Gap Between Ideal and Reality / Taipei

This trip to Taiwan was largely driven by spur-of-the-moment decisions.

By the time I had finished my ride on Breezy Blue train and returned to Taipei, it was already past 9:00 p.m. Since I was flying back to Tokyo the following evening, I could stay in Taipei only for about half a day.

I had gone to Taiwan as a planner and tour guide for a family trip, but I was not sure if my guide duties were limited to Taichung. I believe in “Knowledge of Ignorance,” there are certain things better not to know. I deliberately let the time pass without knowing any plans for my final day in Taipei. Even though the departure had approached, it seemed I had no particular plans as a guide. Seeing this as an opportunity, I decided to fill my schedule in Taipei with whatever came to mind.

During my first trip to Taiwan, I took an express bus from Taipei to Yilan for a Kavalan Distillery visit. I would not be able to visit the distillery this time, but there was a bar in Taipei owned by the Distillery. I had heard that they had special whiskey aged in casks from famous French châteaux. Also, there is a flower market in Taipei that I have wanted to visit for a long time. Furthermore, I hoped to revisit the letterpress print shop and tea wholesaler I had visited at the first Taiwan trip.

While researching Alishan Forest Railway on a later day, I eventually found that National Railway Museum had opened in Taipei. It seemed to be partially open, but since it was originally Taipei Workshop of Taiwan Railway, I thought I would be able to take some nice photos there. I wished to visit the museum as well.

I had a lot of hopes, but without giving much thought to create a plan, I found myself arriving in Taipei. I took a first-class seat on Taiwan High-Speed Rail, intending to do some research during the ride, but I fell asleep. It was a completely useless expense.

Since the bar is only open at night, I headed straight there for whiskey. I tried three types of whisky aged in ex-Bordeaux casks and one type in an ex-Port Wine cask. Since they were cask strength, I ended up consuming quite a bit of alcohol.

While having whiskey, I thought about my plan for the next day.

Apparently, the flower market opens early in the morning. I would go back to the hotel for a quick sleep, head to the flower market, return to the hotel, and sleep again. Then, if I go to the railway museum at 9:30 a.m. as its opening time, I still have time to visit the letterpress print shop and the tea wholesaler before catching my evening flight. It was an ideal plan, indeed much better than a Japanese proverb “killing two birds with one stone.”

I was fairly drunk when I left the bar. I thought I was able to catch the last bus, but Google Maps was wrong. It happened to be a bus stop that had a real-time arrival information display, showing service for the day had ended. I was not bothered to use Uber to call a taxi and walked to the hotel. By the time I got back, it was past 1:00 a.m.

Going to the bar at 10:00 p.m. was not a bad idea. However, considering how much I was likely to drink, my plan for the next day was unrealistic. There is a Japanese proverb “easier said than done,” I had no choice but to face reality.

Stay up and go to the flower market or manage to wake up before 9:00 a.m. to visit the railway museum. If I did not choose one or the other, there was a high chance that I would be ended up “chasing two rabbits and catching neither” as said by a Japanese proverb.

I did not have the energy to stay awake till 3:00 a.m. and I realized that I even did not know where the flower market was. I was already drunk, so the best I could hope for was to wake up around 8:30 a.m. and head out to the railway museum.

I cannot travel only on ideals.