Hsinchu, Taiwan

I am in Taiwan right now, but before I get into the maddness of Hsinschu, let's talk a little about Japan...

After a day hoofing it around Tokyo, I spent a more quiet and meditative day biking around Enoshima and Chigasaki down south in the Kanagawa prefecture. I was couchsurfing and my host was this really cool woman who split her time between being a childrens entertainer and a surfer. I crashed on her futon and hung out a bit... It is refreshing to meet someone who made decisions to live the life he or she wanted to live. I hope I meet more people like her on my journey.

So when I arrived into Taipei there was a driver waiting with my name on a sign. You know you made it when you have some dude you don't know waiting with a sign. I'm big time now. I settled into my dorm/guest room and explored Hsinchu.

Hsinchu is a town of a little over 400,000 people. Not big, but a signifigant bit or urban amounst the rural. Few thoughts: The main mode of transportation are scooters. Everywhere are scooters... parked on sidewalks, buzzing between cars, and sometimes packed with families of 4. The convience stores is a way of life around here. Dinner, whiskey, coffee, phonecards... sometimes they are the only place to get essentials. I have already had a few meals from 7-11. They like eating here. I crashed a wedding my second day here and man, the food spread was impressive. I have been stuffing myself stupid with chinese food. It has been difficult keeping my membership up in the clean plate club down here.

Betelnut shops... Scantly clad women, neon lights and saliva inducing stimulants... Along the roads leading into town are these little brightly lit store fronts with hot girls waiting in the windows to sell betelnuts wrapped in leaves. I know about red stains and how addictive that stuff is from Bangladesh, but tying blatant sex to cheap mild herbal trucker-uppers... advertising genuius.