memoirs on a rainy day

I’ve driven over 50K on Old Nancy. Who’s Old Nancy? Our old scooter. She just keeps on trucking. In the past two years, I’ve driven her 9000 km.

My wife hadn’t driven her at all nor had she started the engine periodically. This meant that she needed a check-up. I dropped her off at my mechanic’s shop, which was closed on Sunday and picked her up again on Monday morning. Total bill? 150NT (~5$). My mechanic told me that the engine needed to be changed soon. It will cost about 2800NT (~92$). I’ll do that soon. Otherwise, I think I might buy some new shocks. She’ll corner better.

I’ve driven her extremely fast over the last two days, yet it felt safe. I didn’t take any risks and just rode as fast as possible. She can still go up to 95kph.

One thing that I have learned thanks to becoming a student again, is to distance myself from materialistic ideals. I no longer yearn for the 750cc motorcycle. I know that I’ll probably get a cheap one next year, one that won’t have the right plates to drive on the highway, yet it’s not really a focus for me anymore.

Sure, I’ll continue doing maintenance on Old Nancy, but I doubt that we will sell her before leaving Taiwan.

Zipping along at 80kph on Taipei’s major arteries is exhilarating. It’s like a game of Tetris mixed in with a game of Need for Speed. I tend to stay away from the right side of the roads since slower scooters, veering buses and taxis make a habit of disrupting the flow of traffic. The fast lane is where all of the fun is.

I’ve noticed that there are more scooters in Canada. I have seen a lot more scooters recently than before. They are no longer a novelty, but a means of transport.

I find it hilarious that five minutes into my stay in Taiwan, things already got bullshitty. I was trying to change my Canadian dollars into NT. I handed over my money to some bureaucrat at the Bank of Taiwan.

He looked at my bills and started phoning people. He informed me that he wasn’t going to change one of my 5$ bills because it didn’t have a security feature. He said that it was too old.

Too old?

This money is good in Canada, why won’t you change it?

Too old, you stupid foreigner!

Too old!

I started swearing and asked for him to change the rest of it. I didn’t really give a shit and this was a good time to lose my temper as any, since I’d been traveling for over 26 hours.

One the way home, no one helped me with by bags. I found that strange. In Canada, cab drivers and bus drivers will help you with your bags. Here in Taiwan, they don’t.

I almost lost my temper again when the cab driver just waited for me to take my bags out of his cab. He was just sitting in his seat.

WTF was that all about.

Ah well, the joys of being back in Taiwan!

Seriously, it’s not that bad, but I just found it funny that right off the bat, things go sideways. That’s Taiwan for you.

The Fairmont Château Laurier is a landmark hotel in Canada’s capital region, Ottawa. It’s located on the intersection of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive. It’s very close to Parliament Hill and has been used as a meeting place for many notable political figures. It’s sometimes referred as the “third chamber of Parliament”.

The hotel is an impressive sight. That region of downtown Ottawa is filled with great buildings, excluding the eyesore of downtown Ottawa, the US embassy. I didn’t have time to visit it, but it’s built in a picturesque location. One side of the hotel is on Rideau Canal. The CMCP is wedged in between them, but you can’t really see much of it.

Continue reading ‘Fairmont Chateau Laurier’

I’m planning of going to the National Gallery of Canada (GMaps). I have a keen interest in modern art and the wife reminded me that the National Gallery has a great section on it.

I remember that I went to the National Gallery in 2002 the last time with Joanna. It was fun. Tomorrow, I’ll have a lot of time to spend. I read through the rules carefully and will be able to take some photos, since my camera qualifies as a hand held device. At least, that’s what I think.

I’ll walk around a bit as well. A lot of attractions are close by and I’ve never photographed them with a D200. I’ll have lots of pictures when I come back.

Parliament Hill is within walking distance as well. Actually, the TECO office is pretty centrally located. I won’t be taking cabs once I get there.

I’m heading to Ottawa to get my visa for Taiwan tonight. I’ll arrive during the night and I’ll have a few hours to kill before the TECO office opens at 9AM. I’ve got all my papers sorted out, it should be very quick and fast.

I’m back in Quebec in about 24 hours. I’m leaving for Taiwan at 6:35AM on Friday. I’ll arrive at about 9PM on Saturday. I’ll have a few hours to kill in the HK airport, but that’s always been the case.