Jonathan Biddle – Made in Taiwan

Tag: Family

  • In the Bleak Mid Winter

    The mountain biking in Taiwan this past year has been one of the major highlights, and a regular feature on schedule. I started riding at about 14, and my main riding buddy has always been my Dad. Many of our most memorable rides have been found in the gap between Christmas and New Year when the Peak District seems to deliver crisp, cold, clear weather.

    Somewhat contrasting the sub-tropical riding of Taiwan, today was one of the coldest mountain bike rides I have ever experienced. Starting at Chatsworth House, we ascended through fields of snow and frost, with the rock-hard mud punishing any mistakes. By the top of the first climb our extremeties were aflame with cold and both of us felt nauseous as our lungs attempted to return to the car. And you know it is really cold when your water bottles freeze, dishing up rather unwelcome Slush Puppies.

    You have never tasted a more welcome pint of beer and pub fireplace, I assure you.


    Dad Braves the elements


    Old skool bikes – the lack of suspension was a real surprise


    The boys on tour

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Christmas in England

    After almost one year away, it is fantastic to be back. As a contrast to last year, which felt more like coming up for air, this year I feel much more confident and relaxed to be home. Much has happened in the last year, so I can only guess what is likely to happen in the next twelve months.

    Mum!

    Wandering back from the pub after a swift jar on Christmas Day

    Grub’s up – home cooked food after a year away tasted so sweet


    Dad gives Mum the lowdown on her present – the new GPS device – on a Boxing Day stroll in the local fields


    I’m dreamin’ of a white Christmas


    Grandpa works it for the camera


    We are family

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • The Great Sausage Experiment

    My Mother sent me a hilarious package of things which arrived this Friday. Key among the items was a pack of 6 Newmarket sausages which we wanted to send via post to see if they survived the journey. Or, at least, if I survived when I ate them.

    They certainly did not smell bad, and there seemed to be a good trick – included in the parcel was a pack of Cadbury’s chocolate. The shape had been maintained, so I can only assume that the temperature during transit never got too high.


    Slap Up

    The final test of course came in the eating. I had all the ingredients for a full English breakfast, which I woke up George for as I bounced around the apartment cooking. Sausages, Bacon (American Style), Mushrooms (Grilled with Olive oil and Thyme), Beans (HP, sadly), HP Sauce (HP, gladly), Tea (Tetley’s), and Orange Juice.

    I am hungry again thinking about it!

    It was all fantastic, but the sausages certainly had a certain special additional … bouquet. Half way between lemon and vinegar in the background, they did taste a tiny little bit strange. However, I have had more than my fair share of dodgy kebabs without (many) problems so I ploughed straight through them and enjoyed every last bite.

    So, if I am still alive tonight and my gizzards have not fallen into the toilet I’ll make a sausage salad or something tomorrow. Yum.

    Full English

    As a post-script to this exercise, I went to Taipei’s newest high class restaurant a few weeks ago – ‘The Frying Scotsman’. Taipei’s first Fish N Chip shop! Not bad, but the owner, a heavy Glasgwegian guy, has managed to make the entire place authentically AVERAGE. It is not even really very great. Which, in a way I was rather pleased about. No Haute Cuisine. Just a nice nosh up. I think I’ll be heading back when I feel the need, but it is not the same as my Histon Fryer.

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • 45 Hours in Hong Kong

    Friday Night
    I had been looking forward to meeting Ele in Hong Kong for the last month, ever since she gave me dates for her visit to Beijing and Xiamen. The planning, unusually, was perfect and I landed 5 minutes behind her, probably trailing her plane in on the final appraoch. It was, however, a touch late but we managed to make up for lost time with little difficulty.

    The hotel was amazing. Reasonable price, great location in the Mid Levels, and a jaw-dropping view of Central and accross to Stanley Bay and Kowloon. The 23rd floor bay view premium was worth every penny. Michael joined us on the 14th floor, lining up for a great weekend of meeting friends and family in the South China Sea.

    I felt pretty proud heading out there, with so many different groups of people that I knew. Plus, the fact that I had already visited Hong Kong twice meant that I had no need to do the tourist attractions. The eleation of landing there last year was replaced somewhat with the feeling of visiting a London, or perhaps Frankfurt. No surprises, but a pleasure to be here. What a different perspective a year provides!


    The stunning view from our hotel of Central, Hong Kong

    We met Lorenzo in his new apartment, ironically staying in Sun Yat Sens old hideout on Staunton Street, right in Soho but away from the bustle of Lan Kwai Fong. A nice little pad with balcony / boudoir. We sank a couple of glasses of wine and went off to meet Nick and Rich from the ‘Keep’ boutique store in Taipei, plus Anita and Pamela that I had the pleasure to meet a few weeks ago. Somehow, I seemed to have networked myself into the Hong Kong social scene remotely, since we hardly paid for a drink all night, and we got into three clubs for free. The homework paid off! The highlight was surely Dragon-i – packed with models and apparently celebrities and the jewel in the crown of the HK scenes to see and be seen.


    Party people at Dragon-i

    Saturday
    A rather blurry start to the day, but Ele and I went off to meet Anita + Michael and we pootled off to the equivalent of Wufenpu clothes market in Taipei, except for young clothing designers. Four floors of edge, attitude, and glamour. I picked up a pile of pieces plus shoes and felt pretty pleased with myself.

    In the evening we went off to rather a splendid Shanghai restaurant in the ‘Money’ building called Nan Guo (more or less). Anita had selected the dishes remotely for us so navigating the menu was not too intimidating. The cool thing was allowing the waiters to prepare the food in front of you – stuffing parcels, cutting bits of meat, mixing things – adding to the feeling of a ritual. Similar to the experience I have had with Japanese food. All part of the theatre.

    Of course, we had to go out after. Several bars turned into several clubs – the best of which was Lamaya (or something) which had a German deejay on hand dishing up tight house and techno to a dancing crowd of foreigners and locals. The scene is certainly different here. They seem far more ready to dance to music they have not heard before, unlike Taipei where pop / RnB floor fillers are the safe norm. Equally, fashion here is more developed and western. Less need to flash well-known brand names and more desire to have things that only people in the know will get.


    Michael in Morocco, it seems

    Sunday
    Waking up to the sound of apes howling is a little disarming.

    Cracking open my eyes, I realised that of course our hotel was located 23 floors above the monkey sanctuary of the zoo. The one Ele and I saw last year! It certainly confused me for a good few seconds before the pain of the alcohol hit me as a mosquito would a motorbike helmet – if I am the mosquito. We trundled downstairs to eat breakfast and wait for Lorenzo and the beach!


    One more view of our view – the bulk of my photos had the lens pointed between our curtains! If you close your eyes, you can hear monkeys…

    Repulse Bay – surely the coolest name… there must be good songs written about it – is on the south coast of Hong Kong Island. Rather developed, I realised after an hour there that this was exactly the afternoon I needed – not only for Hong Kong, but for the previous months in Taiwan where I have not left the city except on two wheels. I realised that I have not really been out of Taipei since I was in Thailand – such was the pace of change of my social life.

    I managed to drift off while lying on a floating deck moored 50m out, Lorenzo impressed his German architect girls by writing swear words in the sand, Ele looked pensively off into the distance, and we all watched the sun set while sipping Smirnoff Ice – surely what the stuff was designed for.


    Ele stares into the middle distance, feet in the South China Sea


    Lorenzo on fine form


    Run for the beach!

    Arriving back in Taipei was a wrench, especially to say goodbye to Lorenzo and Anita. I have a feeling I could be back at some point. You never know. I certainly like the place (could you tell?). After some Beijing food, Ele and I rolled to the airport and bid farewell – really, very tough for me. Not seeing her in 10 months and having her snatched away again was a bit rough. Such is the decision of living abroad. And as you can see, the lows come with very good highs. It’s rarely easy, but nearly alwaysrewarding, ultimately.

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Hong Kong Massive

    Flying to meet my sister in Hong Kong … along with some very special other people.

    Should be EXCELLENT

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Grandad we love you

    I just received am e-mail from my father inviting me out for my Grandpa’s 91st birthday.

    Upon being reminded that he can expect a telegram from the Queen in 9 years time he replied “If she’s still alive” – there is life in the old dog yet!

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Saying Goodbye

    It had been a fantastic, fantastic week with my parents here – I really appreciated their visit.

    We had a very relaxing train ride back to Taipei and followed it up with a rather splendid curry at my local joint – surprisingly good. I walked them up to their hotel along the river and we said a rather wrenching goodbye. I had just got used to having them around and all of a sudden they were going again, which was simply not fair.


    Goodbye from HsinSiang Station and Taiwan!

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Taroko Trails – Day 1

    We got up and started the day with an easy but really good fun trail out to the Water Curtain on the Baiyang Trail. It weaves its way through an old route through the gorge – one of many attempts that are now abandoned. Starting with several long tunnels and proceeding to some great suspension bridges it makes its way to a tunnel that allows water to drain through its roof in a fantastic display. Officially closed, you can still enter and experience it for yourself.


    Chasing Waterfalls (Mum, valiantly defeating another bridge!)


    The whole place looked like a Chinese watercolour the whole time (spot us on the bridge)

    After stopping for a bite to eat we ventured for the short Huaran Pavilion Trail in the afternoon, warming up for a larger one the day after. What I did not really realise (lacking a decent map) was that the trail ascended at a constant 45 degrees from the valley floor until reaching the high road pass 1500 vertical feet later.

    It was an amazing ride and the views were astonishing, but boy did we ache after so many steps up! Interestingly, it was built by the Japanese during the First World War to attack the local tribes. And even more interestingly, we saw a landslide occur on the other side of the valley as we made our way back down – the sound was horrific and seeing a whole hillside of trees on the move was quit surreal.


    View at the top! The Huaran Pavilion after a punishing climb

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • Taroko Gorge

    Taroko Gorge is the crown jewel in Taiwan’s national park system. I took the folks there for a few days of relaxation and hiking and I have to say it comfortably exceeded expectations. The bus ride from the train station was truly breathtaking, winding our way down a marble canyon inches from the edge. Japanese and Taiwanese engineers have made many attempts to drive a road through with varying levels of success, and it it veers through tunnels over bridges and hangs to the rocks as it makes its way to TienShang – out stop.

    We rocked up to a charming place – the Catholic Hostel. We got the best room for my parents (room 12 has the balcony view over the valley) and I kipped next door. The whole place was deserted, being mid week, and it stayed like that for our whole stay – very un-Taiwanese!


    God bless us

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…

  • YangMing Mountain & Mother’s Day

    On Sunday, we met up with Larsandanke, plus Alex and headed off for the mountains and hot springs. My parents had clearly brought fantastic weather with them from Blighty and we took the bus up to the highest point of the pass. At the top are several acres of grass, and this seems to be very rare in Taiwan, since bus loads of locals went up to look at it. I have to say, as an Englishman and someone who appreciates good grass that this particular turf was not bad, and all the better for being naturally cropped by a fleet of water buffalo.


    The green, green grass of home


    Three grinning Brits abroad

    Over the ridge is the large crater formed by the sulphurous outpourings of my local volcano. Clearly, it smells of eggs, but it was quite an impressive sight. The fumuroles were a deeply acidic green colour and the gas gushing into the atmosphere – an arresting sight in the sun.


    A real stinker

    After that, we descended the few remaining kilometres to the open hot springs. Most in Taiwan have been tapped by viscous, evil hotel chains but this one has been left natural. From the left is fresh spring water from the hills. From the right, hot volcanic water. You select your temperature by moving from pool to pool and apply mud to areas that need mudding. Every quarter of an hour or so stand under the waterfall to cool off. Repeat until sleepy. Apply Thai food liberally. Sleep.


    Hot Springs

    The story of a British Industrial Designer in Taiwan…