Category: Travel

Of course, we have no fireworks back home. One firecracker could set the entire state into one huge fireball.

This general prohibition cuts both ways. Because of lack of exposure, I neither have much fascination for fireworks but at the same time they are enough of a rarity that it’s somewhat of a treat when I do see them.

We decided to go for an evening to Danshui and when we arrived, there were having what Irene called a Bai bai. I have no clue how that’s phonetically spelled, or what Chinese characters it represents. It was some sort of annual celebration for the local temple.

Thousands of people crammed the streets and millions of firecrackers were being set off. I’ll post some more later, but I’ve never been this close to something quite like this. This video was taken at (apparently) considerable risk to ourselves. People were running, when it went off, the sound was unbearable, it was impossible not to cover the ears and were we assaulted by burning hot shrapnel as it exploded – about 10-15 feet away from us.

Technorati Tags: Blog, Taiwan, Travel

One of the things thats a bit of a problem when I’m in Taiwan, and I see it in a lot of other people’s flickr photos is the air.

So often there’s a white haze in the air that makes all the pictures lifeless. We went to Taipei 101 today, during the day, because when we got going it looked like it would be clear, but by the time we got to the top, it wasn’t and I really didn’t get very many good pictures because of the haze. (Which, because it was through tinted windows was not just white, but blue.)

One of the tricks I’ve found that frequently helps – sometimes amazingly well, other times not so much – is to make a quick levels adjustment in Photoshop. In Martin Evening’s book, Adobe Photoshop CS for Photographers, he shows how to increase the dynamic range of digital photos to tightening the ends of the levels. I’ve found that in many cases, it also clears up the haze in my Taiwan photos.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work so well for today’s pictures, many of which were basically all blue/white.

The picture here is a before and after playing with the levels and curves. If anybody’s got any tips on how to try to punch up photos like this, please let me know. I’m really awful at Photoshopping things.

Technorati Tags: Blog, Taiwan, Travel

There’s apparently a saying in Taiwan – my guess it was said by advertising types and not Confucius – that goes like this, “There are no ugly women, just lazy ones.”

To that end, last night the news was reporting that Taiwan’s women spend NT$ 320 yi (I may have the phonetic of that number wrong.) on face creams alone to whiten their faces or remove wrinkles. That doesn’t include any other kind of cosmetics or make-up.

To put that in perspective, that’s NT$ 320,000,000,000 or roughly US$ 9.6 billion annually.

Is it any wonder you can’t swing a dead cat around this place without hitting a beauty store?

Technorati Tags: Blog, Taiwan, Travel

Even better than a pastrami sandwich… at the supermarket in the basement of the Breeze Center I found a Dr. Pepper!

Plus a box of Scottish shortbread.

This is why I don’t normally wear a hat, but it’s quite practical at this time in Taipei.

Technorati Tags: Blog, Food, Taiwan, Travel

We headed to MOS for breakfast. Last time we were here, MOS didn’t serve breakfast and, as with most burger places, I don’t really care for the breakfast menu. My stomach can’t tell time, I’d rather have a burger than an egg & bacon sandwich or something similar.

Nonetheless, the serve breakfast now and Michelle wanted a ham and egg sandwich, so we decided to go try them.

I ordered a tonkatsu sandwich, Irene ordered a shrimp sandwich and James had the ham & egg sandwich. Little Miss I-Want-Ham-And-Egg opted to have a hot dog instead.

I was displeased with the breakfast for two reasons – they were all cold sandwiches. Luckily for me, my sandwich didn’t have egg on it. I wouldn’t give $0.02 for all the cold egg in the world. The second reason was that each sandwich was really only half a sandwich, that is each one was on one slice of toasted (yet refrigerated) bread, cut in half. it tasted alright, but it wasn’t enough breakfast by a long shot.

James wasn’t too happy with his sandwich, either. For some reason, he wouldn’t eat the ham or egg, and after a couple bites of the toast, declared it “icky” and wouldn’t eat anymore. Good thing, too. Irene ate the piece of bread she was trying to feed him and said, “I know this seems impossible, but there’s peanut butter on this ham & egg sandwich.”

James is allergic (mildly, thankfully) to peanuts. He was already breaking out in a rash on his face.

In what circle of Dante’s Inferno did some condemned chef come up with the idea of putting peanut butter on a ham & egg sandwich? Or was that why he was there in the first place?

The rash faded about 30 minutes to an hour later. Lesson learned, though. Never trust any restaurant not to sneak peanuts in somewhere inappropriate.

Technorati Tags: Blog, Food, Restaurant, Review, Taiwan, Travel

I’m pleased to see Taipei making upgrades to the public infrastructure. For example, they’re installing lighted, covered bus stops in many locations. Apparently, another one of the city’s quality-of-life improvements is the installation of new, very expensive, public garbage cans.

I’ve already mention previously that Taipei used to have public garbage cans, then they instituted a pay-per-the-bag garbage scheme and had to remove the public garbage because everyone was dumping their household garbage to avoid paying. One trip later and the garbage cans had been returned.

This trip I’ve noticed that the garbage cans frequently have household garbage just piled up in bags next to them. Perhaps that, in some way, is why the new garbage cans are being installed, although I fail to see how they are superior in any practical fashion.

In any case, the new garbage cans are going out and they’re being stolen by people who want nice, new solid metal garbage cans at home.

But pictured here is one that really puzzled me. This new garbage can has been mounted on the street and is still in the city of Taipei wrapping paper. Further down the street, you can see the old square garbage can next to the bus stop sign.

Here’s my question: What possible reason would there be to install a garbage can and wait before opening it for public use? Does it have to be prepped in some way?

Looking closer, here’s something even funnier: It’s already filled with garbage, anyway.

Technorati Tags: Blog, Taiwan, Travel

Is there anything more instinctive than a revulsion to the creepy-crawlies?

Nothing comes immediately to mind, especially when brutes like this can run out into the middle to the room at rodent-like speeds. I saw this guy out of the corner of my eye last night and nearly jumped out of my skin. He ran to ground here (before be met an untimely demise) where I caught a few pictures for posterity.

Incidentally, the black baseboard he’s resting on is 4 inches, top to bottom.

They say they’re good for catching mosquitoes and cockroaches, but as the kids and I are, essentially, sleeping on the floor, I’d rather he wasn’t running around the floor. I wouldn’t give the family dog good odds in a fight with this monster.

Technorati Tags: Blog, Taiwan, Travel

Follow-up to my earlier post on Diana’s wedding proposal.

For the last 3 days or so, the Taipei 101 now has a sign saying “Yes, I do!”

Technorati Tags: Books, Taiwan, Travel