If yesterday wasn’t exciting enough for you, today definitely knocks your socks off.
I got an early start and left my house at 10 to meet up with Kam. He’s a friend from San Francisco and I promise to meet him for lunch today. I took the subway to his hotel and showed up right on time. I got more than what I bargained for. I thought just the two of us would have lunch together. He also invited Joe, Warren, Diane and Jeannie.
All of them belong to the San Francisco Dragon Warriors – a dragon boat racing team. They’re invited to participate in the local race and surprisingly they won the second place! They received a trophy as well as cash prize! As soon as I met up with them, they couldn’t stop bragging about how well they’ve been treated since they got here. And I can imagine all the nice things they’ll tell their friends and family after they return to San Francisco.
The more I think about, the more I understand why the government is going through all this trouble to invite international teams to be part of the race. Room and board are paid for and winners can take home some extra pocket change. This is an alternative strategy to boost Taiwan’s foreign affairs. Wow, the government is really cleaver.
We had beef noodles for lunch followed by mango shaved ice for desserts. That’s a perfect combo for a hot summer day like today! Since today is their last day in Taiwan, I left them shopping on their own and went to see a traditional Chinese opera rehearsal. My friend called last night and asked if I would go meet him at the rehearsal. He has been touring with the opera troupe and I have not seen him for weeks. If I missed this rehearsal, I won’t get to see him for another month and a half. He’s scheduled to perform in Korea and the US (Lincoln Center)!
I’m glad that I made it to the rehearsal. Even though they didn’t put on their usual costumes, I enjoyed every second of it. In fact, I realize that costumes are a burden because sometimes they can be distracting. There’s no lighting, no props, and no make-up. The actors are only inches away from me and I can move around to ensure the best position as the only audience. No orchestra seats can allow me to watch the show from anywhere I wish. Therefore, this is one rare experience! I was the only person watching the rehearsal and everyone else there is with the group. I felt like they performed for me only.
My friend Lin has organized a mega Japanese Sake convention and it’s taking place at the Shangri-la Hotel tonight from 6 to 9. I had invited to Kam but he invited his team mates. When all seven of them appeared in the lobby, I couldn’t believe my eyes! Just like that, we began our 12-hour partying marathon.
There were at least over 30 sake breweries from Japan, featuring over 200 different kinds of sake. We went from booth to booth and tasted as many as we wanted. In the beginning, our taste buds were able to differentiate what we like the most. After one too many samplings, we couldn’t tell one from another. All we know is that they are all very tasty!
One thing about Japanese people I absolutely admire is that they are very punctual. Sure enough, as soon as the clock hit 9 o’clock, they all started packing up and within minutes, they’re gone! The last 10 minutes were crucial to us. Since these vendors can’t take home the bottles that were already open, they’re giving them away to the remaining guests in the ballroom. We had to pick up all the open bottles before others did and I even got two brand new bottles from the hands of generous vendors! These are big bottles too! We stayed to finish all the open bottles and had our own fun. The next thing I knew, some of the guys started making small talks with two women standing not too far from us.
One thing led to another. The girls decided to tag along with us on our adventure of bar hopping. So, we stopped by Ichi for one round of shots made of sake and mojito. Interesting mix! Along the way to meet up with other team members from the dragon boat crew, we went into Re-Wine for another round of shots.
The goal is to hit as many lounges as we can because most of them will be leaving for the airport at 9 am. They want to stay up all night ‘till dawn and then go back to the hotel to pack up at 7.
Someone had made a list of all the places to go. Roxy 99, Darts Life, MOD, and Bliss…I am not too crazy about these places but I tagged along just to be good sport. All I can say is that this person’s taste is very different than mine. It was a total letdown when we made it to Bliss. We only saw the band leaving, not performing on stage. Apparently we came too late and they finished all their sessions for the night.
By now, it was way past midnight and people started dropping like flies. Some people just couldn’t hang anymore and decided to go back to the hotel. Some went for massages and the rest of us went back to Re-Wine to kick it with our favorite bartender.
I don’t know why drinking always makes me hungry in the middle of the night. We left Re-Wine to go get some traditional breakfast at a 24H joint. Then we had a problem! It was only 4:30 when we finished eating and 2 & 1/2 more hours to go before 7!
What happened next is the highlight of the entire night. By now, we’re down to the last seven warriors standing (me as a groupie!). We hit the KTV and sang our hearts out. I can’t sing though I dance well. But we had a blast singing oldies from the past. And we’re very careful in term of our selections – only upbeat tunes! Otherwise we’d fall asleep on the couch. In fact, somebody did fall asleep despite the loud music and noises.
When we walked out of the building, the sun was shining right at us. Yes! We made it and the mission is complete. I’ve been up for 24 hours straight. Yippee, I’ve still got it. You know that saying, once a party girl always a party girl! Just before I conclude this entry, an Email came in from San Francisco.
Hey girl! I made it back to SF in one piece. A big thanks again for showing us a great time in Taipei. That shaved ice mango dish was ohhhh sooo delicious! My friends had a great time and are very appreciative of you taking the time to be our tour guide. Yeah, some of those guys planned an all nighter but I was fading fast at the last bar and had to go. They spoke admirably of you being one of the last ones standing!
See! I’m not lying about staying up all night. Despite of my age (33 & 1/2), my stamina kicks ass!
