miscellaneous rambling

This year is the 60th anniversary of Piaggio's Vespa scooters. This past weekend in Taiwan's east coast the 9th Taiwan Vespa day was held. It is a weekend event where vespa riders come from all over and meet up with old friends, buy parts, Vespa paraphanilia and just hang out. I rode down on Saturday with some fellow vespa riders, and then came back yesterday. It was a great ride, but extremely tiring and also nerve racking at times. The trip is about 300km through the windy mountain roads that run the middle of Taiwan. We went through sun, and then wind and rain. It was also a long weekend in Taiwan, and therefore there was alot of traffic. Riding in a scooter though, we can zip past cars while they are stuck in line though.

This year's attendance was considered "small", with only about 100+ vespas there. Last year there were 200-300 vespas.

There were tons of souped up, wildly designed vespas, ranging from the late 50's to the 90's. I had recently sold my 1980 black vespa 90cc. and bought a 1969 baby blue 150cc model. This was my 2nd big ride with it, and was the biggest ride I have ever done. I've never gone so far, so high and so fast on a scooter before. Being a newbie, I had trouble keeping up with everyone flying down the highway. I don't have the guts to take turns and bends as fast as they do as well.
I would have liked to stay another day on the East coast, but most of us had to be back for work today. I could have made it back in time for work, but it would have killed me. As I write this, it's hard to stay awake. The trip had really taken alot out of me. It stressed my mind and body entirely. On saturday night, we went out with vespa riders and only got about 3-4 hours of sleep the night before, and then rode all day yesterday.

After all these years, one thing I thought I'd like to see in Toronto was the Royal Ontario Musuem. However, I have to admit I was a bit let down. The museum wasn't as big as I imagined it. Dallas was a bit harsh, after being in the MOMA and Guggenheim just 2 weeks prior, it was an unfair comparison. Anyways, here is a photo one of the two massive totem poles that rise in the middle of the ROM. They are, in fact, my favorite pieces in the entire museum.

One of the highlights of the trip was renting a van and going out to the Niagra region to wine country. I have been on wine tours before, but this was the first to do several on one day. Reminds me of the movie Sideways. This was taken at the 2nd of 4 that we went to. The wineries range from small, homey ones, to large, slik looking ones that sell very expensive glassware, and wine accessories. Each time I've been on a wine tour I manage to learn a bit more about what I'm drinking. This is important to me, as I have always felt that there is a science and an art to drinking. Drinking can be a way to enjoy moments with loved ones, but not a neccesity of course. However, should one choose to imbibe, I"d think that as one's tolerance and cashflow has limits, why not drink something good as opposed crap? And there are always beverages that suit one's taste and budget. It was a great day. Oh yeah, we saw Niagra Falls too. That was nice as well.

In Toronto's West Bloor Village district stands the coolest bookstore I've ever been into. It is built into the old Runnymede theater. At the back of the store, stands the original stage ( now housing the magazines), and you can still see the original box seats, and the balcony has more books, and an area to sit, read, and admire the bookstore.
We had walked about an hour to the store through the residential areas. Admiring the homes, and soaking up the weather and the atmosphere. We ate a simple lunch at a small diner, and visited some small shops along the way. To me, it was the day I felt the most like I was in Toronto. I got to take the public transit, walk around, and try to be a local for a day, which in any trip is the best experience. Feeling a part of your surroundings.
Oh yeah, and I couldn't resisit, I bought a book while I was there.

It's been 16 years since my last visit to Toronto. I was looking forward to it, not to see the city itself, but to see old friends and family while there. So what to do in Toronto? Well, 16 years ago, the Skydome was first opened, and my family got tickets to go. I was excited to watch my first pro ball game, but my family just wanted to see the skydome. We left after the third inning, and I was really upset. This time around, we didn't actually get tickets to the game, but we got the next best thing, and in fact, was a much cooler experience for the novelty of it all. We caught a ball game from inside the Hard Rock cafe. For a $5 premium, you can get a table next to, or close to the the large glass windows, and watch the game while eating and drinking. The plays were broadcast through the restuarant, and you could watch the replays on the screens inside the bar, which was great.