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.”