Just around the corner from Caowu Square, there was a shopping mall called Park Lane by CMP. “Upmarket mall with a stylish vibe” – the Google Map description says.
While I was walking there I passed by a sculpture of M (canine).
1.33pm
I reached the upmarket mall with a stylish vibe. I could see why though. There was Lululemon here, Lojel, Le Labo, Aesop, MLB…
And even Mao & Kou. 🤣
I am now seriously in search of a new pair of shoes. I had been walking very very slowly because my feet hurt so much.
I spotted a nice pair of sliders in MLB but they were 100 bucks. I pass.
Because no trip to Taiwan can be complete without a trip to 诚品书店.
Even though I don’t know why I insisted on coming since I’d never ever bought anything here. I think it just invigorates me. Like when I put my Switch back onto the console to charge, the bookshop is my console.
These days there are a lot of books with this self-love theme going on. It is obviously a very good notion to promote especially for people who give too much of themselves and burn out. But at the same time I’m beginning to wonder where do we draw the line between self-love and self-centeredness.
Like the title of the book above, is it really propagating self-love or self-centeredness? Because I’d been observing a lot of the latter lately, especially in younger people. I’m all about self-love and I’d been loving myself for a very long time. But I think self-love is about making sure you’re not pouring from an empty cup, it’s about spending time with yourself to organize your own thoughts, it’s about knowing what you stand for and not allowing negativity from irrelevant people to waver that stand.
Self-love is not about putting my own needs before everyone else all the time. It’s not about failing to be considerate to others as long as it serves my purpose. It’s not about ignoring everyone else’s opinion as long as I’m not liking what I hear. That’s merely selfish people trying to justify their bad behavior by proclaiming self-love.
Cannot bring back…
(Because I refuse to hand carry.)
Also cannot bring back…
(Ditto above.)
2.36pm
I left Park Lane for Sogo. Maybe I’ll get lucky and find shoes there!
Lo and behold! What do I see?!
I am saved.
I was at a point where I didn’t even care about the design anymore. I went for the most comfortable pair of sliders/sandals I could find. And I just happened to like the design of the most comfortable pair too. The sales staff said it is now very trendy to wear fancy socks with my sliders. I don’t know about that. Wearing socks with sandals is one thing, but socks with sliders…
The price of my new shoes was exactly the same as the bag that I’d forgone. Now I was even more certain I made the correct decision. Shoes were a matter of life and death. Bag wasn’t.
3.05pm
I reached! It’s no longer miserable to walk!
So glorious these golden doors.
These malls are amazing. They employ so many staff yet there’re hardly any shoppers. I don’t know how they survive.
I see something I recognize.
I go!
By this time I was actually hungry. But the crepe cake was lame. It was just about edible without invoking any joy in the palate.
I walked around some and then went to the basement to find food.
Similar pricing to Singapore though,
Sogo was just about 10mins walk away from the hotel.
4.36pm
Left Sogo.
4.47pm
Reached Carlton.
5.29pm
On Uber towards Fengjia Night Market.
Passed a pet megastore along the way!
5.51pm
Reached Fengjia Night Market.
I’m on a mission to find 大肠包小肠 today.
肠肠 secured!
And then I also bought this just because. I didn’t want to go all the way there just to get one item.
6.45pm
I’m already on my way back to the hotel. No more night markets for me tomorrow. It’s just not my kinda scene. Waste of my peak hour Uber fares.
Not sure if my memory failed me but did Fengjia become smaller? I thought it was supposed to be the biggest night market in Taiwan.
Eevee and I greeted each other while I was going across the road. I waved, he waved. Recently I’d been waving at a lot of mascots because I really feel sorry for them for working in the heat. People are so happy to see them but they’re probably crying inside. Hopefully a smile and a wave will make them feel better.
7.21pm
Tonight’s dinner. Bento box from Sogo, 肠肠 and grilled squid!
I’m done with Taichung now. I think tomorrow I will head to the HSR station earlier to see if I can get an earlier train back to Taipei.
Honestly, I can’t wait to check out. The wifi connection here is spotty and the water pressure in the shower is so weak. The water temperature also can’t seem to regulate itself. It’s either too hot or too cold. And I just spotted ants on the table! Whoa that takes the cake seriously. It wasn’t just a scout, it was a bunch of them! FML.