Tradition, dresses and the Red Envelope

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After four hours drive from Ali Mountain we arrive in Kaosiung City. Welcomed by kilometres of factories, sea breeze and old narrow streets we're looking for the wedding house. I'm expecting to see guests having a smoke outside, overdressed couples and cute decorations.

In fact guests are having smoke inside, people are mostly casual if not underdressed but there are indeed pink balloons everywhere. Invitation said the wedding will start at 12:36 - peculiar time, selected especially for the occasion by a fortune teller. We are late...

I'm happy to see that my white face is not causing too much confusion and I almost get away with the lie that I'm from Xinjiang province - mainland China.

We wait for the food, I'm starving and have no idea what is going on (like most of the time for the last 2 years). Finally the newlyweds appear, and the long awaited food. It was worth it - the food is delicious, a little bit sweet like everything in Taiwan, lots of sea food, nothing spicy or too deep fried... best food I had in weeks.

An older lady on the stage is using her best Taiwanese to ... actually I have no idea what is she saying, I smile a lot and my eyes are getting bigger and bigger when two undressed girls dance and sing on the stage. I look around - all the men at our table look a little bit sheepish. Just smile...

The bride manages to change three lovely dresses and talk to all the guests in two hours. And it's over! Already? That's too soon!!!
Actually that's the average time for a traditional Taiwanese wedding, and that's the number of dresses the bride should wear.

How much did we put in the Red Envelope? Who cares the experience is one in a million.

We go back to the car and hit the road - god bless smooth and empty Taiwanese highways.

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