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Rumble in Tainan
I got a certificate for participating the the 9th Annual Kuo-Shu World
Championships. This was the second year all the fights took place on
a floating platform in the middle of the smelly canal in downtown Tainan
in Southern Taiwan.
I faced yet another Taiwan Cultural University Kung Fu Major. They won every event -- except one: Light Heavyweight. Balasz won that. His been very modest about becoming a world champion, but, by contrast, I complain loudly about losing. I guess I am an American afterall. I digress again. . . Both Balasz and I had to lose a lot of weight to make our divisions. I lost about 5 kilos (11 pounds) in the month leading up to the tournament. I've gained about 6 kilos back in the last week, eating nothing but chocolate and pizza and slurping down two lattes per day, but, hey, that's life, eh?
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I found the best cup of coffee yet in Taiwan in Tainan. At Joy Coffee, overlooking the canal. I ordered a Mocha and wound up drinking two. Sue had the seafood soup. It was good. With your cup of coffee, of course, you get free cookies. I don't think Starbucks does that for you, do they? I mean this high praise to Joy Coffee with no offense intended for our friends at East Road Coffee in Taipei. They are still my favorite in the capitol city.
It's been a crazy few days in Taiwan. The election, the president (and vice president) getting shot, and Hungarians taking home the big trophies. Life is -- and should always be -- an adventure. -March 21, 2004 | ||||
So I didn't bring the middleweight title back to Hungary. Losing to
the world champion is little consolation -- a loss is a loss. As much
as I like Tainan (exploding whales and presidential pot shots aside,
of course) the tournament was the crux of my recent visit.
There
already was an American team when we signed up (and, like whiney Americans,
they balked at paying the entrence fees and forfeited the tournament.
Because of this, I feel that I would have been a much better representative
for my home country then the official team. . .but I digress), so we
represented Hungary. My friend, Balasz is Hungarian and my mother was
born there as well, so, therefore, we were justified in our claims of
Hungarianess.
We
did get a chance to do a little sight seeing between fights -- and I
do think Tainan is one of the most beautiful cities in Taiwan. (Despite
losing the fight.) 
