Taipei

Had to make a quick trip to Taipei this weekend to take care of some personal matters. Even though I planned it earlier in the week, HSR tickets were still tough to get—so I ended up taking an early morning train. That part wasn’t ideal, especially after a Friday night dinner and a couple of late drinks.

Weekends are usually when I catch up on emails and respond to students’ questions. I figured I’d use the short ride to Taipei to get a head start, so I pulled out my iPad and got to work. As we were about to arrive, an elderly gentleman came over and asked what I was working on. I explained, in somewhat broken Mandarin, that I’m a part-time professor from the U.S. He smiled and said, “You look professional and smart.” Not sure what gave it away—maybe the rapid typing, which my colleagues have commented on lately.

It was pouring when I got to Taipei, so first stop was buying an umbrella. After handling a few errands, I indulged my inner geek and visited the biggest computer and tech mall in the city. I always enjoy browsing the latest gadgets, and I stumbled across a shop selling test equipment. It brought back memories of my early career when I spent countless hours measuring and debugging systems—everything from software to silicon.

Of course, no trip is complete without some good food. I randomly picked a pork chop place and grabbed an egg tart—both turned out to be excellent. I wrapped up the day at the largest bookstore, settling into a quiet coffee shop with a Brazilian roast and a small cake to finish up some work and reading.