopping more, but she’d already told him I needed to buy things.  He and his wife and kids met us and we finally ended up at Watson’s for most things I needed.  Also needed calcium and saw Caltrate in Watson’s that cost an arm, leg and half a head. 

 

            They told us right now are big clothing sales as shops were clearing out summer clothes.  The wife said Esprit was having a huge clearance sale with T shirts and stuff, I warily eyed her horrible, completely unmatching frumpy outfit,  and wasn’t sure I trusted her.  Esprit was packed and just a bunch of big bins with messy clothes and people rifling through them.  I was skeptical, picking at things, but then she pointed out things here or there that looked OK, and the prices!  100 NT for almost everything.  Pretty soon I had 8 things to try, skirts and tops.  I’d been needing calf-length skirts since mine are all minis and no one wears them here unless they want to be propositioned. 

 

I got seven things for a total of 750, and mom three things for Lucy’s kids, which we told the cashier to keep separate, and the woman behind us only had 2 things and was annoyed at the holdup, and I think in the confusion the cashier never charged for the kids’ clothes.  Mom looked troubled but I said That’s great.

 

            ZuenHong and his wife took us for ShuiJiau (wonton soup) at a small restaurant, and it was the best ShuiJiau I’ve ever had, with huge dumplings and fresh dough.

           

            That night on TV I saw the end of Bedazzled and a really funny movie with Chris Klein, Heather Graham, Orlando Jones and Sally Field that I never heard of or knew the nam, while studying for my vocab quiz.  Fell asleep around 12 and was woken up by Dave’s call.