The Rain in Spain Falls Mainly in the Plain

I believe the rainy season has started in Taiwan for it has rained every day since I've arrived. Thankfully, the storms don't usually last long so I can venture out during the day. With the weather so hot and humid, the rain is a blessing since the air cools to a more comfortable temperature. However, I'm a bit reluctant to go out and explore they city when it's wet outside though it seems with the amount it rains, I will have to grin and bear it or else I'll never leave the house! On the other hand, I love having an open window when it rains to let in the cool breeze and to listen to the rain fall. It's especially nice when going to sleep at night, like nature's lullaby.

Yesterday afternoon I set out to explore the sights of Taipei. I was fortunate to have a tourist map of Taipei that I snagged from the TECRO (i.e. Taiwan Embassy, but we're not allowed to call it that because of China) booth when they visited the NIH. First stop was the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall (zhong zheng ji nian tang), which I've visited before but on this visit I discovered that there are gardens surrounding the square. The gardens are quite extensive and have an incredible variety of plants native to Taiwan. Apparently, the gardens were constructed to provide schoolchildren with a place where they could study botany. I suppose since Taipei has hardly any greenery in the city (having been cleared out for construction), someone thought to put some back into the city via gardens. It's a nice oasis and one forgets that one is in a bustling city while strolling through.

The next place I visited was the Taipei Botanical Gardens. Again, a huge diversity of plants can be found and it's a very quiet place to get away from the city. I'm not a amateur botanist or gardener of any sort, but it was really nice to walk and commune with nature.

Yesterday evening I cooked my first meal. I bought some brown rice, broccoli, and olive oil as well as what appears to be yellow watermelon (yellow fruit instead of pink). Brown rice requires different prep and cooking methods than white rice so I have yet to get a hang of it. The broccoli was no trouble at all since I'm used to stir-frying vegetables. Unlike the States, Taiwan has open air fresh produce markets. I did all my grocery shopping at a Welcome grocery store yesterday, but I will inquire about any nearby produce markets since they are bound to have cheaper, and possibly fresher, produce.

I do understand why my cousin and his wife seldom cook though. It requires time which is something they don't have with their work schedule. They go to work at around 8 or 9 AM and don't return until about 7 or 8 PM. It is not too different from the schedule young professionals have in the U.S. Plus, eating out is very convenient in Taipei as there are restaurants and food vendors galore. It's also cheap if you purchase most of your meals from the street or from cheap home-style restaurants rather than established chains or more upscale eateries.

I'd have to say that Taiwanese are some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet. It's definitely a good country to visit if you're a foreigner because they will be happy to help you if you are lost or if you have any questions, they are more than willing to answer. I've found the employees of the local convenience stores to be very helpful since they know this area better than I do and have been able to direct me to anywhere I need to go. Also, yesterday, when I was doing some sightseeing, I had stopped outside the metro station to get my bearings when a lady stopped and asked if I needed directions. I suppose I must have looked lost, but it was nice of her to offer help without my asking. With her directions, I was able to find the gardens with no problem at all. Granted, you shouldn't go blindly trusting everyone you meet, but so long as you exercise common sense and caution, I think one will find that there are many friends to be made when visiting Taiwan.