Shopping Adventures

Shopping in Taiwan has been an experience I won’t forget.

I may have mentioned a tailor across the street from the hotel in an earlier post. I ordered a custom-made shirt from him the first day we were here for $25US. I got it last night and it fits quite well. Now that he has my measurements, I can order custom-made shirts from him and have them shipped, still for less than many dress-shirts I would buy in the U.S off-the-rack.

One or two of the guys got suits made and all of us got shirts. One of the ladies on the trip - I would not dare say whom - left the place unhappy after several comments by one of the proprietors that they were used to making clothing for much smaller women.

Ordering food at times has been a little bit of a challenge, but we have usually had someone around to help.

I mentioned earlier in the week that we visited a night market. That visit was under such a cloud of exhaustion that I really did not get to experience it appropriately.

Last night several of us went again to a night market. This had all the same sensory overload as the first - all kinds of products, all kinds of food.

I went into a shoe store while a couple of the others with me were looking at shoes and ended up finding some I like and decided to buy.

I asked the salesman the price of the shoes and he showed me on his calculator. I then said to him, “well, I will need to go get some cash.” Suddenly he tapped a few buttons on the price and said, “this price.”

I was surprised he cut the price for me but was quite happy so I asked, “Do you take credit cards?” Tap-tap-tap; a lower price again!

This guy thought I was trying to bargain with him and just couldn’t understand me. I finally said, “Visa?” And he said, “Yes.”

Then we somehow all made it back to the hotel in a cab without being able to speak to the driver.

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