Tuesday, January 25, 2005
chance meeting part 3
we have been looking to invest in some property at some point in time back in Canada. So with some free time on our hands, and the weather finally warming up from -20 to +6, we decided to go house shopping...
Driving through the university area, or should I say, slushing through the mud and melting snow, we came across a woman helping an elderly couple out of the car into their house.
I told my father to stop the car, because the woman was no other than Mrs. Thay, my old Chinese teacher from university! I stepped out, and in the brief encounter, met her parents, she met Dallas and my dad and we agreed to meet again before we go back to Taiwan.
This teacher was strict, and I always felt she picked on me during class. In fact, whenever she yelled " JASON!" I jumped, but all my friends laughed, because it became so customary..
Still, over the years, we developed a friendship of sorts. I have visited her on past visits via another friend who keeps in touch with our teacher.
It was a bizarre stroke of luck again, but one that I believe was fated. I will not go into details there, but I believe that something will come out of this meeting.
3 chance meetings in 5 days. Means that Edmonton must still be small, despite its seemingly fast growth every time I return.
yesterday we also went to the government offices to do some tax stuff, and I remembered that my Tai chi teacher, and also a fellow watch collector work in the building. Not only that, they happen to work for the same department. I found them, and we had a quick coffee before we met my dad for dim sum. They didn't know that I knew the other.
It's the people of course that brings a person back to a place. Sometimes people ask me why I would come back to Edmonton, especially in the Winter. Or why I don't get bored staying so long. It's because I want to see people. I have been spending less time meeting people out for dinner this time, and spending more time to go to their place to have tea, or hang out.
Driving through the university area, or should I say, slushing through the mud and melting snow, we came across a woman helping an elderly couple out of the car into their house.
I told my father to stop the car, because the woman was no other than Mrs. Thay, my old Chinese teacher from university! I stepped out, and in the brief encounter, met her parents, she met Dallas and my dad and we agreed to meet again before we go back to Taiwan.
This teacher was strict, and I always felt she picked on me during class. In fact, whenever she yelled " JASON!" I jumped, but all my friends laughed, because it became so customary..
Still, over the years, we developed a friendship of sorts. I have visited her on past visits via another friend who keeps in touch with our teacher.
It was a bizarre stroke of luck again, but one that I believe was fated. I will not go into details there, but I believe that something will come out of this meeting.
3 chance meetings in 5 days. Means that Edmonton must still be small, despite its seemingly fast growth every time I return.
yesterday we also went to the government offices to do some tax stuff, and I remembered that my Tai chi teacher, and also a fellow watch collector work in the building. Not only that, they happen to work for the same department. I found them, and we had a quick coffee before we met my dad for dim sum. They didn't know that I knew the other.
It's the people of course that brings a person back to a place. Sometimes people ask me why I would come back to Edmonton, especially in the Winter. Or why I don't get bored staying so long. It's because I want to see people. I have been spending less time meeting people out for dinner this time, and spending more time to go to their place to have tea, or hang out.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
the dark morning
Working for breakfast. + chance meeting part 2
The next morning, after landing we were still jet lagged. We woke up at 6am. In the Canadian winter, that means its still pitch black outside. And it’s cold. And due to the now infamous freezing rain of two days ago ( everyone was talking about it ) the roads are one big skating rink.
Still, we were up, and we were hungry.
According to tradition, Dallas always needs a big Western style breakfast the day after we land in Canada. So we went out to start up my cousin’s car.
Now, this car had been sitting outside for a few days in the cold. Plus, it had been snowing. There was 1.5cm thick layer of ice on the car, plus snow on top of that. We went outside with two snow shovels, and shoveled the walk. The car was started up to let it warm up for 20minutes before driving. In addition, I had to scrape all the snow and ice off it. There was so much ice, I had never seen so much on a car before. I had to go inside, boil some hot water, and then pour that over the car so it would make my job easier. It helped a little, but the weather was so cold, that the water began freezing again quite quickly.
Once it was all said and done, it took 45 minutes before we were able to get on the road.
At the restaurant ( remember it’s still dark outside at 7am) there was only one other table of customers. We sat down, had some coffee. I looked at the menu and thought about how bad this was going to be for my body.
“ Man, this stuff is going to kill you. Eggs, bacon, sausages…” I said.
“I never worked so hard for a breakfast before. I come to Canada only once in 3 years. Kill me? Fine. I’m eating.” Was Dallas’ reply.
It was big, greasy, and my feet were still frozen from the outdoors. But slowly, after it all, I can feel my body quickly metabolizing it all to try to bring up my body temperature.
In the midst of this, one other customer came in. I hadn’t seen him for about 8 years, but an old Tai Chi classmate of mine, Wayne, came in with his wife. We did a bit of catch up. It was quite surreal. Neither one of us expecting to see the other on a cold, dark morning.
The next morning, after landing we were still jet lagged. We woke up at 6am. In the Canadian winter, that means its still pitch black outside. And it’s cold. And due to the now infamous freezing rain of two days ago ( everyone was talking about it ) the roads are one big skating rink.
Still, we were up, and we were hungry.
According to tradition, Dallas always needs a big Western style breakfast the day after we land in Canada. So we went out to start up my cousin’s car.
Now, this car had been sitting outside for a few days in the cold. Plus, it had been snowing. There was 1.5cm thick layer of ice on the car, plus snow on top of that. We went outside with two snow shovels, and shoveled the walk. The car was started up to let it warm up for 20minutes before driving. In addition, I had to scrape all the snow and ice off it. There was so much ice, I had never seen so much on a car before. I had to go inside, boil some hot water, and then pour that over the car so it would make my job easier. It helped a little, but the weather was so cold, that the water began freezing again quite quickly.
Once it was all said and done, it took 45 minutes before we were able to get on the road.
At the restaurant ( remember it’s still dark outside at 7am) there was only one other table of customers. We sat down, had some coffee. I looked at the menu and thought about how bad this was going to be for my body.
“ Man, this stuff is going to kill you. Eggs, bacon, sausages…” I said.
“I never worked so hard for a breakfast before. I come to Canada only once in 3 years. Kill me? Fine. I’m eating.” Was Dallas’ reply.
It was big, greasy, and my feet were still frozen from the outdoors. But slowly, after it all, I can feel my body quickly metabolizing it all to try to bring up my body temperature.
In the midst of this, one other customer came in. I hadn’t seen him for about 8 years, but an old Tai Chi classmate of mine, Wayne, came in with his wife. We did a bit of catch up. It was quite surreal. Neither one of us expecting to see the other on a cold, dark morning.
The long journey home
1.“This is the shortest time it took to get home!” I said.
Normally, it takes me about 24 hours to get back to Edmonton. This time, due to better connections, it would have taken only 20 hours. However, this turned out to be famous last words. As our plane approached the Edmonton airport runway, we had to abort the landing, due to the freezing rain outside ( -5 degrees). The plane rose, and circled the airport again. We made a second attempt, and then the pilot aborted a second time.
“Ladies and gentleman. It seems that the freezing rain has damaged the landing sensors on the runway. We have enough fuel to attempt another landing. If it is not successful then.. well… we’ll make a decision then.”
That obviously wasn’t a very positive statement. A buzz filled the air of the aircraft. Dallas kept shaking her head and muttering something about “Damn Canadian weather”.
Our third attempt failed, and then the plane sped up and started a hard climb. I thought they would take us to Calgary, only for the pilot to tell us that the airport in Calgary was also closed and all the highways were closed as well. So where did we go? We flew 1200km BACK to Vancouver.
2. “Act of God”
Since Air Canada doesn’t control the weather, that meant that we had to pay for the hotel in Vancouver ourselves. In regards to the landing sensors being damaged, they said that I could complain to the Canadian airport authority, but not to them.. Oh well, we got a modest hotel at a discounted rate, and it wasn’t far. It was midnight by the time everything was said and done. I called home to find out that the highways to the airport were closed. My sister asked us to take a shuttle bus the next day into the city, and then she would pick us up. Too icy on the highways ( assuming they MIGHT open the roads up.) Great. If we do make it back we may still be stranded, and then we have to pay for transport into town anyways… time for a drink.
3. “The Chance Meeting” or “Famous Last Words Part X”
After we safely landed in Edmonton, we had been traveling about 43 hours now. We only got a few hours sleep in the hotel in Vancouver, but thankfully I had to foresight NOT to take the 630AM flight. Not only would we have gotten less sleep, but then we would also not have landed, as I heard that the weather was still inhospitable in Edmonton at the time.
We called my sister telling her that we will make the next shuttle bus soon. However, right after that, our luggage was delayed and we missed that bus.
So then, as fate would have it, we met Chris Feng, a friend of ours, in the airport. It was a chance meeting because he had his own long story of mishaps. He had just came back from sleeping in the Toronto airport all night because the groundstaff began to go on strike.
He was getting a taxi home ( courtesy of Air Canada). So I called my sister, for the 3rd time to tell her that she could pick us up at his place shortly.
Immediately after that though… Chris’s luggage never came out, and we had to line up for the baggage claims to complain and assess which country his luggage was flying off to.
Then I had to call my sister again.
4. “Where’s my taxi??”
Given the weather conditions, many taxi’s didn’t want to go out to the airport. Not only that, but for some reason, Chris’ taxi had to be of a particular company. We ended up having to wait awhile for such a taxi outside in the cold. I didn’t have a winter jacket on, and neither did Chris so we were going in and out all the time to warm up.
But finally, we made it home and it was a balmy –20 degrees outside.
Normally, it takes me about 24 hours to get back to Edmonton. This time, due to better connections, it would have taken only 20 hours. However, this turned out to be famous last words. As our plane approached the Edmonton airport runway, we had to abort the landing, due to the freezing rain outside ( -5 degrees). The plane rose, and circled the airport again. We made a second attempt, and then the pilot aborted a second time.
“Ladies and gentleman. It seems that the freezing rain has damaged the landing sensors on the runway. We have enough fuel to attempt another landing. If it is not successful then.. well… we’ll make a decision then.”
That obviously wasn’t a very positive statement. A buzz filled the air of the aircraft. Dallas kept shaking her head and muttering something about “Damn Canadian weather”.
Our third attempt failed, and then the plane sped up and started a hard climb. I thought they would take us to Calgary, only for the pilot to tell us that the airport in Calgary was also closed and all the highways were closed as well. So where did we go? We flew 1200km BACK to Vancouver.
2. “Act of God”
Since Air Canada doesn’t control the weather, that meant that we had to pay for the hotel in Vancouver ourselves. In regards to the landing sensors being damaged, they said that I could complain to the Canadian airport authority, but not to them.. Oh well, we got a modest hotel at a discounted rate, and it wasn’t far. It was midnight by the time everything was said and done. I called home to find out that the highways to the airport were closed. My sister asked us to take a shuttle bus the next day into the city, and then she would pick us up. Too icy on the highways ( assuming they MIGHT open the roads up.) Great. If we do make it back we may still be stranded, and then we have to pay for transport into town anyways… time for a drink.
3. “The Chance Meeting” or “Famous Last Words Part X”
After we safely landed in Edmonton, we had been traveling about 43 hours now. We only got a few hours sleep in the hotel in Vancouver, but thankfully I had to foresight NOT to take the 630AM flight. Not only would we have gotten less sleep, but then we would also not have landed, as I heard that the weather was still inhospitable in Edmonton at the time.
We called my sister telling her that we will make the next shuttle bus soon. However, right after that, our luggage was delayed and we missed that bus.
So then, as fate would have it, we met Chris Feng, a friend of ours, in the airport. It was a chance meeting because he had his own long story of mishaps. He had just came back from sleeping in the Toronto airport all night because the groundstaff began to go on strike.
He was getting a taxi home ( courtesy of Air Canada). So I called my sister, for the 3rd time to tell her that she could pick us up at his place shortly.
Immediately after that though… Chris’s luggage never came out, and we had to line up for the baggage claims to complain and assess which country his luggage was flying off to.
Then I had to call my sister again.
4. “Where’s my taxi??”
Given the weather conditions, many taxi’s didn’t want to go out to the airport. Not only that, but for some reason, Chris’ taxi had to be of a particular company. We ended up having to wait awhile for such a taxi outside in the cold. I didn’t have a winter jacket on, and neither did Chris so we were going in and out all the time to warm up.
But finally, we made it home and it was a balmy –20 degrees outside.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
on the way home
I"m in the EVA airways VIP lounge in the Kaohsiung airport. I"m finally on my home home. This is the first time in a long while that I have been back during the Winter. I"m actually a little worried, about facing cold weather again. But I"m also excited too!
It's been a strange new year so far. Ups and downs in the first two weeks. Car broke down, printer broke down. Lost the house keys, changed locks. Didn't look good for 2005 so far, but I"m sure that this trip will be great. Coming back, we arrive on Chinese New Year's Eve, so it will be land, drop off luggage, and then party for another 5 days. On top of that, friends from Kyoto will be coming to visit, and to play Mah Jongg... oh yeah, it's the start of a good trip.
There was alot that happened at the end of 2004. Norbert was visiting for 3 weeks and we took him all along the East coast. Spent Christmas Day on the coast, wading in the water. It was nice. Will hopefully post some photos soon to everyone. Also pics of this upcoming trip.
Had a bit of trouble clearing customs here, as I came in on my old Canadian passport, but left on my new one. Ah.. the joys of travel.. but I don't care. I"m sitting in the lounge. Just had a drink, and blogging. Can't beat that. I wish I had more time to blog over the last month, but was just too busy.
Will blog again from Canada as I"ll have email access at my mom's place.
It's been a strange new year so far. Ups and downs in the first two weeks. Car broke down, printer broke down. Lost the house keys, changed locks. Didn't look good for 2005 so far, but I"m sure that this trip will be great. Coming back, we arrive on Chinese New Year's Eve, so it will be land, drop off luggage, and then party for another 5 days. On top of that, friends from Kyoto will be coming to visit, and to play Mah Jongg... oh yeah, it's the start of a good trip.
There was alot that happened at the end of 2004. Norbert was visiting for 3 weeks and we took him all along the East coast. Spent Christmas Day on the coast, wading in the water. It was nice. Will hopefully post some photos soon to everyone. Also pics of this upcoming trip.
Had a bit of trouble clearing customs here, as I came in on my old Canadian passport, but left on my new one. Ah.. the joys of travel.. but I don't care. I"m sitting in the lounge. Just had a drink, and blogging. Can't beat that. I wish I had more time to blog over the last month, but was just too busy.
Will blog again from Canada as I"ll have email access at my mom's place.
