Well, we are putting the wraps on a good weekend here in Taipei. The weather is about as close to spring like as we get; not too hot but not too cool.
Yesterday we got out and walked all over the place. We went to the chicken man first and got a chicken sandwich – on to the 7-11 for chips and drinks. We took it all to a small neighborhood park where we had a nice lunch outdoors. Fran dribbled the secret sauce all over her tee shirt so we had to go back to the apt before any further exploring.
Leaving the apt we were on the search for a start-up church we had seen a brochure on. We were almost defeated when a lady unlocked a door so that we could see what we thought was information for the church on a bulletin board inside a school foyer. Sure enough it was the info and building we were looking for.
With that accomplished, Fran wanted me to see the furniture street she had discovered where there was an office desk she thought was close to what she might want in our next apartment. To get there we had to get on the subway (it was too far to walk). After arriving at the Kuting stop we came above ground at an exit we had never used before but we were able to find the street without a problem. Sure enough there was a full city block with nothing but furniture stores (all having basically the same thing). Their idea of marketing is still foreign to me . . .
Fran showed me the desk and we decided that it would be impossible to shop for furniture here without a good translator. It is just too difficult to communicate preferences in taste with sign and body language. While in the neighborhood there were a couple of appliance stores where we were able to look for appliances we’ll need & a breadmaker for a friend who will be visiting with us at the end of next week.
We were getting pretty pooped so we headed home stopping at a Dominoes for a pizza (one of the worst we’ve had lately). After dinner Fran watched a movie and I surfed.
Today, Sunday, we visited the start-up church we scouted yesterday. On the way home we picked up some Cha Shau Fan & Qwong Dong Shau Fan for lunch. After lunch we took it easy, had a nap, and ate breakfast for dinner.
It was a nice weekend!

All right – here we go. We have returned from the AGM and will be getting back into our “regular” routine again. I hope. The meeting was good but it is better to be back at “home” and a somewhat normal life again. Living out of a suitcase in a hotel gets old pretty quick.
We went to the annual Lantern Festival last night and worked with Project Taipei to pass out some gospel VCDs. They are much more common over here than a VHS tape. Fran and I passed out 1500 in about an hour and a half. There must have been over 100,000 people there! I think she is going to write up an account to put on the website so I’ll leave it to her to elaborate. Check there for more info.
Tonight after church we went out for some Vietnamese food with a guy from the US who is here on a work assignment. Turns out we are both from Grand Saline, TX – how’s that for a small world!