And then we went home
The next day, we took the bullet train back to Taipei for our last full day in Taiwan.
The Firecracker’s kid is into trains, so we stopped off at a train museum for him first and then headed back to our hotel to crash.
Unfortunately, this was our first dud hotel outta the four we stayed at because they were doing construction on the floor above us.
Me: Welp, I guess we should go check out the Grand Hotel then.
The Grand Hotel Was the one tourist attraction that the Firecracker really wanted to see before we left, so we grabbed a car there.
She was not disappointed.
It’s the showcase hotel of Taiwan, built in 1952 to resemble a Chinese palace and meant to impress foreign dignitaries.
It certainly impressed us.
I’d actually gone to a summer program in the valley below it in my 20s but never went inside myself.
Afterward, we went to the night market that I was most looking forward to seeing, the Shilin Night Market, which is the one that I spent the most time at in my 20s.
In a stroke of good luck and coincidence, my other cousins on my mom’s side just happened to be in town with my aunt.
They’re the kids of my uncle that passed from COVID a few years back in Jersey, so it was doubly good to see everyone.
We met up with them at a bar there and my aunt gave us all red envelopes to celebrate both our being there and our getting married.
Me: That’s so generous of you, thanks so much!
Her: Of course, we’re just glad we can all be here.
We ate pretty much everything in sight.
I ended up having to use the facilities and went into the mall area where a scantily clad woman called out to me in English, “Hi, Mister – are you feeling lucky!?”
I’m fairly confident this was in reference to some carnival games she was hawking.
Firecracker: She said what?!
Me: “Hi, Mister – are you feeling lucky!?” Now the thing is, why would she say that to me in English? Like, you weren’t there, how did she know that I wasn’t Chinese-Chinese?
Her: Did you talk to her?!
Me: I’m not crazy, baby!
Her: Smart man, smart man…
Do have to say, found that interesting throughout the whole trip: People would automatically try to speak English to me, even if the kids and the Firecracker weren’t with me.
I have to think it was how I was dressed?
Never did figure that out.
In any case, after we couldn’t possibly eat anything else, we all went our separate ways; we just hit our hotel and crashed hard.
The next morning, after filling up on brekkie – we made our way to the airport.
It was actually the first time I took the new railway from Taipei to the airport.
It was great because I got to see more parts of Taipei/Taiwan that I’d not seen before.
The trip back was much better than the trip there.
Once again, we stopped off in Korea, but this time, I remembered a lot more of it.
And the kid finally got to see a 3D billboard – something he’d been wanting to see the entire trip.
Everyone managed to fall asleep on the plane ride back.
Everyone but me that is.
Actually, I might’ve as well but I’m not completely sure. My mind gets fuzzy when I travel.
The kid just tossed a sheet over his head and called it a night – he takes after his mom and my dad and can sleep anywhere.
Once we landed in NYC, the Firecracker had to bring her kid to her ex’s, so my kid and I took a cab home.
It was an even C-note to get back to our pad from JFK, which was both surprising and also, not.
Me: Welp, it looks like we’re home. What are you in the mood for?
Him: Pizza?
Me: Done. Welcome back home, kiddo.
Him: Welcome back home, papa. That was fun. But it’s nice to be home.
Me: Yeah, kid. There’s no place like home.
Location: a holiday party, next door
Mood: brrrrrrrrrrrr
Music: my own dreams and the city won’t save me (Spotify)
Like this post? Tell someone about it by clicking a button below.