Readings for the soul

Apparently furthering her studies of English, my mom lent me her textbook, an anthology of short stories. I found it quite useful in blocking out my sister's deafening chatter, but I also found it simply enjoyable to read. On Wednesday I decided to read Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" and (if I recall correctly) on Thursday Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find." Now I just pick it up and read a random story when I'm feeling anti-social. The stories seem to have a calming effect on me when my sister and parents are having their annoying trifling spats.

To Grandmother's house we go: Trip to Hsinchu

My family, save Dad who had work, made a trip to Hsinchu (新竹 Xinzhu/Sintek) on Thursday to visit my grandmother. The four of us--Mom, my brother, my sister, and I--trekked over to the Wanhua Train Station (萬華車站) and rode a morning commuter train (電聯車/Dianlianche), which took us to Hsinchu in an hour and a half through a handful of quiet towns and villages.

My maternal grandmother's house is a three-story (concrete?) building constructed sometime early last century, the first of its kind in the area. Its front faces 北門街 (Beimenjie/Pakmngke, "North Gate Street"), formerly a main thoroughfare that led to the north gate of the city of Hsinchu. A few minute's walk from the train station, the house is now sandwiched between various shops that have seen better times.

At the house we were greeted by my uncle (A-ku) and grandmother (A-ma). A-ku is by now probably retired and taking care of A-ma, who has begun to lose her hearing but is otherwise healthy for an octogenarian. We chatted a bit and browsed a catalogue for a supermarket on the level of a BJ's/CostCo/Sam's Club superstore, and afterwards decided to go out for lunch. We walked to Chenghuang Temple (城隍廟/Siaⁿhong Biou (I think)), a traditional Taiwanese temple adjacent to a covered market full of eateries, and entered one of the small restaurants.

Hsinchu has several famous delicacies. One of them is 貢丸 (kong'oan), pork meatballs that are chewier than your average Western meatball and go well either dry or in soups. Another is 米粉 (bihun), or rice vermicelli. At the restaurant I ordered an awesome bowl of 餛飩(便食)米粉 (Piansit Bihun), or wonton soup with rice vermicelli. A-ku also ordered some appetizers of fried oysters and pork to share. We brought home some of Hsinchu's famous 肉丸 (bah'oan), another kind of meat ball with a thick rice-based shell.

The afternoon and evening were less exciting; we talked some more, and a few other aunts came to visit. A-ma made us dinner, and we had to leave soon after. By then it was cold outside and drizzling somewhat; Hsinchu is also not famous for having howling winds that force traditional homes to be built short, with roofs that are considerably less steep. We walked to the train station and waited in the cold for our train to arrive. As it were we waited for a good while, since an express train had been cancelled, and as a result we had to wait for its passengers to arrive and ride our commuter train instead.

A cautionary note to those who maintain kiosks and other public computer displays: if you use Windows and maintain computers carelessly, you risk having a blue screen of death appear on a ten-foot monitor, just like the one in Hsinchu's train station.