I am on the ground and I signed a lease for an apartment that I can move into tomorrow, although I won't be able to use the bathroom until tomorrow evening. I was there when they installed the new toilet, and I have to wait 48 hours for it to dry.
I'm currently in a hostel with two iffy wireless hotspots. One, the more reliable one, is out the rear of the building on a tiny porch-like area in an alleyway. It's outside and I have to stand to use it. The one I'm on now is on my bed with me sitting cross-legged in one particular spot. If I stretch out my legs, I lose the hotspot.
Taipei is overwhelmingly large. What looks like a short distance on the map turns out to be much longer on foot. I'm using the expanding concentric ring theory to explore my surroundings.
My first day here, I just explored the immediate hostel and university area. Then yesterday I explored a larger loop that included Taipei's large park, Daan Park. My apartment is across the street from the park, it's absolutely lovely with two 24 hour convenient stores downstairs and a scrumpty looking bakery. It's maybe a 10 minute walk to the language school I'll be attending.
I'm eating off the streets because it is so easy to do here with the point and pay method. Really cheap, tasty food. Today, I'll explore more of my new neighborhood, Daan Park, and try to open a bank account and get a cell phone.
I'm really happy about the location of my apartment. I thought I would look for an apartment in the general area of where this hostel is, south and west of the university, but where my apartment is, directly east of the university, just has a much better, comfortable feel.
This is a boring post that deserves to end right now.
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| February 24, XP2 Super |
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| the various ways to get around |
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| Da'an Forest Park |
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| February 25, Yongkang Street area |
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| Liberty Plaza, although at the time it was still named after a dictator |
1. Elvis Presley and America (U2)
2. She's Got Balls (AC/DC)
3. Reality (David Bowie)
4. Close Up (Peter Gabriel)
5. El Condor Pasa (If I Could) (Simon & Garfunkel)
6. So Much to Say (Dave Matthews Band)
7. I Know What I Like (live) (Genesis)
8. Cities in Dust (Siouxsie and the Banshees)
9. Rubber Car (Enon)
10. If I Had a Fine White Horse ("Secret Garden")
