One Last Night

ETA: I saw a beautiful glass figurine of a running black panther last night at the Night Market.  If I hadn’t been so sure it would break in transit, I would have bought it.  I also saw a bag with black kittehs on it.  They were my animal guides for the day yesterday.

One last night in Taiwan.  One more morning before I can go to the airport.  Roughly twenty more hours until I am on a jet plane heading back to MN (where I hear it’s bitterly cold and snowing).

Today, the plan was for me to have a leisurely morning to myself while my niece and brother and mother went swimming.  Well, that changed.  At breakfast, my brother informed me that we would be going to the zoo instead.  Did I want to go to see the giant pandas?  I was caught because I didn’t really want to go (besides being worn out, I have issues with zoos), but I wouldn’t mind seeing the giant pandas.  I wimped out again and acquiesced.  My mom came by at nine, and we were off.

It was raining steadily as we left.  My mom informed us that this was more like Taiwan weather in the winter.  I had my umbrella as did we all, but it didn’t stop me from getting wet.  Plus, it was actually a bit nippy out.  I was already bone-tired because I hadn’t slept well, and I had nightmares (per usual).  So, my feet were already dragging in the rain at ten in the morning.  We first went to the panda exhibit and saw the two pandas–one outside and one inside.  They are big, magnificent creatures and a joy to behold.  However, the thought that nags me every time I go to a zoo was prevalent here as well.  I hated seeing such gorgeous wild animals penned up.  Now, the Taiwanese zoo does a fabulous job of mimicking the animals’ natural habitats, but still.  When I saw the elephants and lions with no room to run, it made me sad.  Still, I know that many of their natural habitats are being destroyed, so it’s not all roses on the outside, either.

That is neither here nor there.  The animals themselves were impressive.  I wanted to stop at the Nocturnal House (as my mom said, “Minna is one of them, so she wants to see them”) because I was eager to see the bats.  To my disappointment, there were no bats in the Nocturnal House.  There were, however, bobcats.  Two of them.  I really connected with the first one (on my part, anyway.  He was sleeping for the most part and eying me as if I were lunch).  After looking at the night animals, we went to see the penguins, tromping by the African animals on the way.  After the penguins, we saw the rest of the African animals.  My favorites were the lynxes, the black bear, and the lions (three babies with their mama, all snoozing).

We left around a quarter to twelve to have lunch and then get ready to meet the vice president of Taiwan.  That’s right.  We got an invite to meet the second most important man in Taiwan.  It was fucking surreal.  My dad is an economic advisor to the VP (who is also Taiwanese and an economist) and has a biweekly meeting with the VP.  We went to the reception hall fifteen minutes before the meeting to meet the VP.

My father and his driver picked us up at a quarter to two.  My niece got all glammed up for the event, and my brother and I put on some nicer clothing as well.  My dad prepped us in the car as to what to call him (Mr. Vice President).  My dad also said that we could ask him a question or two.  I said impishly, “So, I can ask him how he feels about reunification?”

Quick explanation:  My family is very pro-independent Taiwan.  My parents were instrumental in creating the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) who ran the country for eight years.  In the last election, the KMT took over again.  My dad is the president of the Taiwan Institute for Economic Research, which depends on the government for grants.  In other words, my dad has to tamp down his pro-independent Taiwan leanings while working with the president and vice-president of the country.  Now, for all his personal failings, my father has fought passionately for as long as I’ve been born for an independent Taiwan.  It’s killing him to see all his work go to waste, but since he wants to do what’s best for his country, he is working with the KMT in order to strengthen the economy.  The KMT is pretty much pro-reunification with China while the DPP is pro-independent Taiwan.  So, back to the discussion in the car.

My dad said, “No, no, no, that would not be a good topic.”  I was only kidding.  I would never bring that up with the Vice President of Taiwan.  Even though he is Taiwanese, he is a member of the KMT.  It would be like asking Cheney how he feels about torture.

When we reached the reception hall, the guards waved us right in.  My dad explained that the license plate of the car is on a list so we don’t have to wait to be vetted.  Then, we were escorted inside.  Every time we passed a soldier, he would snap a salute at us.  I was tempted to salute back, but I restrained myself.  We were escorted into a lavish room and told to be seated.  A woman brought us tea, and my dad told us to rise when the VP entered the room.  There were jade statues placed artistically here and there, and I felt very strange.  I was about to meet the second most powerful man in Taiwan.  How freaky was that?

We all rose when he entered.  He shook all our hands and sat down.  We remained standing until he invited us all to sit.  He asked if we spoke Chinese, and when we said we didn’t, he frowned.  My dad said with a smile that it was his fault that we couldn’t speak Chinese–that he (my father) had failed.  The VP then launched into a little monologue about how important it was to learn Chinese because one in three people were Chinese and blah blah blah.  My dad told a joke in English that I don’t think the VP got.  Then, my brother asked about technology in Taiwan (the question my dad suggested he (my bro) ask ).  After the VP pontificated on that for a bit, I got to ask my question.  I asked about the relationship between the US and Taiwan in general (a preapproved question).  He talked about how Taiwan is such a close ally of America and how things in general are very good.  My dad chimed in.  Then, it was time to take pictures with him.  Then, it was time to leave.  We each thanked him twice, and I even got to call him Mr. Vice President again.  Another soldier saluting to us on the way out, and that was that.

It was one of the most bizarre and surreal experiences I’ve ever had in my life.  I mean, if this were some average Joe I had met in a bar, I would have argued a few of his points.  Indeed, I would have been offended by my father apologizing that he ‘failed’ by not teaching us Chinese.  By the way, may I say how strange it was to see my father be so deferential to the VP?  I’ve never seen that side of him before, and it was truly strange.  Anyway, back to the VP.  If I had met him in the bar and he had said what he’d said, I would have argued with him.  Because he was the VP of a country, however, I didn’t say a word when he lectured us on why we should learn Chinese.  Or when he tsk-tsked his tongue because my brother and I hadn’t been to Taiwan in 19 and 16 years, respectively.

After we left, I realized that I had been holding my breath much of the time we were talking with the VP.  I am very glad I had the opportunity to meet him, no matter how bemusing the actual encounter actually left me.

Then, it was back to the hotel for a chance to rest.  I did some internet stuff, and then I planned on taking a nap before we went to the night market.  However, my bro knocked on the door and wanted to chat, so I didn’t get to take a nap.  We went to the night market for the last time (a different one yet again), and the food war started almost immediately.  My brother, my niece, and I were not very hungry.  My parents kept asking if we wanted this or that.  My mom said, as she did every time, “If you see something you really like, tell us to stop.”  When she said it again three minutes later, I snapped, “You don’t have to say that every time.”  Every time we passed fried oysters, my parents would comment on it and how I liked fried oysters.  They would ask if I wanted any, and I would say no.  I wasn’t in the mood for fried oysters, but by the third time they repeated, “Minna LIKES fried oysters”, I knew I would be eating fried oysters by the end of the night.  Little did I know that it would be in the next five minutes!

My parents kept foisting food upon us until I finally put my foot down.  I said all I wanted was a pork bun (love me some soft buns) and dough-hua (tofu pudding, with peanuts and syrup and ice) and that was it.  I ended up having an ice cream cone with a scoop of mango and a scoop of green tea as well, but that was it.

By the end of the night, I was exhausted, worn out, and ready to drop.  But you know what?  This is my last fucking night in Taiwan.  I can’t tell you how that makes me feel because I don’t even know right now.  I am tired and numb and pretty much just completely depleted.

P.S.  My bro hasn’t uploaded all the pics from today yet which is why I have so many animal pictures in this entry.  I will link when he finally uploads them all.

P.P.S.  From top to bottom:  Giant pandas; meeting the VP (from left to right, my niece, me, the VP, my father, and my bro); black bear; lynxes; hungry hungry hippos.