it's always hard to say goodbye

Since I am doing the posting a blog a day and I missed yesterday, I will post two today. So here is my blog for today.

It was a sad, sad night on Tuesday. I don't think I am ever going to get used to the goodbyes that I've had to endure throughout my time in Taiwan. Everything is just so fluid and changing. It is hard to imagine that people who have been so close, I will probably never see again and I treasure every moment with each of them. They have all had a huge impact on my life. The latest, probably the most. It has been the thread throughout all of my friendships.

On Tuesday, my favourite bar in Keelung closed it's doors forever. Boo Hoo!!!

You are probably thinking, oh yeah, typical. Tobi is sad because a bar closed. Well, yes, it is one less place that I can go and drink but this place was special. It has really had a huge impact on my life in Taiwan.

I had been here for just over a month the first time I went to the Mariner's. I went with a couple of friends from training who came to Keelung to visit me. We had started at the Lucky Star (sailor bar, oh yeah) and after wandered over to Mariners because the owners were the same and we wanted to check it out. I will always remember it because Troy was making fun of one of the hostesses. Probably not the nicest thing in the world to do, but being drunk I thought it was the funniest thing ever.

I never really made Mariner's my home until Cheryl came to Taiwan. Yes, I had been a few times over the first six months I was here after drinking at the Lucky Star but it wasn't until Cheryl and I met Travis that we really started going there a lot. It was located right near the Keelung buxiban (we work in ChiDu remember) so it was a very convenient place to meet up with the Keelung people after they were finished work. Sometimes it would just be the three of us and sometimes Travis would bring people. Mariner's was where I met Patrick, Ben and Paul.

When my parents came to visit me, I even took them to the Mariner's. THAT'S how important this place is to my life in Taiwan.

By the time Tom and Jacqui came to Taiwan we had found a few more places. We spent a lot of time at the Truck because it was cheaper but we always ended up in Mariner's for the free pool and people that gave us hugs and cheered when we walked in the door (seriously, I felt like I was in Cheers some nights) The first night I was home from my great Canadian vacation, we went to Mariner's.

It was one of the friendliest bars I have ever been in and we are all sad to see the end of it. I have seen so many people come and go, but Mariner's has always been there and everyone that has been important to my life in Taiwan has shared the Mariner's experience with me. It is truly the end of an era. The end of my era.