Last year Robert and Patty invited us to Christmas dinner with their friends Brian and Glory. Last year we had originally planned to go to Taidong with Nick and Clara, but the car broke down in the dismal cement-industry town of Heping, and we had to take the train back. So we went to the Christmas dinner instead.
Since then, it's become an annual event (yes, I know this is only the second time). This year, like last year, we picked up a roast turkey at the Howard Plaza Hotel, and drove to Taoyuan to Brian and Glory's house. They have two kids, who were anxious to open presents!
After we arrived, Glory entertained us with a drumming performance. She had been studying taigu, a style of Chinese drumming.
We then had a wonderful Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. To our delight, Brian had saved two bottles of Gluhkriek, a hearty Christmas beer that's served piping hot, kind of like a mulled beer.
But most exotic of all: Brian had a bottle of a Chinese liquor called "three penis wine", purportedly containing essence of turtle, snake and lizard penis. Of course, we had to try it. It had a rather spicy, peppy flavor. We felt like true men afterwards!
Then we retired to the drawing room, where we chatted. Glory took out her tarot cards and told our fortunes...she's into new agey type stuff.
