Christmas Shopping in Taiwan

Silent Night, Holy Night.

This songs brings feeling of peace and serenity to my mind.

I wonder, was the night of Jesus' birth calm and peaceful? Or is that just the way our modern minds have depicted it?

I can tell you shopping for Christmas in Taichung is anything but silent and holy.

Sunday evening, Carl and I hopped onto the scooter and headed out to look for a couple items on our shopping lists. After visiting two jam packed book stores and the everywhere in the world child's delight Toys-R-Us, we headed to one of the largest and popular night markets in Taichung.

With it being the last day of the weekend, that might not have been the best time to visit. (Although my teens assure me, they are crowded every night). 

Just the drive there was crazy. Carl was weaving in and out of cars. Busses, pedestrians, taxis, and fellow scooter drivers all vying for forward progress.

Add in a lively "god parade" and pole dancers on top of trucks (Yes, you read that correctly) and what you get is anything but a silent and holy night. 

Here are my attempts to capture this interesting experience with my tiny camera while riding on the back of the scooter.

(The first video is just part of the drive. At the end of this video you can hear the horn blasts announcing the arrival of the god parade.

The second is the god parade as we passed it, and the last is the pole dancers as we passed them. The dancers were accompanied by ten or so spruced up cars with huge stereo systems in the trunks. I only caught the last car before we passed by the dancers! Fortunately, it was a bone chilling evening, so the ladies had their coats on while they danced!)

 http://youtu.be/4WTdhv9PqpM