Saudade: My Taiwan Gone Past

The tide has receded along the gently sloping beach, so that a skim of water reflects the pewter sky. Matching grey waves march in long lines to the beach, tumbling as they reach the shallows. As I pull my board to the high water mark, my arms ache from the effort. I turn around and look across the beach over the sea and see a vessel on the horizon, barely visible, slowly bluffing its way on to somewhere. A family stumbles out of the break in the dunes behind me, faces the winds and then retreat in a peal of laughs back over the dunes. As I take this in, I’m struck by a sudden, overwhelming sense of distance and loneliness. I’m not sure of what this is. I know that behind me, across the dunes, there is a warm fire. Beer and a hot-pot are likely waiting for me, as are my wife and friends. They are waiting for me to finish and join them. But, I can’t leave. Somehow the chill of the Northeast wind makes it through my wetsuit and makes me shiver. As I look over the straits, it strikes me that what I’m looking over is not just a stretch of water, but something that insulates this place from the harsh world outside. How different my life and this place would be without it? Within it, I feel comfortable, safe. Food, friends and family, usually in that order, are the order of the day. Outside, the waves of globalism, cosmopolitan life are constantly and inexorably wearing away at this bubble. Of course, I think, this bubble also permits the parochial, chauvinistic, small-minded attitudes that make me feel trapped and compressed. I often rage against these things. But, now I wonder, is the trade off worth it? What will happen when it is gone? One day soon, it will be. Where will I go to then?

I was just thinking that myself.

Wetsuit? What a pussy!

You spelled “straits” wrong.

Philistine pedant… :unamused:

Easily said Jock…my hair has not yet migrated to my back for warmth :laughing:

oh well…just desserts for drinking & posting…

Philistine pedant… :unamused:

Easily said Jock…my hair has not yet migrated to my back for warmth :laughing:

oh well…just desserts for drinking & posting…[/quote]

That’ll teach you for getting all gooey and hormonal in front of people…

FWIW, your drunk posts are way more enjoyable than those by them clowns from Taichung…but you didn’t hear it from me…

ps I’m no fuckin pedant, dude, I drive or take the MRT everywhere…

Right then! Phwaaaar! It’s hard as nails from here on out.

HTFU Forumosa!

A picture is rarely worth a thousand words. It’s usually worth two or three, tops.

:roflmao:

What is that one worth?

Needs to wear a pair of spring-heeled boots to reach the high notes.

That’s good writing, Elegua.

The sun is setting with my dreams, I’m losing light but want that next wave. You can never surf too many. My arms ache from the paddling and the skunk that I smoked two hours before is wearing off. Old injuries come back as I tire, reminding me of how many summers I’ve lived.
Most have gone back to the land, to catch a train or meet friends for seafood and beer. There’s no one waiting for me so I paddle back out to catch another.

There is never anyone watching when I ride my best waves, but I know. The ocean is never forgiving but she provides and I stand on her back and test myself on her green waves. Night cheats me, the shadows deepen, how many more summers will I have surfing. How many more summers will I have? I see a camp fire on the beach. Maybe a stranger sees my lonely form and wonders why that lone surfer stayed when others went home. Maybe wait to see me ride a wave while there is still light.
Wondering if I’ll come back to shore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Surfer

[quote=“Bubba 2 Guns”]The sun is setting with my dreams, I’m losing light but want that next wave. You can never surf too many. My arms ache from the paddling and the skunk that I smoked two hours before is wearing off. Old injuries come back as I tire, reminding me of how many summers I’ve lived.
Most have gone back to the land, to catch a train or meet friends for seafood and beer. There’s no one waiting for me so I paddle back out to catch another.

There is never anyone watching when I ride my best waves, but I know. The ocean is never forgiving but she provides and I stand on her back and test myself on her green waves. Night cheats me, the shadows deepen, how many more summers will I have surfing. How many more summers will I have? I see a camp fire on the beach. Maybe a stranger sees my lonely form and wonders why that lone surfer stayed when others went home. Maybe wait to see me ride a wave while there is still light.
Wondering if I’ll come back to shore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Surfer [/quote]

Are you implying plagiarism , or just lacking an original though?

Anyway, Elegua don’t surf…it’s windsurfing mate and in my mind it’s more about Taiwan than sport…

If in doubt, stab the nanny and run off to Taiwan.

[quote=“Elegua”][quote=“Bubba 2 Guns”]The sun is setting with my dreams, I’m losing light but want that next wave. You can never surf too many. My arms ache from the paddling and the skunk that I smoked two hours before is wearing off. Old injuries come back as I tire, reminding me of how many summers I’ve lived.
Most have gone back to the land, to catch a train or meet friends for seafood and beer. There’s no one waiting for me so I paddle back out to catch another.

There is never anyone watching when I ride my best waves, but I know. The ocean is never forgiving but she provides and I stand on her back and test myself on her green waves. Night cheats me, the shadows deepen, how many more summers will I have surfing. How many more summers will I have? I see a camp fire on the beach. Maybe a stranger sees my lonely form and wonders why that lone surfer stayed when others went home. Maybe wait to see me ride a wave while there is still light.
Wondering if I’ll come back to shore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Surfer [/quote]

Are you implying plagiarism , or just lacking an original though?

Anyway, Elegua don’t surf…it’s windsurfing mate and in my mind it’s more about Taiwan than sport…[/quote]

Man-I was just INSPIRED! What a lousy muse you turned out to be. I surf, paddleboard and bodyboard and this is more about getting old and rusty and dying alone. So there.

Hey who pulled the wooden stake out of you heart? Is this the ghost of Lord Lucan or the real deal?

I’ve always suspected those Shang Hai commie scientists cloned you from DNA samples collected from Stella Artois bottles.

“WE have made the perfect Irish drinking machine- now we are prepared to take over the world.”

Hey who pulled the wooden stake out of you heart? Is this the ghost of Lord Lucan or the real deal?

I’ve always suspected those Shang Hai commie scientists cloned you from DNA samples collected from Stella Artois bottles.

“WE have made the perfect Irish drinking machine- now we are prepared to take over the world.”[/quote]
Nah. If that was true they’d have given him lank greasy George Best-style hair, not the curly golden choirboy locks sported by the good Lord.

[quote=“Bubba 2 Guns”][quote=“Elegua”][quote=“Bubba 2 Guns”]The sun is setting with my dreams, I’m losing light but want that next wave. You can never surf too many. My arms ache from the paddling and the skunk that I smoked two hours before is wearing off. Old injuries come back as I tire, reminding me of how many summers I’ve lived.
Most have gone back to the land, to catch a train or meet friends for seafood and beer. There’s no one waiting for me so I paddle back out to catch another.

There is never anyone watching when I ride my best waves, but I know. The ocean is never forgiving but she provides and I stand on her back and test myself on her green waves. Night cheats me, the shadows deepen, how many more summers will I have surfing. How many more summers will I have? I see a camp fire on the beach. Maybe a stranger sees my lonely form and wonders why that lone surfer stayed when others went home. Maybe wait to see me ride a wave while there is still light.
Wondering if I’ll come back to shore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Surfer [/quote]

Are you implying plagiarism , or just lacking an original though?

Anyway, Elegua don’t surf…it’s windsurfing mate and in my mind it’s more about Taiwan than sport…[/quote]

Man-I was just INSPIRED! What a lousy muse you turned out to be. I surf, paddleboard and bodyboard and this is more about getting old and rusty and dying alone. So there.[/quote]

Apologies…Errr…would being grumpy 'cause it’s a communist holiday and I’m at work suffice?

[quote=“Bubba 2 Guns”]The sun is setting with my dreams, I’m losing light but want that next wave. You can never surf too many. My arms ache from the paddling and the skunk that I smoked two hours before is wearing off. Old injuries come back as I tire, reminding me of how many summers I’ve lived.
Most have gone back to the land, to catch a train or meet friends for seafood and beer. There’s no one waiting for me so I paddle back out to catch another.

There is never anyone watching when I ride my best waves, but I know. The ocean is never forgiving but she provides and I stand on her back and test myself on her green waves. Night cheats me, the shadows deepen, how many more summers will I have surfing. How many more summers will I have? I see a camp fire on the beach. Maybe a stranger sees my lonely form and wonders why that lone surfer stayed when others went home. Maybe wait to see me ride a wave while there is still light.
Wondering if I’ll come back to shore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Surfer [/quote]

I was confused by the link at first. I thought you were citing a quoted passage. Maybe that’s what Elegua thought. That’s good writing, too, Bubba 2 Guns. If you haven’t already done it, maybe both of you guys should try your hand at writing stories or articles.