Every district in Taipei has its own sports center - a community rec center where people of all ages in the local neighborhood gather to exercise and connect for the equivalent of a 2-3 dollars entrance fee. Twice per week, Grayson and Poppy's swim team meets in the Beitou sports center.
Old and charming, there is an air of acceptance in the place - no pretense - open for everyone of any age and ability. Many older women ride their bikes to the center and sit in the cafe at the front, talking animatedly - we see them every time we visit. There is no rush in the swim lanes where folks of all ages do laps, some seeming to float slowly between strokes. Cleanliness is top priority, with everyone required to wear a tight swimsuit/shorts and a swim cap and to walk through an ankle high puddle to wash off their feet as they enter. Grayson and Poppy's coach, Alpha, is a former military helicopter pilot turned coffee shop owner - he lends them waterproof headsets so that he can coach them with his walkie talkie as they improve their strokes. His approach is to go slow and emphasize technique which will eventually lead to speed.
The spa pool, separate from the lap pool, hosts many different bubble massage machines. You can lay on them, sit on them, stand on them, and some propel a giant waterfall like rush of water at your shoulders and back, digging deep into your shoulders and neck. Amazing. The effect of this place is less - 'look your best and burn as many calories as possible' like our chain gyms in the states, but rather 'move your body, connect with your community'. I never liked sports this much before! Upstairs there is an entire room of ping pong tables. Expert players fill their tiny netted space with hundreds of balls as they continuously play - not wanting to stop and pick up a missed ball between plays. Still to explore (due to confusion about how to reserve spots) are: badminton courts, rock climbing, yoga and some sort of arial class that translates into "gravity hammock". The neighborhood surrounding the sports center is lively with strings of red lanterns, community hula hoops, and beautiful greenery on most balconies. On some days, vendors out front sell corn dogs and mini waffles shaped like teddy bears. But we are now regulars at a nearby ramen place which we visit after practice - the cook is an older man that speaks no English, and Grayson learned to tell him "hao chi" - tasty delicious -- Kim
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