Taipai - Saturday Morning

It is unusual for me but every once and awhile I wake up with, or come down with, a cold. That's what I feel I have right now and since yesterday. It started off with a slight cough and turned into a kind of headache. I broke a fever in the middle of the night and have been gradually feeling better ever since - although it is only ten in the morning and the activities of the day haven't started yet.

Yesterday we left Hong Kong early and traveled uneventfully to Taipei. The flight was only an hour and a half and served breakfast - a ham and cheese sandwich - surprisingly good (compared with excessive congee). We made our way to the hotel and got settled before going out for what might have been the best Chinese organic vegetarian lunch ever. There were several dishes that were just outstanding. The little shop off of a side street or ally only had about eight tables with four seats for each - not a restaurant one would naturally choose. Bourdain is unlikely to have ever been there.

After lunch we had time to visit a Dharma Mart, Buddha Bazaar, Dharma Mall catering to all of one's Buddhist needs - notions, potions, images, mock offerings and torma, Dharma texts, sadhanas (with Chinese translation), household goods, furniture, soap, oil and of course prayer wheels - solar, electric, battery, wind and hand powered. It was an adventure.

The main event for the day was meeting with a Chinese dealer with a large collection of sculpture and paintings. It was an amazing time. There were many works that I had never seen before and some were very good, very interesting and captivated the mind for long periods. We were there most of the rest of the day and well into the night. We were able to grab some dinner at the hotel lounge before retiring for evening, and me into a feverish state.

The two images above are of the beautifully manicured Buddhist Nunnery in Hong Kong (quietest place in the city). The second image is attempting to show some of the dozens of miniature trees on the park grounds. The remaining leaves (remember it is winter here) do not appear clearly in the photo. The trees could easily have been props in either the movie Lord of the Rings or Avatar.