Local Market And The Ride

Next morning, I woke up and prepared for going out. When I went to the living room, he was there and told me he was going to a local market near by house to get breakfast. LOCAL MARKET...what a beautiful sound! There was no wonder that I came with him and took a look of it. We walked for 5 minutes or so and got to the market. I love markets (Maybe you already know)!! I took a look of almost every store we were passed by, and asked him such questions like, "What is that? I never see it in Japan", or "Is it very common to sell them like this?" etc. And he was such a nice guy who patiently answered those questions.

When we came in front of an everyday dish store, I told him that I wanted to get something. I'd been feeling that I hadn't taken enough vegetables since I got to Taiwan, and really wanted them. I chose two and he told the store clerk which ones. He was about to pay but I told him not to because it was me that wanted to get them. However, he told me to pay just half of it because he was gonna eat them too. Man, I do not know how many times I owed him :( Anyway, we bought them, walked there a little bit more, and went back home. On the way home, he stopped by a soymilk store and bought two of them (One was mine). He also bought something looked like bread (they had some dish inside) and we went back to his apartment.

After breakfast, he told me that he would give me a ride to the station. I hesitated over if I should take the offer or take a bus in my mind for a sec. However, I chose taking his offer. Thus, I was holding his shoulders behind him on his motorcycle after 5 minutes. It had been a while since I did it last time, and it was in Cambodia. You know, I loved it! The weather was nice and the wind I felt was comfortable. I was wondering which station we were going to, because he took the way that is not going toward the nearest station. We drove along the streets, passed in front of his workplace, and finally got to the station. He told me I didn't have to transfer, and I thought it was nice of him that he took me to the farther station which he really didn't have to. And this is what I found out after I came back to Japan; He didn't really have to take me to that station because if he mentions just about the inconvenience of transferring, he could drop me off to the station which we always took taxi for home since it is on the same line! He brought me two more stations closer to my destination and I really appreciated his sweetness! Getting off the motorcycle, I reconfirmed him which station and what time, because we were meeting up later for Chiufen that day :D

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一番大事なこと -The Most Important Thing-

I had been telling him I wanted to buy an umbrella while staying in Taiwan. I told about the story of my favorite umbrella which I bought in Singapore one year ago. It was an folding umbrella that can be a sunshade as well, and I liked it a lot. The pattern of the outside of the umbrella was as same as the uniform of Singaporean Airline flight attendants wear, and inside was silver. I never saw such an umbrella in Japan (Outside pattern and inside silver) so it was unique and interesting for me. Ever since the umbrella broke, I wanted to get another one, and since the store clerk told me it was an export quality one for Taiwan, I really expected to find one there! So, when we actually started looking around the night market, he said "The most important thing; Buying an umbrella", lol. I felt a little bit shy when he said that because it was such a small thing and sounded like I was exaggerating. I told him he didn't really have to come with me because I didn't want anyone to be annoyed by a picky girl who was searching for an umbrella. However, he came all along with me. We went maybe more than 5 shops that handle umbrellas, opened them, closed, made store clerks close (he told me to let them do and actually he made them do, lol)...I don't know how long we were searching for an umbrella...It might be for an hour because I was concentrating on it so much. Finally I decided which to buy and asked him if he knew the way going back to a specific store. What a boring thing! I was sure he wouldn't have done it if he were a general person. I found he really like helping tourists and maybe he also feel happy in that way. Moreover, he brought all the stuffs I bought (I bought 5 folding umbrellas and a small bag), that he really didn't have to, and I was surprised at myself letting him carry them. I found myself really enjoying spending time with him so that it made me do something irregular, receiving someones favor which they offer because I'm a girl. So, I found myself naturally being a girl who can be moved by small things and I loved it.

And, there was another story. I wanted to eat a dessert which has mango. I'd already told him about it, and when we found a place, we went in, and ordered one and shared. It may be a very little thing, but I can't forget the words he said when we were about to dig in. He said, "Your dream became true". Yes, my small dreams became true one by one and I never forget there was his help sometime :) Remembering about those memories makes my heart warm even now. I do not deny maybe it was because I was a traveler there and was having something unusual. However, I'm sure I enjoyed that Night Market as a "Something date like" hanging out because personally I've never treated in that way (Maybe its normal for other girls), because I always try not to count on anyone and try not be a "Girly-girly girl" especially when I hang out with a guy alone (even if he is my boyfriend). So, I kind of experienced something new beside accomplishing the most important thing, lol. What a fruitful night it was :P

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Is It A Date? Lol

The museum was huge and there was a lot of exhibitions. My guide book says you can spend half a day if you see each thing seriously. However, I'm not such a serious visitor so I didn't think I would spend so much time there. I like going to museums, but usually I don't try to grasp things, just walk and see things as I feel like. So, actually, it didn't take that long for me to take a look of everything. However, there was line ups for two most popular exhibitions, and I couldn't keep my pace there. But about others, I could see them as I liked. Sometimes, I stopped and listened to a tour guide explaining things for Japanese group tourists. Sometimes, gazed at things that caught my attention. Even being free there, I didn't forget to try calling him as he wanted, lol. He told me to contact him at a specific time when I called him at Confucius Temple, however, he didn't get the phone. After trying a few times, I gave it up and kept seeing things. When I finally finished, I came downstairs and try to contact him again using wi-fi. It didn't matter for me so much if he replies or not, because I was a free bird and didn't actually need a companion (lol). However, finally, I got to know he was coming in 20 minutes. So I waited for him taking a look of the museum shop.

I didn't realize it at that time, but found out probably he didn't have to come all the way there but could just told me to come to a MRT station or somewhere. As soon as we met up, we moved to the bus stop to catch a bus to the station. It was good for me though because I got a chance to ask someone to take a picture of us, and actually, the picture is one of my most favorite ones during the trip :) Getting off the bus, we walked toward the Shilin Night Market. There were some stores on the street and one of them caught my attention. It was a normal clothes store and I asked him if I could take a look. The products were my type and it turned me on to "Shopping mode". The store clerk who spoke to me was a cute woman but she doesn't speak English nor Japanese. Then, he naturally helped us as a translator and I even tried some clothes on! I was wondering if it was not boring for him because I know some guys don't like go shopping with girls even if she is his girlfriend. How kind he is to keep a tourist girl company for absolutely not traveler's shopping but for just a girl...lol. More over, he even gave some comments for each clothes I tried! I finally didn't buy anything but really appreciated what he did. I felt it was like a normal date and I think I enjoyed it quite a bit...:P Since I was concentrating on changing and looking at clothes too much, I didn't even realize he was taking some pictures with cell phone...and he surprised me with sending them later when I came back to Japan.

Anyway, after my normal window shopping, we finally got to the Market. I found a stall selling xiaolongbao, and told him that I wanted to eat. There was a spicy one and normal one and I asked him which he prefers. Since he said both sounded good, I ordered a spicy one (actually he ordered) and quickly gave them money. He tried to stop me but I was the winner!! He looked a little bit confused and told me he would pay. However, I told him I was the one who wanted to eat. I also thought I had already owed him too much (I don't know how many times he spent small money for food that we shared and he didn't really have to). So, he let me win this time but also told me he would pay for the next meal. The xiaolongbao was much better than the one I had for lunch. He said it was tasty but it seemed that it was too spicy for him...and I wondered why he didn't tell me he is not so good at eating spicy food since I actually asked him which was good for him, lol.

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More Sightseeing By Myself

I liked the historical area, but there was not so much to see. Not every building was available to see inside, and they are not as unique as I expected. However, there were some paintings on the wall and I loved it...Since I really wanted to take a picture having the wall behind me, I asked a Japanese tourist to take my picture. Unfortunately, the picture isn't so good (I'm sorry!!) and I wished if I had a photographer there...I was sure we could "play" with the wall and it would let us take some cool pictures! Too bad that I couldn't make it but I just took some more pictures by myself using the window across the wall like a mirror...Lol. After that, I took MRT again and moved to Yuanshan station to visit two sightseeing spots; Confucius Temple and Martyrs Shrine.

I went to Confucius Temple firstly, and then, Martyrs Shrine. When I got to the Martyrs Shrine, I called my host and told him where I was and where going next. He told me he would come to the Palace Museum and would try to contact me when he get there. When I finished the call, I found the ceremony of changing the guards just started and it was exactly my purpose of visiting there! So I watched it, and then, walked around there, watched it again because the next one started while I was there, and went back to the station. It was such a great day...the weather was amazingly fine...but HOT. I was a little bit tired being under the sunshine, and also hungry. I found a small restaurant beside the station and had lunch. When I went in, a girl showed me the menu but I was not sure what they were. The menu was only in Chinese and the girl also spoke to me in Chinese. I asked her if she speaks English or Japanese. It seemed she doesn't speak both but she called her mom (maybe) and she spoke some English and Japanese! So I finally got to order my lunch (Yay!). It was my first time eating xiaolongbao in Taiwan as well, which had been on my mind. However, they didn't taste that good (It was OK though and I got to eat much better ones later at night market!) When I finished eating, I asked the staff how to get to the museum. She told me I had to take MRT to next station, and take a bus. I was excited going there because the museum and Shilin Night Market were exactly the two of three places that I shouldn't miss in Taipei!

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