Today when we went to dinner it was hard getting a Taxi near our house because our lane and the main street were packed with parked cars. Then once we got one and got out to the front of the hotel at the end of our lane we saw there were a lot of TV broadcast trucks out in front. We figured there must be some special event there tonight. Later as we came back just now, almost 11pm, we passed by the front of the Landis Hotel, we saw the broadcast trucks were still there, and there was a large bank of cameras arrayed outside the front door. So we were curious why they would have so many TV cameras at our hotel.
When we came back, we turned on the TV and found out that it was the birthday party of Lien Chan, former ROC vice president, two time (losing) presidential candidate and until earlier this month chairman of the KMT (Chinese Nationalist Party). Of course there were also lots of other KMT heavyweights there including Taipei Mayor and current KMT Chair Ma Ying-jiu, former vice chairman Wang Jin-ping and lots of others. Apparently Lien Chan likes the french restaurant at the Landis. It has a great reputation, but we’ve never eaten at the French restaurant there because it typically runs more than $100 a person. I’m a frequent customer at their bakery though. Their French bread and Pain au Chocolat are wonderful. Anyways, kinda weird seeing the top story of the night be the party at the end of our lane.