I met a woman whose head was totally flat at the back, as if she had been set down too hard as a baby, neck unsupported. She invited me to a host bar with some of her friends, but not to worry, as it was all casual and this is just where she and her friends hang out. Her hair was that of a mermaid, which is how we got to talking, because I too want lilac hair. Since then I have had two dreams about hair bleaching, one in which I discovered that my stylist was lying to me and I really can bleach it again before March. I do not think my stylist is lying to me - the opposite, he’s concerned for my scalp health. It’s upsetting being so consumed by hair.
Yesterday I went to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, established in the 1980s - an impossible building given the origins as a group of friends who just wanted to share art happenings. I’m jealous of this group. There are three primary exhibit halls. The first features a solo exhibition by a contemporary Taiwanese artist who was given hours upon hours of tapes from his father, home movies, many of them explicit where he discovered his father was gay as is he himself. This was how the show was featured, but not the main point. The artist’s primary takeaway from the home movies was that his father had done and seen so much and the longing of only being able to see the snapshots - a description of the show without sensationalism. The second exhibit features Taiwan in the 80s, an exploration of political upheaval and the rise of artistic expression. The show implies a rise of performance art as a response to political unrest. I’d like to explore this further, though I’m sure it’s a tired subject. The third, the finalists for the Taipei Art Awards 2022. I think I’m becoming less interested in contemporary art.
I have tried nearly every beer from Ugly Brewing, a craft brewery in Taipei with a good aesthetic. The first was a sour with floral notes instead of the melted jolly rancher sours I’m familiar with.. The second a Saison, possibly the best I’ve had, but I was tipsy when I tried it. The third a cloudy lager which I’m pretty sure was a hazy IPA, enjoyed. The fourth is called the Cashmere Pils, with a taste as smooth as the name implies, though flavorwise not as memorable as the rest of the pack. The fifth, a Guava Gose served with a fruit salt around the rim, similar to that commonly consumed while eating guavas fresh. A bit more candy-esque than the sour, but not overwhelmingly so.My friend said I should be hired as a person at parties, dispelling compliments and sharing small anecdotes. If anyone is hiring for this role, please let me know. I’m also quite skilled at encouraging excess in general. Lead by example, they say.
Oreo, otherwise known as cow, cats are the most common type of cat in Taipei. I know this because I’ve met three cats and they are all cows. The first lives in the cafe at the ground floor of my hostel. The second lives in a public park where the neighborhood residents built him a small house. And the third is in line in front of me, waiting to get on the metro and then off to who knows where. I am going with all the rest of the foreigners in the cit to gather at the Hyatt Grand followed by the Taipei 101 to see the only lion dance showing on new years followed by the only food open at the food hall at Taipei 101. The night markets will be open this evening as well which are Michelin rated. I’ve been trying to go to one each night. As I describe the endeavor to my friend on night five, she warns, “Don’t be Icarus,” as all the salt in the soy braised items are beginning to get to me. Despite her sound advice, I persevere.
Walking up Elephant Mountain, I hear a soft and steady, “ee, erh, ee, erh, ee, erh …” behind me, slightly panting, but catching up. The mountain is steep, but there is an ad hoc staircase and many people of all shapes and ages do it every morning. Out of practice, I stop intermittently on the worn, mossy steps. Looking back to see the source on an otherwise silent mountainside, there is a slightly round eight year old boy with a hiking stick and his mother, barely a step behind him with her right hand hovering behind his back, palm open wide in case he might fall. She is counting “one, two, one, two, one, two…” to keep him moving along, unintentionally pacing those around them as they go. He does not want to do the climb, but with a smiling face and steady hand, she encourages him to keep taking steps one at a time and together they move forward. This is my first day in Taipei.