Our Adoption, The Great Emma Adventure, Chapter Two

T-Minus Two Days and counting....

The airplane ride was uneventful, that is if riding in Business Class for the first time can be considered "uneventful". With about eight movies to choose from, drinks whenever you beckoned, and real menus (as opposed to a 3x5 card with a) rubber chicken, b rubber fish, or c) rubber steak as the entree choises), it was a comfortable flight for the most part. I never really got used to the seat even if it did recline practically in the next person's lap, but that's just me. But they did their best to make us feel good, including little toiletry kits and the standard issue blindfolds. As above with the menus, the food was excellent, with real linen and silverware, even salt and pepper shakers!

We landed in Taipei at 6:00am their time and who-knows-what our time. Being in the Business Class also has the perk of getting on the plane firsat, and getting off the plane first, as well. We did just so, and were in a fairly short line for the Immigration before too long. However, Wrinkle Number Two was still in effect, it seems, and the Immigration officer dicrected us (in his very broken English) to a window down the entrace gate lobby. When we got to the window, there was no one there, but a sign in Chinese and English directed us to dial a number at the phone strategically plced on the counter. A short conversation in more broken English later, and a lady came into the booth of the window. After a bit of trying to speak with each other, she finally understood what the Immigration officer here (and the ticket counter agent in San Francisco) knew, my passport was only valid for six more months. She took my picture, my signature, and my $141.00 and finally we were on our way to get our bags, safely in the land of Taiwan. We noticed two things in Baggage Clain: 1) our bags were the only ones left, and 2) they wouldn't be left for long as they ey were at that very minute being removed by people who remove unclaimed luggage. Boy, do they work fast! We showed our ticket checks for the bags and moved toward the main lobby.

I then noticed that we were not in the same terminal as we were on Paden's trip; we had gotten the older terminal. My guess is that only the national airline of Taiwan (EVA) gets to park at the shiny new terminal. Before we could even think about a taxi, we were immediately being propositioned by a would-be limosine driver, petitioning us to use his services. Actually, the price was reasonable, and if he wasn't going to drop us off in the middle of nowhere, the deal sounded good. Soon, we were of on our way to the hotel.

A magical thing happened on the drive. All the memories of The Great Paden Adventure began to flood in. The terrain was all-too-familiar, the sigts as comfortable as your old high school at your class reunion. It was suddenly extremely exciting to be here once again, the raw emotion of the previous voyage was present and sharpening the senses in every direction. For a moment or two, it was hard not to imagine that we were there for Paden, not Emma, especially since Paden was not with us. I began to miss him all the more, and know that I was missing him, too.

The Grand Hyatt in Taipei had changed not at all; in fact, it could have been the same doorman for all I could discern. The only one obvious difference was the enormous Christmas Tree in the middle of the lobby, at least thirty feet tall. However, I must point out here something that I came to know in the next four days: the apparent Taiwan idea of a Christmas Tree is not excatly the same American idea. To them, it's more of a green cone with every surface covered in an ornament or bauble. In fact, I believe I can only remember that I saw one real tree decorated as we would decorate one, and it was a bit sparse at that. But they definitely get an "E" for "Effort".

Checked in, the room was also incredibly familiar, we napped for a very short time and then did what we did last time; took in some sights. However, this time we had a real place to go. Erin at HeartSent had recommended a place known to her at the "Craft Faire". She said it was only blocks away from A.I.T., and would be a nice place to spend some time. With the help of the Concierge, we jumped into a taxi and were off to the Craft Faire. The Faire is actually located under the freeway, but did not at all seem odd in being so. We strolled through the aisles of little tables, and realized that this was basically the Taiwan version of the Good Old Flea Market. Each table was just someone hawking their wares, be they pots, herbs, polished stones or what. And I'm sure if my Chinese had been better, what I could have at one table could be had at another for a lower price.

After the market, we decided to walk back to the hotel to take in some sights along the way. All the environment around me was like watching a movie you liked about three years ago. There were the thousands of scooters dominating the streets, the unforgiving mis-matched sidewalks, and the smells of herbs and spices not generally used in American kitchens for the most part.. One thing odd, most of the clothing stores were pushing their Winter stock: fur-lined coats, down jackets, gloves, scarves, and mittens. Though this may seem normal for the month of December in the Northern Hemisphere, you have to take into account that the current temperature in Taipei was about 75 degrees! Yet we saw many people with buttoned jackets, even mittens on, thus generating the odd merchandise. I suddenly remembered being queried by a native last time we were there in February if I was cold with only a Hawaiian shirt on and no coat.

We were pretty exhausted and sleepy from the plane ride and time change, so we decided on an early dinner in the Hotel and an early bed call. Tomorrow was Tainan, and a little baby girl waiting for us....