Both Jade an I have had quite a lot on our plates in the last few weeks, in one way or another. I think we expected that things would calm down after we returned from China, but how wrong we could be!

I wanted to accompany Jade down to Tainan so she could see her Grandmother, and I was hoping for a nice relaxing time. Sadly, work kept rearing its ugly head, so I rarely completely detached, sadly. But none the less, we managed to ride the ‘GaoTie’ or High Speed Rail down to the south of the island, cutting the journey time from several weeks down to a more respectable two hours or so. Never have I been anywhere in the world that feels so monstrously big, but in actual fact is so small – all because of Taiwan’s horrendous;y busy roads and public transport.

It was really good to see the HSR – I am really pleased that the place has a way now to link up the major cities to the south. I am positive that it will make the island much more competitive, as well as making a weekend break in the Tropics a reality – busing was always a hassle, and flying – well, it’s all a bit antisocial, I guess.

My main aim, apart from chillin’ with the lady, was to hunt down a propah, traditional lantern for my Grandmother – something I have been looking for for three years. But of course they close on Sundays. Of course they do. So… the hunt continues!

High Speed Rail – not quite up to Japan…

… but actually I was somehow quite taken with the municipal bus seating, rather than the budget airline style you find in Japan – more egalitarian, perhaps?


Swim little fishies … kids street games

It’s almost worth doing a whole post on road side boxes in Taiwan – I just love how they hire a local artist to paint these scenes… that I am pretty sure do not exist anywhere on the island!

Tainan movie posters! I have only really seen these in my Chinese books from, like, ten years ago – real hand painted hoardings that go up outside the movie theatre. I would dearly love to buy one, but we enquired and they are not for sale. Makes me think that there must be one old guy painting these scenes, and when he dies, this art dies with him. I mean, what really is the price of printing out one poster on to tarpaulin? Hiring an artist to do it costs less? Or is it just copyright?

The Fantastic Four – “JingQi Si Chao Ren” – or … The Amazing Four Super People

Pirates of the Caribbean 3 – “Shen Gui Qi Fang – Shi Jie de Jin Tou” – Spirit Ghost Boat – The End of the World”


Spiderman 3 – “Zhi Zhu Ren 3” – Just the same!