The Land Where It’s Already Tomorrow, Chapter 36: Mainland Chills, A Nice Visit from Home, Official Off Day?

---

A cold snap has rolled in from China, although it feels more like it’s from Mongolia or even Siberia. It’s hard to believe that a few short days ago we had the air conditioner on, and I was wearing sandals without socks and short sleeves even in the evenings. Recently, we’ve even had to turn on the portable radiator overnight. To make matters worse, we have had a few days of real West Coast Canadian rain—the kind that makes you feel as if you will never see the sun again. Smack in the middle of our cold and wet snap, we had our first company from Canada. Peter is a former colleague, whose sardonic humour made it easier for me to ride out the last few months before I could strike my tent and retire. It would have been better if he could have seen our east coast climate at its best rather than its worst.

This is maybe one of the major differences between Canada and the Republic of China on Taiwan. Our Canadian east coast winter is quantum worse than Taiwan’s worst east coast winter.

Two thoughts occur to me. One is that my daughter Renee is too tactful to point out that “quantum” is not an adjective. My other thought is that is I still refer to this place as “the Republic of China on Taiwan” instead of just “Taiwan”. I spent a lot of time in Taipei. Politics are complicated here. Sue me.

It’s now clearing and warming, just as Peter is leaving. We often wish that we would have more company from Canada.

Speaking of Renee, she as been asked to seek the NDP nomination in Kingston for the next federal election. I hope that her opponents will have more luck arguing with her than I ever did.

Some of the aboriginal kids have promised to teach me a few words of Ami, because I would like to at least be able to greet people on the street in Guangfu. I don’t expect to be fluent anytime soon—my Chinese is still “see-Spot-run” after five years of off-and-on exposure. I am at the awkward stage of being able to pose a question in acceptable Mandarin, and not having a clue in a carload about the staccato Taiwanese reply.

Who am I trying to kid? I seldom completely understand a reply, even if phrased in elegant Mandarin. However, I get by, and Lao-puo’s Chinese is getting better every day.

Saturday (yesterday) was bright and sunny, so we set off around town on the bike and went to the market. The experience taught me that things are very different in Hualien from the way things are in Victoria. For the devil of it, we rode Esmerelda through the crowded market, the way Chinese people do. Nobody batted an eye, or glared at us. In Victoria, someone would have called 911. In fact, one market in Victoria even has a sign across the street that says “Out of respect for your neighbours, please do not park here”. I’m not clear how parking on a public street can be construed as disrespect, but it takes all kinds. There were hundreds of shoppers and lots of motorbikes in the narrow laneways of the Hualien market, and dozens of bikes parked on the sidewalk at the entrance to the place. We love the beautiful flowers and fruit and live plants and still-flopping fish and vegetables and spices—and brassieres. I cannot fathom why so many bras are for sale here. There are racks of them, in every market, and product specific shops. There are three floors of them in “The Easy Shop.”

I was at the “199” Store (yi yi jo) yesterday, and I saw a very interesting little sign to hang on a doorknob. “Can can bu dong” so I don’t know what the Chinese said. It must have something to do with being closed, because the English translation was “official off day”. Most of us tend not to formalize the periodic bouts of grumpiness, at least not to that extent.

---

Photos

Peter and Lao-puo
Too bad the weather was so cold and wet for his visit.

Buddies from Home...
...now across the ocean.

Hai An Lu
"Peaceful Ocean" St/