It's only about two weeks into the new year, and I gotta say, I've been loving every minute of it so far! I have to admit I'm so excited for this year and I have such a great feeling that good things, big things, are going to happen to me this year! :)
New Year's Eve was absolutely insane! I got to see the famous New Year's fireworks off of Taipei 101 from a friend's penthouse rooftop (yeah, crazy I know!!) and it was beautiful! I have to admit, it was just a liiiiittle anti-climactic, as in, I was kind of expecting more, but it was still super pretty nonetheless. The cherry on top was the confusing "Taiwan Up" slogan that lit up on all four sides of the skyscraper.. it's still there every night to this day, 12 days later.. and I have to say I'm still just as confused now as I was then.
Other than the fireworks, it was still a New Year's to remember. Now, granted, every New Year's eve is memorable (usually because I never forget just how sick I feel the next morning, the first day of the new year), but this one was particularly so, since it was my first New Year's in another country!! The city closed off a BUNCH of the main streets surrounding 101 (aka the heart of the city) at 10 PM, so no cars could get in or out of that area. And, in a classic move, Daniela and I were running late from the salon, so... we called a cab from the salon, the cab dropped me off at my place, took Dani to her place, waited for her to change and grab her makeup, picked me up again from my place and took us as close to 101 as he could get. We were in the cab for literally 2 hours and 15 minutes, and our cab fare came to about $20USD (hahahaha). Then Dani and I had to walk the rest of the way to our friend's house, and boy we were a sight to see! The only two people, probably in all of Taipei, walking around outside in the freezing cold with bare legs and high heels, each carrying a clutch and a bottle of wine for our host. They must have thought we were crazy!!!
We literally had to break into a run by the end because I thought we were going to miss the fireworks, so we arrived--a little sweaty and out of breath--at exactly 11:40 PM. Just in time to catch my breath, put on some slippers (so Asian.... haha), go out onto the rooftop, pour out some champagne, and get my camera ready for some action!
Oh, might I add: another disappointing thing about the 101 fireworks? NO COUNTDOWN. I mean, WHAT THE HELL??? One second I'm saying "hey guys how much time do we have left?" and the next second it looks like 101 is exploding with light in like every direction, which only then signals me that "well, happy new year i guess!"
After the fireworks and the crowd (somewhat) dissipated below, we put our coats and high heels back on and went out onto the streets! Man, it was crazy! There were people literally everywhere! Sitting, standing, walking, eating, drinking... and there were me and my girlfriends: bare-legged, in strappy high heels and big coats, screaming and laughing at the top of our lungs, walking to the club. Definitely a first, and hopefully the last..
Going to the club was just like any other night, except about 10 times more crowded, so it quickly became very uninteresting and my friends and I decided to leave and head for home, but not before stopping by a small pizzeria! The owner is a friend of my friends, so they went in to socialize, and, in a very classy move, I fell asleep on a stool, at the bar, with my head buried in my coat (hey, I was really tired!). As we were finally about to leave, I insisted that I would not go home without a pizza, so I ordered a chicken/feta/pesto pizza (yeah it was soooooo good) that was about four times the size of my head.
My friends dropped me off, and I walked home, high heels dragging on the pavement, big pizza box in hand, and completely satisfied with the start of the new year :)
good pizza in taiwan?! that doesn't have peas or seafood?!
ReplyDeleteyou do know people in high places. haha