Taiwan Trip

So I went to Taiwan this past weekend... and though it was extremely short (Saturday afternoon until early Monday morning), I still had a great time and enjoyed the experience in a brand new country that I never thought I'd wind up at.

I'm so grateful for becoming friends with my Japanese "brother" Tompooh... he has opened up so much opportunities I never expected... like meeting new people, becoming part of his family, and going to different places like Thailand and Taiwan... as well as local places I never knew about. He's also helped improve my Japanese... at least in the communication sense and has given me much needed confidence with talking in Japanese.

But, yeah... returning to the trip... it was a good trip.

Only really saw Taipei... and a nearby town... but, still was able to enjoy my time with my "brother" and his... or I should say... our cuzzos... heh heh.

The highlight of the trip was getting a 2 hour massage... man that was just what my body needed after a night of clubbing and little sleep... yet having spent all day on the move with sight seeing. The four of us were in the same room as the ladies massaged us... and we all just took the best nap ever.

I was a bit "concerned" with what kind of a place it was when we first came in... I mean... it didn't look shady in the dirty sense... just, uh... like the kind of place where you might get a "full-body" massage if you know what I mean.

I mean... we entered our room and then four ladies come in and start taking off our clothes. I was like... "uh... what's going on... I don't really need help taking off my clothes." They then led us to the bathroom by the hand or arm... and I was really like... huh?

But, yeah... I guess the place just believes in pampering their clients and making sure their clients don't have to do anything at all... ::shrugs::... this is only my second massage... and both of the massages I've gotten have been in other countries (Thailand and now Taiwan), so I don't really know the massage etiquette and such. Anyway... everything else seemed normal enough... sans my lady pulling down my underwear more than I was expecting and massaging my butt. Yup, that's right... I got my butt massaged with oil... heh heh... it was pretty nice too.

I also went clubbing in Taiwan and they played good music and the drinks were all-you-can-drink for free. That was the best part since the cover was about $20 only. You just had to keep your cup so that they could keep refilling your drink... so, if you lost your cup... too bad for you.

Those were the main highlights of the trip... seeing that I was only their for a day and a half really. We had to check out of our hotel at 5:50 am on Monday... so that day doesn't really count as a day of us doing anything.

So, now I'd like to finish this entry with a small section listing compliments given to me while in Taiwan... that, well... I didn't really know how to respond to or was kind of freaked out by it:

Awkward Compliments

1) While getting massaged, I opened my eyes for a second to see the lady massaging my friend next to me looking at me. You know... that feeling you get when you feel someone staring. It seems like the lady massaging me and her were talking about me... since she kind of was taken aback by me opening my eyes... but, she then proceeded to point at her eyelashes and saying something in Taiwanese... then she said "beautiful"... and the lady massaging me was like... "Yes... very beautiful." I awkwardly said "thank you"... but just closed my eyes again. Eyelashes aren't really a thing on the top of a guy's list to be complimented on... and, I never know how to respond to people complimenting them (this has happened a lot since being in Japan and going to Asian countries... since, well... they tend to lack thick and long eyelashes).

2) Once again while getting massaged... remember the whole butt massage deal. Well, when the lady pulled down my underwear (not all the way down... just about halfway maybe... or, that's what it felt like)... she then proceeded to say something in Taiwanese and uh... kind of play with my butt. Not sure what she said... but, from the sounds of her onomatopoeia, she seemed intrigued and fascinated by my Hispanic butt... in the sense that... well... there's substance back there. She kept like petting it and like bouncing her hand on my butt... and I just chuckled nervously to myself and tried to just keep my eyes close. After that... everytime she had to get something and passed my butt... she would rub it and bounce her hand again and like say something to her co-workers in Taiwanese.

3) This last one happened in the club... and is the worst of the three. And, though it freaked me out... it kind of counts as a compliment... or so I believe. So, yeah... while dancing at the club and doing my own thing... I suddenly felt someone staring at me. I just kept dancing though, and then saw the person make their way to me and suddenly say, "Let's dance." This is the first time anyone has ever approached me at a club and ask me to dance with them... and of course... with my luck... it was a dude...

I immediately shook my head and hand at him and was like... "No!" And this dude then just circled me and was like... "Why? Why?!? Let's dance!"

Yeah, it's a miracle I didn't respond aggressively... but, it could also be that I hadn't drank that much at that point... seeing that alcohol only magnifies whatever emotion I'm feeling. Luckily his friend... picking up on the fact that yeah... I'm not gay... pulled him away as he just kept looking at me and trying to get me to dance with him. He then fell, since he was very drunk, and my friend picked him up... unaware of what had just happened. I told him and our other friend what happened... and he was like... "Eeeeeeh?!? Kimoi!" (which is short for "kimochi warui"... "bad feeling"... and means "gross", "disgusting", "nasty"... or whatever adjective fits in this situation).

So, yeah... there you have it... 3 compliments that I got while in Taiwan that just made me feel awkward... or violated.

Now, I leave you with some pictures from the trip: