shanghai… *sigh*

i’m sitting here in shanghai airport (again)… and i'm wondering why on earth this airport sux so bad! i mean – how is it possible that EVERY time i'm leaving from this place they always are delayed by AT LEAST 45 mins? it's not that difficult to organize logistics so that you can get planes off on time! it's pretty frustrating in this place. anyway i wonder how long it’ll be before I get outta here… wat’s worse is that this airport don’t even have a starbux! for a place that calls itself one of asia’s premier cities, it hardly has anything worldly about it… sigh – I’m just ranting cause I’m grouchy. been up since 5am on a day trip to shanghai of all places. had a meeting at 2:15-3:15, and now flying home on the last flight. delayed to the point of me being home close to midnite now. the good thing is that I’m back next week, except i be wit linnet! that’s gonna be a fun time.

as for our trip last w/end to taipei – that was SO FUN. here’s wat we did: PICTURES HERE!!


fri. oct. 22, day 1
we had a bright and early morning – 8:30am – flight! we were a bit late to the airport express, so just missed the city check in time… but no worries – we were off to Taiwan! U can see my excitement cause t’was the first time fer me! anyway, God was good to us, and as we got to check in, b/c the flight was overbooked, and we got there late, the cathay lady gave us each a $40 food coupon! too bad they didn’t allow burger king or popeye’s on there! However, starbux was on the list! So we went and got $80 of starbux on the house… praise the LORD! note to travelers: be late… they pay!!!!! so on the plane, we actually had 2 aisles but in consecutive rows, but the lady next to linnet was nice enuf to trade up for an aisle so we got to sit w/each other! aaawwwwww…. shaadddup

so we arrived at Taiwan bout 10ish, and took a bus out to the city.. the howard plaza hotel is pretty nice! Clean rooms, and pretty good location. Right when we got there, we met up w/her grandmama – who took us to Taipei 101 for lunch… this place is HUGE. There were many LV banners everywhere which excited linnet. lunch at wasabi was good too - real awesome japanese buffet in an uber cool environment!

then we made our way over to Daansui - some coastal/boardwalk area w/a great sunset view (u can see from our pics...). linnet at some funky snail stuff... ew... afterwards - we met up w/matt snelly's young adult's group... his lady friend meg was nice enuf to take us there. ... hmm.. lady friend... after the fellowship - we headed over to the shilin nite market, where we ate the most incredible fried chicken thing, amongst other things! taiwan is SO COOL!

sat. oct. 23, day 2
"slept in" a bit, and ended up leaving the hotel just after 10. we went to this other market/shopping area (i forgot the name) where we ate this RED BEAN ICE!!! it was pretty yummy - it's weird how the simpliest of foods gets one going. i mean - simple shaved ice, w/some red bean, and lotsa condensed milk. we walked this area for a while, and then decided to go to the nat'l taiwan museum. i KNOW linnet was so bored, but we saw some pretty cool things. altho, linnet contends that this place holds no water next to shanghai's sex museum (you gotta ask her!!!! hahahaahha). but honestly - there IS NO real history here... just a bunch of STOLEN chinese artifacts!!! ahahahahah... all hail chairman mao!!!!! ahahaha *sniff* *sniff*

what made that trip was this pond that was adjacent to the still-under-renovation 'museum'. they put up this weirdo grafitti wall in front, which was extremely out-of-place. oh wells... taiwanese... tsk....cher... but the garden was cool - w/these humongo koi... so fat. anyway - we ate again when we got to the mrt station... just outside, they had our fave fried chicken, and we added to that this jianbing which was GOOD!!! roti chenai bread w/an egg and wrapped in a sauce... omg.. so good

anyway - after that was a trip over to mitsukoshi back in downtown taipei. we went to the 46/F observation deck and had a grand view of the city... spent muchos time just hanging and taking funny pics and generally playin around. it was here that i found out linnet can't see those 3D poster things.. and gets really upset when other people can see. then she goes and sulks for a bit. it's so adorable! anyway - after the sites, we went to the very popular Din Tai Fung restaurant for dinner. i have no idea how linnet managed to get us a table ahead of the entire crowd waiting outside! after "dinner" we needed a break and rest from walking round all day... so back to the hotel to relax and pack... **interesting note - bout 10ish, we had an earthquake of 4.1 - we actually felt the room shake for like 1 sec.. then was like "earthquake"??

thheeeeeennnn.... we left for this other nite market in ximen. we ate sooo much here! however, i was bummed we didn't try the oyster omelette! hehe it looked so gross. lotsa snake stores including one w/this huge yellow boa sitting on the table! i think we ate like 6-7 different things! anyway - as you can see, taiwan is all about chillin and eatin...

sun. oct. 24, day 3
last day! we went to a church near the hotel - t'was ok - a bit strange on worship and all, but ok lah. pastor struck us funny as he's making some silly remarks about the typhoons hitting japan b/c koizumi worships dead people, and that taiwan was worshipping and praising God. well - i KNOW that there are righteous people in japan, and there are MANY people with STRONG ministries in JAPAN, so i have NO idea wat this dude was referring to. pastor ian mcclean - that's his name. it irked me when he said that not once but twice - that typhoons hit a wall when it reached taiwan, and veered straight toward japan - b/c of the God-fearing people in taiwan and lack of em in japan! i mean - there is absolutely no biblical foundation for that, and if he said it in jest, it was VERY INCONSIDERATE. if it was fer real - i tell you - he will be judged like how he has judged the japanese.

after church, we had lunch w/nainai and the chinese pastor(ette) at the grand hotel chinese restaurant for some dimsum! it was pretty good stuff, but an even better environment. wat an ostentatious hotel. so after more grilling from nainai... we went down to the coffee shop for... yes... more grilling *sigh*. sometimes i wish my family would grill linnet more. then she would know wat i'm going thru (well - something more than my older bro's threats to lock her in the bathroom w/his dog if she don't learn politics or something dumb like that). anyway - then the pastor(ette) gets in on the action and we start talking about marriage counseling. all very worthwhile things to talk about, mind you - but all the while, linnet is snapping pics away while i cry white tears. the funniest part was when, out of nowhere, nainai says to linnet that she shouldn't have such a big shoe collection!!!! now THAT was funny stuff...

anyway - after lunch and coffee, we just made our way back to the hotel. we got our stuff and headed off to the airport. at this time, the rain started coming. we got out just in time, cause the day after, the typhoon hit and all flights cancelled! so overall - it was a real fun time!

i just can't wait till the next one... next week - we in shanghai (again for me!)! it's gonna be real fun!