We started Wednesday once again at the Peace Park with the 100-step form as usual. My state of mind (and body) when I finish the 100-step is always different than when I start, and this morning I was particularly grateful for the change. The four of us practiced our 14-step competition form and then our own individual forms. It was another great practice among the trees, frequently met with unabashed stares from the Taiwanese passersby.

After breakfast we packed up and checked out. Hiromi really scored on finding a great hotel. The See You Hotel’s location was perfect and it was inexpensive with an extremely helpful staff.

We had an uneventful bus ride down to Taichung which is about 100 miles south of Taipei. The buses here are gilded quite extravagantly and have very ornate but also very useful curtains on the windows. Anyone who has ever tried to sleep on a Greyhound bus during the day will know what I mean.

We arrived at the 5-star Evergreen Hotel in Taichung, a swanky joint on one of Taichung’s main drags, and availed ourselves of the work out room and hot tub. It’s all about sacrifice – doing what’s necessary to be in prime condition for the competition.

Whereas Taipei reminded me of NYC, Taichung is a lot more like Chicago. The streets are much wider and there is more space between the buildings. It’s not as pedestrian friendly and it took us longer to find a place to eat, but we eventually found a place with an English menu, or at least a menu with English words on it. Dishes such as The Pig Shredded Meat Braises The Food or Irritable Mixed Seafood were vaguely meaningful, but we are still contemplating such entrees as The Chinese Vegetable Kisses The Whelp Dashi and The Shelled Fresh Shrimp Wooden Must The Roast Flour. Sometimes Zen koans just appear in your life without you asking.

More Taichung tomorrow . . .