Early in the morning, I took the bus to the hotel, knocked on the door, and wandered across the street to a breakfast place. We ordered enough food for my parents to sample a little of everything, and soon we were off. I needed to check in with work to take another day off, so I brought my parents to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. We left the MRT and entered the pavilion, with the National Theatre and National Concert Hall on either side. I could only imagine how it felt for my parents to stand somewhere they had seen in photographs just weeks earlier. We climbed the steps to see CKS’s enormous statue, glanced at the guards, walked through the gardens, and headed to the Taiwanese Handicraft shop.

The store was much as you would expect, with art pieces, probably overpriced, from across Taiwan. Many were magnificent, and I tried to discourage Cathy and my dad from making premature purchases. After exploring every floor, we crossed the street into 2/28 Peace Park. I chatted throughout the walk, and we left near the Presidential Office Building, which Cathy initially thought was a train station. We walked through the park again and eventually regrouped. Next, we strolled towards Taipei Main Station, bought some Jin Ju Nai Cha, a heavenly drink, and entered the station. My dad and I bought tickets to Yingge, a ceramics town on Cathy’s must-see list. The train ride was quick and pleasant. From the station, we followed a busy road to the museum, which presented an excellent mixture of ceramics history and art in a creatively designed building. Cathy appeared to be in heaven.

After the museum, we crossed a very busy road and found a noodle shop. Once we had eaten, we continued to the ceramics district on Old Street. Unbeknownst to me, my dad was addicted to teapots, or at least to shopping for them. Like a child exploring a mall full of toy shops, he moved in and out of stores with impressive consistency. For those of us who were not obsessed with teapots, the subject of my next nightmare had become clear.

We spent several hours shopping for teapots.

We eventually boarded the train back to Taipei and found the car-rental office. I signed the forms, paid the deposit, and arranged to return the next day. I called to arrange dinner with my partner’s mother at Shao Shao Ke, a restaurant serving some of Taipei’s finest cuisine. We met there shortly afterwards, and I introduced my parents. Despite the number of things that could have gone wrong, dinner was a delight. The food was excellent, no social conventions were broken, and everybody had fun. We said our goodbyes, and I escorted my parents back to their hotel before returning “home” quite late at night. The next day would be a long one.