Thursday, January 5th, 2006...10:40 pm
A night on the town…
–
West has totally taken over the Taipei nightlife that I saw last night. Almost no foreigners in sight at ‘Room 18′, the room was filled with beautiful fashionable Taiwanese youth moving to the sounds of a well mixed HipHop session. First few moments I felt like the first time I met a Christian Asian which has brought up the question as to why in the world would an Asian relate to a western message of a redefined Jew embraced by the western Roman empire from a 2000 years ago? It just doesn’t seem to fit. Taiwanese dancing to US HipHop just seemed like the strangest thing. Come to think of it - so does a bunch of Hiphop dancing Israelis, but still - I have somehow come to expect Asians and Taiwanese in particular to have their own sense of cultural style and identity that would be distinct from the western standards. Does a 7-11 belong here? Does McDonalds and MTV? There’s no point discussing it - it’s here, and they are as good, if not better than us, at what westerns do. Yesterday’s Taipei nightlife is as western as the most western club in Israel (like, say, ‘Haoman 17′ - noticed the name style similarity?).
Nightlife. Back in Israel, it took me for ever to find my kind’o places, my kind’o music and my kind’o party style (Eurotrance-techno outdoor rave parties , to those interested). Visiting some of the big clubs brought up conflicting emotions of being excited, thrilled, curious but at times also scared and distant. My first nights out to the Jerusalem clubs I was really intimidated by what was going on. A new set of social rules that I had no knowledge of and felt like there’s no way of fitting into. Why are things the way they are and who’s who? Uncomfortable as an understatement and I couldn’t really enjoy myself, all feeling really fake and me being out of place. Years go by, experience gained, I got to see all sorts of clubs and it slowly turned into something I enjoy, yet still something I don’t pursue regularly as some of my best friends do. I just never quite know what to expect, which has me always a bit hesitant before I go, but usually up for it once I get there.
Yesterday has re demonstrated my capacity for absorbing alcohol, so even by the 7th or 8th beer/vodka/whatever I was way saner than all the other folks I was with. British Mas seemed like his usual British self, yet Alchohol has definitely brought out his “I love everybody” side while MrD seemed like he was heading towards endless depths of depression. I think he was going through something with his extremely jealous Taiwanese girlfriend so I could see him struggle pretty bad with every girl that passed by. What’s his point of having a girlfriend then? beats me. To make things worse - he didn’t tell her where he was going, and last I saw him was when I came by to say thanks for showing me around and to say my farewells only to find he was looking intimate with some 3/4 naked woman in her 30th. I also got to meet a western couple brought there by MrD that ran away after 30 minutes, an average Kiwi-goodguy and an extremely funny Irish guy, who’s Chinese skills with the driver left me amazed - ‘up the Brit empire, I say’ together with wonderful Carnegie’s insights. You got all sorts…
While ‘Room 18′ was a lot better than what I’ve previously heard of about a subtle sex industry and girls seeking foreigners scene, Carnegies was more of what I pictured. Most of the girls there were Taiwanese in their 20s, while most of the guys were drunk westerns of all ages. Yeah, it seemed to follow all the stereotypes. ‘Carnegies’’s Wednesday’s ‘Ladies night’ offered free drinks to girls and monstrous fees for the horny boys. People, both the Taiwanese girls and the westerner boys obviously go there for the same ancient reason and while waiting outside I got to hear a few stories about the Carnegies traditions - one of which was the puking Taiwanese girls who can’t deal with more than a beer bottle, not to mention free all-night alcohol. Even the doormen were what my mates referred to as ‘f#cking British Empire giants’. There’s a good insight into human nature…
Yesterday’s gorgeous weather, my time with Vanina, the nice change on the night out, along with the morning classes and classmates friends that I enjoy more and more by the day, I know I really like it here. Every day I realize how attached I am to the Asian experience and the people, and how curious and passionate I am about them.
It’s a scary confusing feeling.
tags: Taiwan
No comments yet.