Getting Around

I am getting around ok. The subway system is really convenient here, and my second day here I managed to buy an Easy Card and load money onto it, so that's a nice way to get around the island. (Although you can see in the picture below, the train is only about 6' and some inches. Pretty small, I have several friends who could not stand up straight in these subway cars.)

I also, after much back-and-forth, have obtained a membership card to a movie rental place by me, and their deals are pretty good. Three "old" movies (anything but the new releases) for one week for 100NT (New Taiwan Dollars). Which is about $3USD. There is a goodly selection of Asian movies but the majority of the store is Western movies dubbed with Chinese subtitles. There is also a huge section of American TV shows, dubbed as such, and you'll be happy to know I could rent entire seasons of Friends, Gilmore Girls, S&TC, Family Guy, any of the vampire genre, Bones, House, etc. etc. On principle I won't be shutting myself away and watching reels of American TV but it is good to have movies on hand. Although Shutter Island--those of you that told me to watch it--disappointing.

Mmm I went to the gym near me yesterday to see about using the facilities because I heard that gyms here you can pay 50NT every time you use them, instead of getting a membership. This gym informed me they don't do that, that's only the public gyms or something, and their shortest membership is 24 months. To put it politely, what bullshit. 24 months? I wouldn't sign up for that in the US. Anyway, so I will be taking myself to a less exclusive gym in search of the pay-as-you-go option. Thus far, in my opinion, working out outside is not an option. It's been above 90 and humid every day, plus the traffic is really thick.

There's a few supermarkets within walking distance and I finally found a liquor store. Prices at both places are lower than what they would be in the US, even for the Western import stuff, which was surprising. And for some reason cranberry is big here. Cranberry yogurt, ice cream, juice, tea, bread, gum. My impression is that cranberries are not this important in the US.

The final thing to getting around is, of course, crossing the street, and that's difficult here. You are not even safe on the sidewalk, since for some insane reason scooters are considered all-terrain vehicles and scooter drivers can seamlessly transition from the street, over the curb and on down the sidewalk. Little green man sign that signals safe crossing--you are powerless here. You are merely a hopeful suggestion, since there also seems to be a standing "turn on red" option that buses, vehicles and really anyone take advantage of as freely as if it were a green light. The best option is to only cross when well within a large group of people.

I do have to find out what I'm going to do about laundry or printing something. I know I saw a library somewhere and I hope I can use that to print. But I don't remember where that was. I have yet to see anything that resembles a laundromat.