Sitting in my hotel room watching BBC World, sipping Tsingtao and
catching up on e-mail. If only my VPN wasn't working!
3 days in Shanghai off to a decent start. But isn't it cold!
Category: Made in Taiwan
Thoughts from an Industrial Designer living in Taiwan.
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Shangz
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Danshui Run
Considering I am a pretty keen cyclist, I am surprised how long it took me to get out on the cycle paths to Danshui. A good hour away at speed, we were somewhat compromised by the incredible numbers of bleeding folding bikes everywhere. Not to worry – I applaud the government for building it, and double applaud the people for actually using it.
And it was all worth it to round the corner at Guandu with the sun setting through the famous temple, and rattling back home after watching Tropic Thunder with the crew happily racing scooters and paying little heed to traffic law.
Sam grinning at Guandu
The bikes, happily locked up in Ximending … with a key that was elsewhere in Taipei. Luckily Yamin’s brother is a lock smith and had it in pieces in about 30s. Which made me happy, but rather questioned the quality of the lock. -
Lil’ Sis in Town
One of the advantages of my sister Eleanor’s job is that she has relatively regular travel to Asia, and I was lucky enough to host her third trip to the island a week or so ago, which was just awesome. On top of just hanging out and shooting the shit, we managed to squeeze some hot spring action in, and a trip down to the pottery town of Yingge. After literally flying around the world visiting clients and suppliers, my plans of flying out to one of the islands or training it down to Taroko perhaps were not ideal. The weather remained perfect in Taipei for once, so who cares?!
Ele and I at my favourite restaurant, avec vin, du pain but no Boursain.
The Taiwanese do love their concrete – no idea what these blocks are supposed to do, but some enterprising artist made their own decision.
On the train to Yinge
An actually rather nice spot looking out over the valley.
Colourful seats on the way home
And Jemima enjoys a hot spring ….. mascot for Ele’s latest product launch, and quite well travelled! -
Taiwan Restaurant Chair Manufacturers Subliminally Support Obama
Good luck, America! -
Not Made in China
There is quite a backlash against Chinese produce at the moment, and it is affecting the well-known scare stories like eggs and milk, but also spilling over into other products that I suppose the marketers believe can get some traction with. Hence, batteries; the sticker says “Not Made in China” (非中國： fei zhong guo).
Made in Singapore, none the less – I didn’t even know they had any factories there. -
Taipei Street Movies
Wandering along Civic Boulevard the other evening, one of the local temples was putting on a show of movies, projected from proper reel, down the pavement. I am not quite sure who was supposed to be watching, as it only seemed to be the guy operating the projector and his mate in the audience. I don’t even remember if there was any sound. What a great concept, though.
A night at the movies.
IMAX, almost. -
Long Time No See
The phrase ‘long time no see’ is one of the rare exceptions where it seems that English has absorbed a little piece of Chinese. In this case, the grammar. The sentence structure of 好久不見 (hao 3 jiu4 bu4 jian4) is quite unlike anything else in the English language, and it has been posited that it actually came from China, although other people think it came from native Indians in North America.
Anyway, why am I writing this? I have been locked up indoors for two days, hiding from Typhoon Jangmi, slowly going crazy… and I decided to get back on the Chinese study horse, after a rest of a month or two. Need to work out some nice ways to get some decent study back in my programme, and the blog was the best approach – so, once again, I present Chinese Burn. Let’s see if I can keep it up a bit better this time.
A map, showing the relative boredom levels of people stuck inside.
On its way to Japan – take me with you! -
Lads Bike Ride
Nick prompted me last Sunday to head out with Justin for a pure fixie riding escapade off into the sunset. It’s another twist on the ‘getting together with friends’ Sundays, that seem to be blending in so well into my life … looking forward to more klicks in future.
Head of the peleton
Break away
Wind in our hair
Chase
On the boardwalk -
Kyoto Family Fun
Kyoto map – one of several we wore out on our trip round in the humidity!It’s been almost a week since I got back from Kyoto. I think Mum & Dad should have finished their amazing hiking expedition through the Japanese Alps, but in the meantime I have sorted out the photos from our trip to Japan’s old capital. It was strange in a way to meet them in such an alien place, but at the same time the most natural thing in the world. Where next time, folks? 🙂
I have this suspicion that many of the photos I took this time round are exact facsimiles of my previous trip … but it’s nice to know nothing too much changes!
Hi Mum & Dad!
Dad against an orange background
Concrete background against an orange sock foregroundOne of the great pleasures of the weekend was of course the food. I think the best meal of the weekend was in Pontocho – the old red light district. Door after door of intimidating, foreboding restaurants and clubs, menus with unrecognisable characters (or indeed no menus at all), and a sense that this place was ‘not for us’. How delightful it was then to penetrate the darkness, pop our head round the door, and be welcomed in, to the point of the head chef wanting his photo taken with us as we left? Marvellous.
Ingredients on display – and all through the restaurant too. Very nice idea.
He was tickled pink!Having been to Kyoto before and seen the major attractions, I fancied getting out north on the train on the second day. Recommendations of Kurama and Kibune from a friend had us hiking up into the hills in the sweaty heat, after a pleasant train ride up into the northern hills. While I didn’t get any mountain biking in this weekend I certainly managed to get a sweat up hiking instead.
Quite a narrow platform
Delightful controls … and an even more delightful train driver that was running up and down the platform in exactly the same way as British train drivers don’t.
Letting the world slide by
Goofy masks on sale
Dragons in the forest
Simple folded paper makes for a striking effect
Resting in one of the many small temples punctuating the hot path up the hills – and thankfully they all had little cool springs to splash water on the wrists and face.
Roots Manuva – reminds me of mountain biking in Taiwan
Now I just need to add Dad’s photo, and I think we achieve infinite regression!
A well-deserved lunch
Views through the trees on the way back to the train
Is everything in Japan personified? Am I the only one to see faces in everything?
Lost in Translation
Bird on a Wire
After an evening of showing the Pachinko halls and playing drumming games, a quite ice cream perched on a curb seemed just right.Day two in the city, and we went to check out one or two of the temples that I had not yet seen. The main one was ‘The Golden Pavilion’, and the name pretty much describes what it is. Mainly though, bus loads of tourists taking gigabytes and gigabytes of the same photos on a very managed tour of the grounds.
Although we didn’t know it when we booked, it was one of the major religious festivals of the year, so there was more activity in the temples and shrines than perhaps there usually was.
The Golden Pavilion. Imperial era ‘Bling’
Phoenix Rising
Fabric covering the doors of the ceremonies
Escape
WaitingThe major treat of the weekend was the annual ‘Gozan’ fire festival. Huge depictions of Chinese characters are burnt on the surrounding hills of Kyoto to help guide the spirits up to heaven (I think). It made for a really rather amazing evening, but something that cameras could not really capture, sitting on the roof of the hotel. Here is one of the ‘Daimonji’ being set up for the evening as we left the Golden pavilion.
Burn baby burn
Inevitable photos of vending machines
Reflecting on things before heading into one of the Zen temples
Mum & Dad!
Pooh Sticks
At the Zen temple – even the slippers are nicely arranged.
Some textures, just to keep Michael and Markus happy
Almost positive I took these photos last time
Scale model of the garden itself
Interesting to see them managing the trees for the amount of light coming through … everything is under control, even though it looks effortless and natural.
Dad looks pensive
Getting some ideas for our own garden?
I think these banisters were being repaired when I was here last time – picture below … what have I become?! Discussing banisters?!
Hard at work, a year and a half earlier
Grabbing some dinner (with an English menu, no less!) before heading up to the roof and the fire festival
It was like a Kimono parade – feast for the eyes and camera. I suppose it is like tourists going to Scotland and being fascinated by the Kilts. What seems normal for them (and the Scots) is rather exotic for us.
Shoes.
I did take a big pile of photos of the burning characters in the hills, but they were all small, shaky and rubbish – much better to check the link here for their photos of the Gozan fire festival.
The last day, and Mum goes off to buy a camera
Camera graveyard of junk outside one of the shops … some classics and almost new stuff in there!
And something for me – buying a knife from a shop that has been making them for 500 years. What a pleasure!
Taking the long route to the station, via the river …
Checking the time – it’s always difficult to say goodbye. Even thinking about it now makes me 🙁Great to see you guys – and looking forward to seeing the photos of your second leg!
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Markus & Evelyn
Wish I could be there, chaps … hope you have a splendid day in Darmstadt … and this is my 400th post!
Congratulations!