LAST DAY: RETURN HOME TO THE GOOD OLD U.S.A.

Well, to use a well-worn cliché, all good things come to an end. We leave today to return home.

Our flight leaves at 8:00 AM, so we are going to the airport around 5:30. It's a short 30 min. ride from the hotel. Everyone here says that going through customs is very wuick and efficient.

I will not post anything until I get home, tonight (Monday) around 8:00.

A comment about Taiwanese people. I am totally impressed by their  courtesy, efficiency, and helpfulness. 

On their willingness to help: Of course some of them may help because they want to take the chance of speaking and practicing their English, even with me! But I was assisted many times by all types of people. Like the old man,waaay older than me, who told me to sit in the "old folks & invalids" seat at the metro. Or the ticket-seller at the metro who voluntarily came out of the booth to show me how to use the token to go through the turnstile and then told me clearly which train to take to go to my destination. Nice people all around!

On their efficiency: it's hard to describe how good are many of them working at store counters. And knowledgeable about the products they are selling. Like the two people who sold us the suitcases at two different location. I purchased mine at a shop in the train station. Maya got hers at a department store. One girl at the train station who knew well the features of the bags, or the guy at the Mitsukoshi department store who also knew his product very well.

All in all it has been amost enjoyable trip.

The front desk at the hotel, 5:00 am on Monday is pretty empty.