Well LJ has decided to go all BIG5 Chinese on me, so hopefully this will post alright, otherwise I will need to do it again at a later date. I'm at an internet cafe (didn't think there were too many of these left in Taipei), right next to a sex toy shop that had its phallic wares proudly displayed in the window. But hey, I don't think anything really shocks me anymore.

That's one of the ways how things have changed here, mostly for the better - I'm pretty sure I never saw dildos on display when I was here ten years ago! I spent a year here back in 96/97 studying Mandarin, during my time at university, in case anyone is wondering what I'm going on about in this post...

The subway's been finished - no more gaping big holes in the middle of the streets - and it's fantastic - journeys that would have taken me 45 minutes when I was studying here now take about 15 - magic! I dunno why but everyone has been addressing me in Mandarin - without me prompting them to - from airport immigration, to the hotel clerk, to the guy serving me at Macca's today. Totally weird, but great fun, if not a little worrying to see how much my Chinese has deteriorated given lack of practice over the years. I'm gonna go to Caves Books around the corner from here and see if I can get some Chinese study texts after - they were always a hell of a lot cheaper then back home - hopefully they still are!

Another thing that's changed is the stares - you would always get looked at funny 'cause you were a foreigner (and kids would point at you and say "American"!). I don't think I've been stared at once all day. The big thing here (no pun intended) is the massive fuck off Taipei 101 skyscraper that was finished a couple of years back (I think) - 101 storeys of concrete, steel and glass soaring into the sky. Unfortunately you only go up as far as the 89th floor, but its a hell of a great view, especially on a clear day as it was today.

Got a nice hotel here as well, though I'm a little unsure as to whether its meant to be a boutique type establishment, or, well... a love hotel. Why you ask? Because I have a spa bath (which is great!) but it has coloured lights that change... Seems odd... And the condom and cigarette lighter next to my bed had me wondering. But then again I don't think many love hotels would have a guest laundry and serve breakfast. Nor would they be on HotelClub! I think the chick at the front desk fancies me as well - maybe that's why the condom was in my room... Bleurgh. I'm trying to remember how you say gay in Chinese...