To Market, to Market

We DID rally for a night ON THE TOWN, which is American-speak for hitting the night market! But first, we ate STEAK. Steak, Taiwan-style, comes sizzling with spaghetti and a raw egg. Veggies were not an option. :( But the steak was good and the kids PIGGED out on the free beverages, relieving us of the need to get dessert (much to their dismay).

Everybody say "niu rou!" (beef!)

AFTER dinner, we hit the market where the kids really wanted to junk out on playing games. I assumed they cost money to play, but when the little grabby ones just started in and no one said anything, I began to wonder if the games weren't just a market ploy to get parents to waste a lot of time and money at the market. Turns out my first impression was right. After we got sick of standing around waiting for the kids, we pulled them away to keep moving. Then, as they passed another game, Weese sent a few balls down the shoot before we, again, convinced her to move along. Maybe 5 minutes later, a very angry lady tracked me down to tell me my daughter had played her game and she wanted her $1.60. She spoke in a heavy Taiwanese accent and we were so far past the context (physically and in time), I almost didn't get what she was talking about. Once I did, I contemplated playing the dumb foreigner. But she so clearly felt she had been robbed, I just apologized and payed, AFTER I pointed out to the kids her anger and told them to KEEP THEIR HANDS OFF THE GAMES.

Us at the "free" game. Maybe we angered a bunch of people and only one lady was brave enough to call us on it. Anyway, prices were NOT clearly marked.

We found a TON of stuff that would have been fun to buy for ourselves and friends, but considering we're on the first leg of a very long island tour, I convinced the kids to wait until we were at home base to add to our loads.

At the end of the market, we found the park with a huge speed skating rink where the next Apollo Anton Ono was training. Maybe. It was fun to watch the kids, big and little, zoom by.

Another highlight of the evening was using our first squatty potties! Everyone loved it! Even Rachel said it was a lot less gross than touching a western-style toilet, and the "position" felt more natural. :) Here is Veeve "Vannah-ing" the facilities.

Stew had been in a full-on, exhausted melt-down, the subject of which seemed to be he wanted to become a serious market gamer. So we called it a night and headed home. But a great time was had by all.

And, despite Stew's 6 hour nap before we went to the market, and perhaps thanks to some melatonin he happily chomped, we had a great night.

Tomorrow, on to Lukang with our FIRST exchange student, Sammi, and her husband Alan and daughter Sophia!