Taipei winter

I spoke too soon. "Winter weather," or at least that's what the locals might call it, has set in. Since the blisteringly hot afternoon Sunday (mercury in the mid-80s), fierce wind and rain has driven the heat away. We haven't seen the sun since. Rain on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, today, and every day in the foreseeable forecast. And, temperatures not breaking 60. It's not really cold, but without central heating, one understands why the Taiwanese dress their kids in layers upon layers of quilted clothing. And a hat. Even indoors.

With the inclement weather, Elite's won't allow the children to run around outside. So, after school, we head for Love to Shop to run up and down the escalator ramps and through the aisles of squid-flavored chips and rice-based crackers.

In the last couple of days, Binbin has become friendly with our other neighbors. The Li family includes two boys, called affectionately Junjun Gege and Didi (simply, 'younger brother'). Playtime over there is a bit more rambunctious with the three boys crawling atop each other and scrambling for toy cars.