Quite a clever little trick. Opens up the possibility of having quasi-3D adverts. Imagine a dragon flying up those stairs…
Taipei City Hall MRT Station
Month: March 2006
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Stair Ads
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Japanese Cigarettes
Bumped into a friend in PS today and he had just come back from Japan. I’m not a smoker, but I could be persuaded with a packet as cool as this.
The pack slides open sideways, and the main information is ‘H’ for heavy, along with the associated red colour. Apparently, the other packs feature different letters and colours for lights, menthols and so on.
Alphabet Cigarettes – ‘H’
In my frequent visits to PS: Cafe I am always taken by the fascination with all their glowing screens. Cell phones, notebook computers, portable games machines, PDAs, disctionaries, iPods … anything that sparkles, glows and allows them attachment to other people – even to the detriment of the people sitting next to them. Interestingly, I saw a pair of guys watching a TV show together off an iPod ‘with’ Video. Rather interesting. -
Taichung – Buses & Trains
The way home was marked with some fantastic old buses and the typically ridiculous public information signs on the train…
Was this bus in a cartoon when I was a kid?
Back side
The green bus … from the 1960s?
This is a Lifesaving Button!
When and how to use this Emergency Button:
Please press the emergency button, in the case that your car breaks down or other perilous situations.
Step 1: Press the button
Step 2: Then remove your car from the track
Step 3: Run when you see the train approaches!I love love love Taiwanese public information boards – especially the logic of the steps required to salvage a potentially life-threatening situation.
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Taichung
Now the weather is finally showing signs of permanently improving, I am making a more concerted effort to visit more places outside of Taipei. I found that my rate of discovering new and interesting things in Taiwan dropped off markedly after the first year here, as a result I suppose of developing a routine, and frankly finding things more ‘normal’, if that is possible here.
Never the less, I took some time out to go down to Taichung – Taiwan’s third city – and see Sun Moon Lake. Taichung is an interesting place. I have the feeling that because it is not the original seat of power (Tainan) or the second city (Kaosiung) it somehow has a more defiant spirit about it and clamours to define its own identity in the face of the ‘international’ city Taipei. You can see this in the way people talk about it and indeed in some of the street fashion that I found.
Kaosiung’s largest tower, and site of a rather big fire earlier in the year … why do all cities have to have one tower with a UFO on the top. Was it a conspiracy in the 1970s? I am positive there is a revolving restaurant up there.
Rather a cool little coffee shop hidden away in a restored old building (hopefully this will happen more). Stones on the floor. 1000 artistic ideas on the walls – seems like a real struggle to define its identity, but I am happy that places like this are popping up.The first thing to know that amongst foreigners, the name is ‘Sin City’. Multiple large complexes of lap dancing / spicy lady clubs emerge out of the mist of Taiwanese concrete. The style certainly borrows from Las Vegas or Atlantic City – a ‘Pastiche of a Pastiche’. The result is like architectural Chinese Whispers, and like looking at Europe or the Middle East through a lens … through a lens. Somewhat distorted!
Sadly, with my jaw on the floor the whole time, I neglected to take any photos. I shall have to sort some out.
On to Sun Moon Lake – one of the prettier destinations in Taiwan. Somehow we avoided the tourist hordes, but I imagine this is hell in the summer time.
Betel nut seller. Shaken not stirred.
GQ: Man of the day award
Reminiscent of Lago Maggiore in Italy?
… the kids agree
Flotilla of stuff
A nice wall -
PS: Cafe
PS: Cafe is one of my saviours. A cool, laid back place where I have met many of my friends, and where I know I can go where people know my name (cue theme tune from Cheers). There seems to be a high percentage of creative types, marketing dudes, designers and musicians here, and I have spent many hours here studying Chinese, drinking coffee / beer and chatting to the owners – Jared and John from New Zealand.
Cheers to PS -
DEM inc : The New Office
I haven’t really said too much about the new office location. Over Chinese New Year we shifted from the sticks of Shilin to the bright lights of Keelung and Jhongxiao. Downtown baby!
The investment in the new place is impressive, easily putting it on par with many European offices. The office is small (we seem to have instantly filled the place), but has impressive detailing and intelligent use of space. Energetic, and a professional step up in the world.
The down side is certainly that I had to cancel Chinese study with Michael in Tienmu. We had a good six month run of continued study together with the school near my old work, and more or less on his way home. It was a very pleasant way to stay in touch. The shift to the new downtown school on An He Road (and now six hours a week, up from four) is good, but I do miss a language study partner.
The shift in geographic focus is having some interesting side effects. I am cooking far less at home, now I am in such easy proximity of my friends, and all the bars. And in general I am spending less time at the apartment – not that I was ever at home much anyway. So, I need to be more careful about my sleep patterns, which remain pretty eratic.
I’ll put a bunch more photos up when the professional shots come back from the developers, but for now here is a shot from the recent grey days of Taipei early spring… now replaced with glorious sunshine and outdoor beers!
101 at lunch -
Anke & Lars in China … and India
Awesome photos from Anke & Lars as they see China and India. Awesome!
They said jump