While in Tainan. . .

Besides going to temples, eating well, and riding horses, I barhopped, checked out the dragonboat festival and rode around on a scooter.

I was at home at the Jolly Roger: a motorcycle bar with old Vespas as barstools. They played Portishead by my request, however the best beer on the menu was Corona -- which is not saying much. Some bikers were bragging about their 350cc race bikes -- which are very fast, especially since the biggest bike you can usually get in Taiwan is 150cc. My bike in Seattle is 700cc and, though it is big, heavy and unwieldy, it IS faster then their hopped up bikes. Their motorcylces were used as decorations in the bar, as were giant TV's with races playing constantly.

The only Disco listed in The Lonely Planet Guide was Indiana. I would dedicate my night there to my favorite Indiandan, Brenda Brown, but the bar was not very good. There was a band who would play any song the audience requested. The audience liked such musical mistakes as Phil Collins. The beer was affordable, but it was soon time to go to another bar.

The dragon boat races were exciting. Downtown Tainan is clustered around a bustling riverfront. It reminded me, somehow, of the River Liffey in Dublin.

Having a scooter in a Taiwanese city is a good idea. Everything became more convenient, however, it was quite harrowing to get from point A to point B in Tainan -- and Taipei is only worse.

Returning to Hsi Chih was culture shock after the great weekend in Tainan. I enjoy teaching, I have great students and coworders, but I would rather be a professional sight seer.

Soon I will add pictures of my new apartment and friends I've made here in the far east. Right now, I am being beckened to go to a Tai Kwon Do class. Enjoy the pics and write to me!

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