Hey Doc

There has been flight delays in and out of CKS International Airport the pass week due to the fog and bad weather. My sister who works for UA ticketing agency in Taipei had warmed me last night about possible weather related flight delay. It was still raining this morning when I woke up. I just had a bad feeling about the flight today. Sure enough, my flight UA852 from TPE to NRT (Tokyo) was delayed for four and a half hours due to the mechanical problem and scheduling not because of the weather. I guess the effect was the same, I have to wait a little longer at the airport. The agent at the counter assured me that I will have no problem making my connecting flight from NRT to SFO.
The flight home was pretty smooth most of the way. We did hit a few bumps between NRT to SFO leg. As we close to landing, I saw the hills around the bay were all nice and green, not quite the same as when I left, dry and brown. I heard we got a lot of rain this Winter.
Although I was born and raised in Taipei but I have spent bigger part of my life here in the Bay Area so I guess I can say that this is my primary residency. Its good to be home.

The traffic is back, the commuting crowd is back, the stores are open again, the normal life is back. One week went pass quietly. It has been awhile since I spent the New Years here in Taipei. It was not the same as I remembered when I was little. The streets did not filled with kids playing in their new cloth, definitely a lot less fire crackers been lit. I even heard that no fire crackers will be allowed in the city next year, what a bummer ! You have to use a recorded tape for the sound effect if you have to have it. Time sure had changed. I remember we used to shoot sky-rockets back and forth to the neighboring kids. Light a fire cracker so big that can blow your fingers right off if you hold it too long in your hand. We all kind of lived through that without loosing any limbs.
I spent the new years eve with my parents at their apartment. The staff at the place put on a little show and served the residences and their guests a very nice ten course meal.
I am leaving for US in less then a week. I will spend one month there to file my taxes and visit all my friends whom I missed so much.

That is Cantonese for "Wish you happiness and prosperity", a common greeting on New Years day. Traditionally the celebration of Chinese New Year starts with the preparation before and lasts until the 15th, which is the Lantern festival Day. Because of the modern social environment and physical limitations, the celebration usually is shorten to five days here in Taiwan and even shorter in US.
New Years Eve dinner is when all family members, living near or far, get together for celebration. Chicken and fish dish are always served because they are homophone with 'luck' and 'plenty'. After the dinner, the younger members will pay respect to their parents and the elders. 'Hong bao', a red envelope containing good luck money is given.

It started out as if we would have a nice sunny Sunday, I, of course won't miss this opportunity for a stroll to look for photo ops. But it soon turned gray and getting dark. I came across this sculptures built from spare auto parts that resemblance some kind of monster's legs. There was just enough light to get the shots off. When I processed in Photoshop, they turned out pretty good. I have uploaded few more photos here.
Because I had a light lunch, the long walk got me a little hungry by now. I stopped at a rather westerner looking bakery cafe, Au Bou Pain. Guess what I found ? A scone ! Nothing fancy, scone with few raisins but it was enough to satisfy my taste buds. While we are on the food subject, where can I find a good bagel here? It is strange that we have Starbucks everywhere but no Noah's bagel. I will give my first born for a bagel, cream cheese and lox sandwich right now. If someone knows a place here in Taipei that serves what I have just described, let me know, pleeeeease.