The 雜貨店 was my favorite store in Taipei and one I tell everyone to go to. Everything you ever need, other than food, is there crammed into 4 stories. It’s right down the street from the Technology Station MRT. This is where I bought our rain boots, all of ours stationary supplies, our ID holders, our piggie banks, and ultimately my tea set.
Itinerary: Rainboots, New Cellphone, “organic” milk
Today was a shopping day, something I’d been meaning to do for days and days. With 2 kids, it takes a whole day to shop.
Our first stop today was at the local 雜貨店. I don’t know the English words for it. It’s kind of like a Daiso. We went looking for some rain gear since it’s been raining so much and the kids don’t hold their umbrellas correctly. After trying on numerous pairs of shoes, we settled on a pink pair of rainboots for Astroboy (he wanted that color).
There were no shoes in Thumper’s size. We were all set to get some rain coats but the PVC smell just got to me and I didn’t want the kids smelling the fumes. I try not to buy PVC stuff at home as it is.
Next up, we walked to the MRT, and after a transfer stop, got out at 東門站 (East Gate) again. This is the shopping area we keep returning to because everything is so close to the MRT stop. First was the 台灣大哥大 mobile store, which is smack right outside the MRT exit. I got a new cell phone! About $6 for 1GB of data and $5 worth of phone call. But they charge you for every call you make. I don’t know if I get texting either. But I need a data plan when I go out and also a cellphone as contact for every form I fill out.
That took awhile because I waited there not knowing that I needed to get a number for service. If I ever had to compile a list of things I’m encountering, this would be top of my list. Every time you go anywhere needing service, other than restaurants, you should look for a number to get, much like buying meat at Berkeley Bowl.
And the second thing I would note is that many stores don’t open till 11am. This mobile store doesn’t. The ginger tea place I went to yesterday said their hours were 11am-8:30pm. Anyways, by the time we got out it was 12. So off to lunch we went at my favorite Taiwanese restaurant on 永康街 (Yong Kang Street). I think I was had though by the waitress who directed us to the most expensive fish there is in the store. But the kids love eating fish and we’ve having lots here. I of course had the 滷肉飯 (minced meat stew over rice).
After lunch it was time to get some yukult at 7-11 and bread at the Sunmerry bakery for breakfast. I’m slowly trying to start living within a budget here. Or else the daily snacks at 7-11 do add up fast. Way too many people in the store and so I stuck to just getting a loaf of wheat bread and some pineapple buns. The yukult occupied the children a bit while I browsed at the bakery.
Amazingly by the time we got home it was 2pm and Astroboy didn’t go down till 2:30 and I had to wake him up at 6pm. We had dinner, played with the relatives, and then off to bed at 10pm. The days are really short when you travel with 2 children and they have to take naps.
