Bring on the Rain

It’s 3:30 am and the edge of a typhoon (hurricane) has snagged the island. You know that distinct sound of someone flushing a toilet or running a faucet a level above you--the sound of gallons of water rushing through the walls? That is what I just woke up to, and I was afraid that perhaps the apartment above ours was having some serious plumbing issues. I got out of bed expecting to be ankle deep in toilet water judging by how much water sounded to be filtering through the walls.

It wasn’t poor plumbing; it was gallons of water being sloshed against our windows. This rain doesn’t have the distinct pitter-patter or even drum roll of fast falling rain. It’s unlike anything I have ever heard, and it’s kind of exciting.  Usually the best storms are accompanied by discomforting thunder claps that although set me at unease, send electricity not just through the sky, but through my body. Give me some boom! Rattle me so I jump back into the safety of my bed and pull my comforter up over my chin. I want a scary thunder-cracking typhoon. Well…. Maybe I should watch what I wish for.

8:30 a.m. – I finally shook Chris awake and he assured me that we are not experiencing the direct effects of a typhoon. The wing of the hurricane is brushing across a different area of Taiwan, so we are experiencing the outskirts of it. There is a lot of horizontal “falling” rain that doesn’t appear to be falling at all, and bouts of heavy wind. The raindrops are so large it looks like hail. I’ve been watching the busy ambulance making frequent trips to the hospital all morning. People are still up and working because a national alert has not directed them to stay indoors and the prospect of potential business is too luring. I was hoping to do something fun with my Saturday now that I have Chris to myself, but it looks like we’ll be doing what I do every other day—reading, blogging, and possibly swimming. Maybe I’ll brave the hot springs again. Today would be a good day to soak.

A quick review of what we did yesterday:

Heather and I met the boys once they finished school. It so happened that a few of their past missionary companions are on the island as well, so we met up with them for a few different activities.

Mango flavored shaved ice with freshly sliced mangos and topped with mango gelatto. I think I got my fill of mango for the day.

My first look at the 101. It was HUGE. Sadly, the sign out front still advertised it as the tallest building in the world. Not true as of this year. We walked through the mall at the base. It is 5 stories of every outrageously expensive store known to mankind, so we left.

We ventured into the Eslite Bookstore. It too is located within a huge building mall that houses outrageously cool high end Asian fashion stores. The bookstore is 5 stories and puts Barns & Noble to shame. They had an entire half a floor devoted to interior design, architecture, photography, and art. It was glorious. You name it, they have it. Even the Harry Potter section was outrageous. They had H.P in different languages, H.P. with different book covers, the original British version of H.P., notes from fans to H.P, on and on. 

This is a small section of just the second floor.

In the cookbook section they had chefs that did a live cooking show.