Rainy Sunday on campus...

Got up early this morning to join the school photo club on a field trip but the outing was cancelled due to rain. Bummer... I even stayed in last night since I wanted to be awake and hangover-free for picture taking.

I now plan to spend the day at the library doing homework and then maybe going for a run in the rain. There's a river that runs directly through campus with bike paths on both sides. I've been running on the river recently and it's becoming one of my favorite things to do. The scenery is beautiful and no matter what time you run, 7am or 10pm, there are people walking and exercising everywhere. In the early morning there are lots of elderly Taiwanese doing Tai chi. Apparently the Taoists believe trees exhale the purest energy in the early morning so it's best to get up early and workout under the oldest and biggest tree possible.

Funny I still dislike Sundays even though I'm no longer in the workforce. It's been a good weekend though. After class on Friday my friend Hector and I went to the Taipei 101 food court seeking something different to eat. Around campus we can only pretty much eat noodle or rice dishes. Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world (I believe), although Dubai is building a taller one. The food court at 101 has a wide variety of options from all over the world: Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean, you name it. You can't imagine how good the mozzarella tomato basil sandwich I had tasted. Just having cheese, tomatoes and bread felt like a mini-miracle. It makes me a little sick because I know the garden back home in Chicago must be full of ripe tomatoes. I would do anything for a tomato salad or homemade salsa.

Friday night a group of us went out for the usual free drinks at Roxy 99, then to 7-Eleven and on to The Other Side and Roxy Roots. I was dragging a little all night since I had run hard in the morning. I made it back to the dorms early without too much damage or "dehydration."

Me with one of my best Taiwan buddies, Sergio

We headed to the National Palace Museum yesterday since admission is free if you go between 5p - 8:30p on Saturdays. The museum has such a large collection of Chinese art (all pieces that Chiang Kai-shek took from mainland China when he retreated) that they rotate the works every three months. We saw lots of ceramics, jade pieces, bronzes, calligraphy scrolls, buddhas... We agreed we'll have to go back since it's too much to take in in a single visit.

National Palace Museum

I also bought a new phone this weekend. I couldn't handle having a phone without a full keyboard. Too many years of crackberry use I suppose...

Hope all is well at home. Miss you all!