Taipei, Taiwan

Okay. Taiwan. I’m not even excited to write this blog. Going in I had a bad attitude just because it wasn’t Japan. I wasn’t excited at all to go there and with crappy weather, rainy and cold, I just wasn’t feeling it. We started slow and took our time getting out the first day in port. We did some research thanks to free Internet being picked up from the port, and booked a hotel in Taipei. We ported in Keelung and there was literally nothing there. So, we took a taxi to Taipei, checked in then got dinner. That night we went to Roxy Rockers. It was quite an adventure to get there. After two different cab drivers who didn’t know where they were taking us but pretended they did, Gabi finally spotted it out the window as we accidentally drove past. We all freaked out and probably scared the driver but we made it! The inside was pretty cool. They had hundreds of CD’s lining the walls and a DJ that played some really good music all night. We got a round of these Around the World shots too. I mean we couldn’t not get them. They came out though and they were this god awful green color with foam on top. So disgusting. They literally had like every kind of liquor in them ever including rum, vodka, tequila, 151, whiskey and the list goes on. SO bad. I chased it with my chicken tender. Gah. Never trust a green drink. We lay pretty low that night and then headed back to the hotel.

The next morning we didn’t do a whole lot either. We went back to this hipster district that we accidentally went to the night before and got lunch and shopped around before going back for dinner that night. I sneaked a nap before we went out and then we were off. Ali’s friend from Taiwan recommended this club called Babe 18, so we decided to check it out. Before 11, the cover was cheaper and it was an open bar. When we got there, it was only us, three other SAS guys and maybe five locals. Not too much longer however, the place was swimming in SAS. I think everyone had fun that night until they kicked us out a little before two. I guess when they’re not making money off drinks they close early.

The next day the weather finally cleared up and it was nice out. We drove about a half hour from Taipei to go to the Hot Springs. We went to a natural one first but it was too hot to even touch, and then went to a hotel to use their rooftop one. As nice as it was, it was kind of just like a regular hot tub only made out of stone. Overall though, I’m glad we got to see a different part of the country. It made me see how some people might actually like the place. I think had we had better weather the entire time, and seen this part earlier, maybe I wouldn’t have had such a negative attitude toward it.