OCT. 25: D-DAY MINUS ONE

A scrape and a sauna

Let's see: You're hosting six people in your house who've never visited Taiwan, you're trying to get ready for a trip yourselves to the United States, and -- oh yeah -- you're getting married the next day. Talk about crazy. But Robbie and Samantha, in the midst of the chaos, manage to find time to take the gang to an I-Lan water spa AND a night market.

HIGHLIGHTS

* The "tour guide" at the park across from Robbie's house who escorts Bob all around its wonders.   * The banana-sesame drink at the Park Bench, the Western-style coffehouse around the corner from Robbie's house.   * The little pink eggs and snails in the rice paddies, which Bob, Luz, Olga, Vicky and Jennifer explore on their walk to the grocery store.   * Robbie forgets his photos for his health visa, then scrapes the rental van against a pole. (Not quite a highlight, but it was one of the day's talking points.)   * Robbie sneaking away to practice singing his surprise song for Sam at the banquet.    * The outstanding pickled cucumbers at the noodle restaurant -- and Robbie hitting his head on the archway on the way out.   * The wonders of the day spa-slash-amusement park Robbie takes us to -- complete with firehose jets, water massage chairs, green oil soaks, a peppermint-scented sauna and one smelling like Chinese spices (which is like soaking in soup).   * Luz's swimming suit top filling up with massage-jet water -- yep, that deserves an item all its own.   * Vicki and Donald at the night market buying Cherry Bear and Winnie the Pooh towels, respectively, even though they really wanted the more expensive Betty Boop variety.   * Last-minute wedding preparations including a debriefing on the next? morning's soup ceremony (which we never receive because Robbie keeps getting sidetracked) and burning the CD for the reception.   Quote of the day: "You know what, I think today is my birthday" -- Donald, jet-lagged and waterlogged, late in the evening when he realizes that today is Oct. 25.

Top left: Robbie burns the CD for the reception, at right he rehearses his surprise banquet song. Above and above right, scurrying around for a health visa. Below, Robbie in his living room explaining wedding-ceremony etiquette.

Top, Saturday night at the spa. Right, Vicki engages in a night-market game of chance. Below, a somewhat despondent Robbie surveys the damage after scraping the rental van..

NEXT PREVIOUS BACK TO MAIN TAIWAN PAGE HOME