THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 14 (FINAL DAY)

THIS IS THE LAST QUARANTINE POST. I AM GETTING OUT IN THE MORNING!

Thank yall for coming on this insane journey with me. I hope you enjoyed my ramblings. If not, then I’m not entirely sure why you’re here. The food pics?

———

Breakfast for final day was pretty on point. And then, it all went downhill from there.

It came in a nice little setup that I thought was going to be pastries.

I recognized the bowl of congee, but pairing congee with a box of pastries?

I recognized the bowl of congee, but pairing congee with a box of pastries?

 

I was very surprised to open the box to an “accoutrement” (with a french accent) of traditional breakfast sides!

This is a very traditional Chinese breakfast, EXCEPT for the popcorn chicken.

This is a very traditional Chinese breakfast, EXCEPT for the popcorn chicken.

 

I guess I was thrown off by the boxing and presentation. Usually, this kind of traditional breakfast items are not packaged this way. There’s a little bag of dried pork mince, pickles, 麵筋 (this one is hard to describe), fermented tofu, and a fried egg. The fried chicken was good, but it’s not usually part of this particular ensemble.

Dried pork mince and 麵筋 with congee is one of the best ways to have breakfast!

Dried pork mince and 麵筋 with congee is one of the best ways to have breakfast!

 

My dad used to always make fun of restaurants that sell this breakfast in this kind of manner, because it’s “peasant food”; it’s what poor people used to eat. Mom and dad would always say, when they were young, yams were put in the congee because it was cheaper than rice. And sometimes, there would be more yams than rice because they just couldn’t afford it. And having an egg would be a big deal! But now, this breakfast has been “gentrified” to be cool and hip. Guess it happens everywhere.

———

When I opened the door to lunch, I thought it was a joke.

At least it came with some fruit?

At least it came with some fruit?

 

As it is in the States, there are plenty of decent pizza shops in Taiwan. PIZZA HUT IS NOT ONE OF THEM.

Pizza and tots. Or more accurately, “pizza” and tots.

Pizza and tots. Or more accurately, “pizza” and tots.

 

For all you “cold pizza is just as good” crazy people, try eating this pizza cold.

However, when I was a kid, Pizza Hut in Taiwan came out with a “takoyaki” flavored pizza, and I’ll readily admit that was very, very delicious. I think they still have it?

———

I had a dinner date with my quarantine buddy, filmmaker extraordinaire Angela Chen. She’s on DAY13, so we decided to commiserate our last day(s) on this crazy journey. We both admitted we’ve become quite accustomed to this quarantine life and wouldn’t mind forever staying in this never-never-land. She ordered some wine to go with the occasion which she drank on my behalf. After release, Angela is actually staying in my old hood by where I went to college, literally down the street from where I used to live. We made plans to hopefully show her my old stomping grounds.

She ordered “some” wine (3 bottles) for the occasion.

She ordered “some” wine (3 bottles) for the occasion.

 

Dinner was not the most exciting, but not the worst. My last quarantine meal went out with a “ppfffppllffftp…pff…” (that’s the sound of a half blown up balloon deflating.) It was an okay bowl of beef noodle soup.

All sorts of goodies inside - cabbage, egg, baby corn, fish cakes, tofu, pork belly… oh my!
 

And with that, my darlings, concludes my mandatory 14 day quarantine in Taiwan. I am set for release in the morning!

I feel very fortunate to be here. I am incredibly lucky to have family and friends who support me, and a home country that has its shit together during a global pandemic. Despite the unfortunate circumstance of why I’m here, I still feel immensely grateful, and I hope everyone back in the U.S. are staying healthy and vigilant on preventing the spread of this disease. We can do this if we all do our part.

Thank you for being on this journey with me. It’s been a wild ride. Like I said to Angela, “We’ll always have quarantine.”

 

THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 13

One. More. Day.

I’ve got one more day until my release. Honestly, I’m a little nervous about leaving here. Not only has this unrealistic living situation in this insular room been a refuge from the outside world for the past two weeks, it’s also been my bubble against my fears and anxieties upon returning home. As I mentioned before, it’s been a while since my whole family has been under the same roof, and there are reasons for that. Certain dynamics between myself and my family are sure to be exacerbated given that our reunion was born out of a major health emergency. I would be lying if I said there wasn’t any dread mixed in with all the other emotions. But at the end of the day, all I can offer is my love and my best. Everything else will have to play out on its own.

———

We start Day 13 with some art.

My sister was released today and I poked my head out long enough to give her a brief goodbye-and-see-ya-later!

Before becoming a “self-made entrepreneur” and starting the first organic Farmer’s Market in Beijing - Farm to Neighbors, Erica was quite the artist. She’s always been extremely talented, effortlessly picking up instruments and paint brushes like she was born with them. She is essentially the opposite of me.

Some of Erica’s artwork in her early 20’s. I’m really glad I saved them. Her self-portrait is my absolute favorite.

Some of Erica’s artwork in her early 20’s. I’m really glad I saved them. Her self-portrait is my absolute favorite.

 

I was always a little sad she never continued pursuing art, but we each have our own road to travel…which brings me to this piece of work left at my door this morning -

Erica left this in front of my room along with some leftover snacks since she was being released from quarantine today.

Erica left this in front of my room along with some leftover snacks since she was being released from quarantine today.

 

It’s clear that she hasn’t lost all her artistic touch, however, me exploding out of the quarantine hotel with the slogan “Taipei 2020” is a little subpar in my opinion.

Maybe I’m just a little miffed because she just HAD to accentuate my flat, pig nose-

I GET IT. I HAVE A FLAT NOSE. Also, why do I only have one earring?

I GET IT. I HAVE A FLAT NOSE. Also, why do I only have one earring?

 

Despite all that, I love it. It will go into my Erica-art collection. One day, I’ll show the collection and tour it around the country.

———

Grilled pork sammies for breakfast today, and instead of kimchi as the added surprise, it was egg salad. It was so delicious I didn’t even have time to take a close up shot before shoving it in my mouth.

I never noticed the cracked egg shell on the Mcmuffin wrapper. Not sure how I feel about it.
 

The weather has been getting pretty chilly here so the hotel ordered us hot pot soup for lunch, which was DELICIOUS.

Crepe with egg and corn, and radish cake with sweet soy sauce.
 
All sorts of goodies inside - cabbage, egg, baby corn, fish cakes, tofu, pork belly… oh my!

All sorts of goodies inside - cabbage, egg, baby corn, fish cakes, tofu, pork belly… oh my!

 

Dinner was an equally delicious lunchbox. I’m glad meal game is ending strong!

Day12_06.png
 

We’re near the end, yall.

THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 12

Because I HAD to complain about things getting bored and wishing for more excitement, the gods of quarantine was like, “Oh yeah? We’ll give you something exciting to blog about!” -

Two big earthquakes happened. The first one was around 9:20pm, clocking in at magnitude 6.7 at the epicenter and about 4.5 in Taipei city. The second one happened around 2:00am, this one only 5.6 at epicenter and about 3 in Taipei city. But when you’re 8 stories high and have major earthquake trauma, it all feels like THE WORLD IS COLLAPSING AROUND YOU AND YOU ARE GOING TO DIE ANY MINUTE.

As I mentioned on DAY01, earthquakes are pretty common in Taiwan. As you can see in this screenshot from Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau, there have been five earthquakes since yesterday, and about a dozen since I got back.

I never noticed the cracked egg shell on the Mcmuffin wrapper. Not sure how I feel about it.
 

Before you start freaking out and vow never to set foot on this beautiful island, understand that most of these earthquakes are pretty small and barely noticeable unless you are VERY sensitive (like I was for a couple years post the Great 921 Earthquake.) Most of the “big” earthquake’s epicenter are off the eastern coast of Taiwan (see where the plates meet) and while it does oftentimes cause damage in cities on the east coast, by the time it gets to Taipei and rest of the country, it gets tampered down a bit. Most modern buildings are also pretty earthquake-proof; we even have the world’s largest damper in what was once the world’s tallest building - Taipei 101.

Lastly, it’s actually good to have all these slightly smaller earthquakes throughout the year; it allows energy to be released and prevents it from building up to a giant earthquake. Scientists tend to worry more when we go through periods of “calm and quiet” because it usually means something big might happen at any time. (For an extreme example of this, and if you want to freak out a little bit more, read up on the "Cascadia Subduction Zone” in the PNW.)

All this is to say - YES IT IS STILL UTTERLY TERRIFYING GOING THROUGH AN EARTHQUAKE. It is one of the most unnatural sensations for human beings in my opinion; the entire earth moving, the room swaying and trembling back and forth. It really drives home the feeling of how small and completely helpless human beings are compared to mother earth.

Now that it’s been such an “EXCITING” day, I’m completely okay with the rest of quarantine being entirely eventless and boring. Let’s get on to the boring parts, shall we?

———

Breakfast today was *chef’s kiss. Radish cakes and 蛋餅 - it's like a crepe. Both on my list of favorite breakfast foods.

Crepe with egg and corn, and radish cake with sweet soy sauce.

Crepe with egg and corn, and radish cake with sweet soy sauce.

 

Lunch was a Japanese lunchbox with plenty of veggies and a pork-don of sorts.

Day12_06.png
 

The hotel sent up an “afternoon snack” today- tea and doughnut.

The doughnut tastes a lot better than it looks. It’s more like a churro-doughnut. The note says “It’s afternoon tea time! Little Orange has prepared you a doughnut to sweeten your heart (cheer you up.)” It makes more sense in Mandarin.

The doughnut tastes a lot better than it looks. It’s more like a churro-doughnut.
The note says “It’s afternoon tea time! Little Orange has prepared you a doughnut to sweeten your heart (cheer you up.)” It makes more sense in Mandarin.

 

There was another round of OFY GO BUY today (refresher in DAY01) and it came with dinner, which was perfect since it was kind of like dessert.

“Kick start healthy life” dinner again, with “Memo pancake” as dessert.

“Kick start healthy life” dinner again, with “Memo pancake” as dessert.

Seared salmon with brown rice and veggies.

Seared salmon with brown rice and veggies.

 

The OFY GO BUY snack today is from “Memo Pancakes.” I’m not sure if I would choose to translate these as “pancakes” but I guess it works? They’re called 車輪餅, and a direct translation would be “wheel cake” (?), for its shape. It’s origins are from Japan, but it’s now a street vendor staple in Taiwan also. It’s cooked on a griddle and comes in a variety of flavors.

Photo snatched from the interwebs.

Photo snatched from the interwebs.

 

I picked the classic “custard” flavor, and a “black sesame mochi” flavor. By the time they arrived with dinner, they were a bit soggy (they’re best right out of the griddle- hot and crunchy on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside) but they were still pretty delicious. Paired with a 鐵觀音 Tieguanyin tea (a type of Oolong), dinner and dessert was pretty pretty good.

Custard, and black sesame mochi.

Custard, and black sesame mochi.

 

Two more days to go. Let’s hope I survive these last two days in quarantine, earthquake and all.

THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 11

I had a pretty alarming moment tonight where I felt really comfortable in this quarantine routine, and for a brief moment I couldn’t remember what life was like outside this room and what a “normal” day consists of. I wasn’t panicked or anything. It just felt like I’ve always been here in this room and living this way…

I never noticed the cracked egg shell on the Mcmuffin wrapper. Not sure how I feel about it.
 

Aaaaanyway…

Someone asked me if I’ve spotted more of the bad-parking-orange-buying-dude (see DAY 06 and DAY 07 for his cameo.) I haven’t. From his snazzy getup, I’m guessing he comes around on the weekends. There are a few karaoke bars in this neighborhood, some are “special” karaoke bars (*wink wink) that are popular on the weekends. I’ll keep an eye out Friday/Saturday.

———

Today wasn’t very exciting at all, both in meal game and quarantine activities.

Breakfast was MOS Burger again. See DAY 04 for a MOS burger refresher. However, instead of a fish sandwich, we got an egg sandwich with corn soup. MickeyD’s has real competition from MOS burger when it comes to corn soup, that’s for sure.

Sticky rice ball with hot soy milk.
Just buttered, puréed corn goodness.

Just buttered, puréed corn goodness.

Lunch was “Get Power” lunchbox again.

I feel like the OPPOSITE happens when I see the “Get Power” lunchbox. I can actually feel the power leaving my body as I open my lunch to see the variety of healthy foods. Is it so wrong to just want fatty, greasy foods that I’ll have to procrastinate working out to burn it off later?

get power. yay. so excited. so much power. just can’t wait. hooray.

get power. yay. so excited. so much power. just can’t wait. hooray.

Chicken satay with veggies and black rice. I hate to say it, it was actually pretty good.

Chicken satay with veggies and black rice. I hate to say it, it was actually pretty good.

Remember the bingo workout card I mentioned on DAY 01? Well, I finally got enough to cash in my prize of choosing my own dinner!

Absolutely gorgeous shrimp ball with glass noodles steeped in the yummy broth!
 

Of course, I chose stinky tofu pot!! However, the only places the hotel would let me choose from were on Uber Eats or Food Panda (similar delivery service,) which is really sad because none of these restaurant-stinky-tofu are as stinky as the ones you find at the night markets. But, quarantine-ers can’t be choosers, so here’s the “stinky tofu pot” I got for dinner -

I didn’t even have time to focus because I was already panicking from the height and of us hanging out the window about to die for internet points.

It was essentially a hot pot with stinky tofu added to it. Don’t get me wrong, it was still delicious, but only as a bowl of hot pot. It wasn’t NEARLY as stinky enough as I wanted it to be, but the hot broth, mushrooms, cabbage, pork belly, fish balls, and all the goodies swimming in the soup still just makes you go “ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 10

I really appreciate some of yall humoring me and asking questions. All five of you reading this blog really keeps me going. Haha.

What book was I reading (on Day 07) and what else do I do to keep myself busy throughout the day?

I definitely miscalculated and only brought with me two books and a magazine-

I never noticed the cracked egg shell on the Mcmuffin wrapper. Not sure how I feel about it.
 

I had really enjoyed Rutger Bregman’s last book: Utopia for Realists. So when I learned he had a new book out that makes an argument for the inherent “good” in human nature, I figured I needed to hear what he has to say. Jury is still out on that, but I am thoroughly enjoying the book.

I just finished Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, and a friend recommended So You Want to Talk About Race as a follow up. Just so happens, yes, I really do want to talk about race, and so I can’t wait to pore over this book!

Recently, I find myself enjoying the reporting and writings of The Atlantic so much more than other similar publications. So I was really glad my December issue came in the mail the day before my flight back to Taiwan!

I have been trying really hard not to blow through these too fast, as I tend to do when I’m really enjoying a book, so I try to fill my day with other activities. My mornings I spend writing this blog and downloading content for work. Afternoons and evenings I try to get as much work done as possible, and I’m usually in bed by 830/9p, courtesy of my jetlag. I haven’t really pushed hard to correct my sleep schedule as I figured it’ll actually work well when I need to be up early to help take care of my dad. Meanwhile in quarantine, I fill the rest of the day with people-watching, exercise, and some Netflix binge-watching. You’d be surprised how fast the day goes by.

———

Breakfast today WAS AMAZING. It’s one of my favorite breakfast foods! (I know, I have so many favorites.)

Sticky rice ball with hot soy milk.

Sticky rice ball with hot soy milk.

The savory filling is a combo of dried pork mince, pickled veggies, and fried dough sticks for crunch!

The savory filling is a combo of dried pork mince, pickled veggies, and fried dough sticks for crunch!

飯糰 Rice balls are AMAZING. They usually come in either two fillings: sweet or savory. My grandmother loved the sweet ones and that’s what I grew up eating; warm sticky rice wrapped around a blend of sugar, ground peanuts, and fried dough sticks. You can actually get a “sweet & savory mix” that’s not entirely too weird. But these rice balls are so satisfying and quite filling. They usually sell for $1-2 if you’re buying the plain, street vendor ones, and $2-3 if you want fancy ones. Really cheap and fulfilling breakfast either way.

———

Lunch was equally satisfying. Meal game for Day 10 is definitely pretty strong!

Today’s lunch is, again, one of those things I’m not sure how to translate- 魷魚焿 “squid thick soup”?? Except mine today was actually shrimp and not squid.

Shrimp thick soup with a side of blanched veggies drenched in park sauce.

Shrimp thick soup with a side of blanched veggies drenched in park sauce.

 

The shrimp is actually shrimp balls, and the thick soup came with glass noodles (or mung bean noodles), which is my absolute favorite! Basically ”焿“ is just soup that’s been thickened by cornstarch (or most likely tapioca starch.) It’s usually pork bone based broth with bamboo shoots and other goodies in it, and you can choose between a few different kinds: squid, shrimp, pork…etc. This hot soupy goodness is best during winter time when you’re slurping this up on the side of the street.

Absolutely gorgeous shrimp ball with glass noodles steeped in the yummy broth!

Absolutely gorgeous shrimp ball with glass noodles steeped in the yummy broth!

 

My afternoon people watching was somewhat uneventful, but I did want to point out this badass dude to yall-

I didn’t even have time to focus because I was already panicking from the height and of us hanging out the window about to die for internet points.
 

Dude here loaded almost a dozen massage tables onto a truck by himself WEARING FLIP FLOPS. This is actually pretty common here in Asia, but I just wanted to give a shout out to this badass mofo doing his thing. I would’ve tripped and ate shit so many times…

———

Dinner was pretty delicious, with grilled chicken, braised pork belly and an assortment of veggies over black rice.

Pot stickers, fried calamari, meatball soup, and “tanbula” - it’s hard to explain what tanbula is, so you’re just going to have to trust me that it’s GOOOOOD.
 

We’re in the double digits now. The outside world is calling. I can hear it…

THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 09

Mental health is important yall. One good thing that came out of this pandemic is tele-counseling, and my clinic started offering really affordable options at the start of the pandemic. (Shout out to Austin’s Euphora Health Clinic!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it to freelancers who are looking for affordable healthcare options. Hopefully, we won’t have to search out options like this in the near future…) Since I’ve been waking up at 5am most mornings, it wasn’t hard for me to schedule a session with my therapist who has been a life-saver these past few months. I used to be one of those people who firmly believed therapy was a waste of money and time, but I was dead wrong. Mental health should not be a taboo, and should be affordable and accessible to everyone. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

———

I actually had a bit of a tummy ache in the morning so I skipped breakfast, which might as well, because we’re in the second week of quarantine and some meals are starting to make the rounds. In today’s case, it was the corn omelette over fries with salad (if you need a refresher on what that is, go to DAY 02 for reference.) So instead, let’s answer some questions!

One of yall asked about doing laundry and what other “amenities” the hotel provided in lieu of turndown service. The hotel provided 3 sets of towels and you can ask for more if you really need them, but if you need to go through 3 sets of towels in 2 weeks, I cry for your water bills.

As for laundry, other than working out, I don’t really have a lot of laundry. I wear the same two pajama/sweats everyday (it’s not like I’m GOING ANYWHERE) and when I do workout, I strip down to my skivvies and only have to wash one garment!

The hotel did provide this nice set of cleaning supplies -

I never noticed the cracked egg shell on the Mcmuffin wrapper. Not sure how I feel about it.
 

There’s dish detergent, laundry detergent, a bucket and rag, sanitizing alcohol, and general cleaning spray. I just use the bucket as a little washing machine, and then hang dry the laundry. On that note, I can’t recommend enough my ExOfficio underwear! I had won some in a raffle at the BANFF Mountain Film Festival a couple years back and they are THE BEST camping/backpacking underwear. They’re SUPER comfy and incredibly fast to dry. I think I had mine dry indoors in less than half an hour. It’s faster if you leave it out on a hot day. They are my go-to underwear for any extended long overnight expeditions. They may not be the sexiest little things, but who gives a fuck when you’re camping/hiking/in quarantine?

The hotel also provided this lint roller the size of a paint roller. So you can use it to “vacuum” the carpet if needed.

It’s like a chicken patty with mayo and egg. I don’t remember ever seeing this in McDs in the U.S.

The hotel collects your trash every day at 3pm, so just make sure to double bag all your garbage and leave it out the door by then.

———

Lunch was a delicious 便當 lunchbox. This lunchbox is pretty traditional and I prefer these over the big fancy ones at dinner.

Braised chicken with mushroom and veggies, half a braised egg and a sausage slice.

Braised chicken with mushroom and veggies, half a braised egg and a sausage slice.

 
 

My sister is quarantining down the hall. She’s actually set for release two days earlier than me. Someone asked if we ever wave at each other when we look out the window. The answer is no. One, she doesn’t really like opening her window as much as I do. And two, it’s pretty high up, the window sill is only waist-high, and I’m pretty afraid of heights. But your request is my demand! So here’s a shitty shot of catching my sister out the window couple doors down-

I didn’t even have time to focus because I was already panicking from the height and of us hanging out the window about to die for internet points.

I didn’t even have time to focus because I was already panicking from the height and of us hanging out the window about to die for internet points.

 

Dinner rolled around, and like I said, some meals have been making their way back to the rotation. I like this one though, the pumpkin rice noodles are very good, and so are the sweet & sour fish fillets.

Pot stickers, fried calamari, meatball soup, and “tanbula” - it’s hard to explain what tanbula is, so you’re just going to have to trust me that it’s GOOOOOD.
 

5 more days and I’ll be outta here. Thanks for sticking with me; all 5 of yall that’s reading! I’ll answer more questions in tomorrow’s post. Let’s hope something more exciting happens.

THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 08

I got some of yalls questions about quarantine (thanks for actually reading the blog, yall! It’s nice to have “invisible” friends to talk to right now), and I will make sure to answer them in my next post! Thanks for giving me content to write about, because at this point, it’s really just quarantine food pics, and I think they’re on a weekly rotation…

———

Breakfast was once again, MickeyD’s. However, today we have the “chicken” Mcmuffin with egg, and hot tea.

I never noticed the cracked egg shell on the Mcmuffin wrapper. Not sure how I feel about it.
 

I don’t eat McDonald’s a lot, so correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe the “chicken mcmuffin with egg” is on the U.S. menu, is it?

It’s like a chicken patty with mayo and egg. I don’t remember ever seeing this in McDs in the U.S.

It’s like a chicken patty with mayo and egg. I don’t remember ever seeing this in McDs in the U.S.

 

I will say, I personally think the McDonalds here in Taiwan is WAY better than the OG McD in the U.S. Their crispy fried chicken burger that came out when I was in college was one of THE BEST fried chicken burgers ever. And I believe I told yall about the corn soup. Mmm…

———

Lunch was spicy stir-fried beef and fried rice. I don’t know if you can tell, but this is the lunch box that’s the size of my head. And like an idiot, I finished the Whole. Damn. Thing. My body was saying “WTF”, but my mouth was saying “Yeeeaaaaah.”

Soup and pot sticker combo is a MUST. And their corn soup is *chef’s kiss.
 

Today’s people watching is brought to you by “I’m only running in to grab one thing. It’ll be fine.”

Taipei traffic and parking pro tip - Don’t.

As with any big city, parking is pretty shitty in Taipei city. Remember when I told you how we would literally shimmy scooters just to gain enough space to squeeze into the parking boxes? Yeah, because Taipei cops DGAF. They’re literally circling around the city all day e’ry day with tow trucks ready to snatch up anyone parked in the wrong spot. And this dude thought they could test the gods.

Also, that scooter is REALLY living on the edge right there. But luckily, this is not a scooter tow truck, so they might live to see another day. Or perhaps, hour.

Also, that scooter is REALLY living on the edge right there. But luckily, this is not a scooter tow truck, so they might live to see another day. Or perhaps, hour.

 

I grew up in a pretty tight-knit family. There aren’t many of us; I have three cousins and a younger sister (all ladies). As kids, we all played together like we were siblings, and every Sunday, we’d gather at my grandparents for lunch with the whole family. It is a very sorely missed tradition.

I am the second to the youngest of us, and my first two cousins are 8 and 10 years older than me. I was quite the little shithead growing up, so understandably the older cousins and I weren’t always very close. But as we grew older, and especially now that we’re all living oceans apart and rarely see each other (California, Oregon, Texas, Shanghai, and Taipei), I think it has actually brought us closer and made us appreciate each other and the time we get to spend together whenever we’re home.

Zoey, my oldest cousin, lives in Taipei and she’s THE go-to person for all the best foods and need-to-knows in the city (and beyond.) She’s basically the keeper of all the secret hidden gems my family has accumulated over the years. And of course, on her day off, she texts me to tell me she’s dropping off some “snacks” for my sister and I (angel from heaven!) The reason why I say “snacks” is because she dropped off A WHOLE MEAL of pot stickers and fried calamari. That’s HOW WE DO in the Huang family! My fam is pretty dope, yall.

However, remember that “Night Market Day” menu the hotel sent us on Day05? Well, that was today and when dinner time came, this was the result -

Pot stickers, fried calamari, meatball soup, and “tanbula” - it’s hard to explain what tanbula is, so you’re just going to have to trust me that it’s GOOOOOD.

Pot stickers, fried calamari, meatball soup, and “tanbula” - it’s hard to explain what tanbula is, so you’re just going to have to trust me that it’s GOOOOOD.

 

I was so excited I didn’t even get close-up photos because they were already on its way into my mouth. And you better bet that I finished all of it. If you know me, you know me.

———

I’ll end Day 08 with another cool little Taiwan tidbit: In Taiwan, when you hear Beethoven’s Fur Elise blasting from a truck coming up the street, it’s not ice cream — it’s trash day! And no, you can’t just leave your trash in a dumpster to be picked up. You gotta walk that shit up to the garbage truck yourself. And make sure to separate your recyclables and compost because that’s in another truck behind the garbage one. Honestly, I’ve kind of missed it.