Late Night Snack

Taichung, Taiwan 2006

Shrimp Fried Rice / "Sha-ren Chou Fan":
From right across the street, where we eat almost every dinner these days. They make anything we want, make it WELL, and sell it for cheap. A three or four year old boy (who we have given the English name Bart that he will take with him for the rest of his life) is there most of the time who we chat with (well I more play with) while we eat. Oh and the restaurant is only open at night. Perfect.

Milk / "?"
From Hi-Life (our "walk-in fridge") which is the convenience store two doors down from the restaurant (in between is "Colorado American School" of all things, but the staff can't even speak English and they don't hire foreign teachers. Ahhh the randomness of this country). It's 100% milk, as in not skimmed... which is likely one of the major reasons why I gain weight while residing in this country. That and the food is so good, cheap, fast, and everywhere.

Total cost: 100 NT$ / $3.48 CAN
Total satisfaction: 100%

Motion

Taipei, Taiwan 2006

4 Cru

Some work by my boy from WAY back (FAST), and his crew here in Taichung. I just spotted these in the Canal as I was riding by. This stuff is old and a little faded, but dope nonetheless. To call this nothing but vandalism is the equivalent of wearing a big sign around your neck stating "I'm an idiot".

www.taichung-graffiti.blogspot.com if you want to check out a whole lot more.

The Pinky Swear

I've never researched the origination of "The Pinky Swear" and wonder if even the ever-mighty Google search could yield a satisfactory result. Yet, they are sworn upon, and as a result taken with real offense by most when made and broken. They hold weight.

I wonder what percentage of pinky promises are actually kept. For that matter, how often people older than the elementary years make them. There must be others. At least a small handful of people. Maybe more?

Anyways, We did.

And it was kept by both parties.

Whatever you may now be considering a possibility of this promise to be, I'd bet the scooter you're wrong. It was nothing of 'guttermind' intentions. More like jee-pai han bao (aka The BEST chicken and egg breakfast sandwich EVER) ones.

Turf - Taichung Style

Taichung, Taiwan (Heart of the Canal District, or "Little Europe")

TOP:
The Canal (about 6-8m high), fills up and sometimes overflows during the more powerful Typhoons.

MIDDLE: The view from the Canal, on Meitsun Lu(road), otherwise known as, for the time being; home.

A little closer to the gates. Literally the door between a laundromat and a small little "to-go only" tea shop / food stand. There live mom and pop, who collectively know not a LICK of English. With my minimal chinese + a whole lot of body language and problem solving, we communicate quite effortlessly and enjoyably. At least a smile and "nihao" every time I pass in and out, and little chats if I or we as a group are standing around outside the shop. Their 6 year old daughter who knows NO English (I'm making efforts to teach, but she's resisting my attempts like the Federation to The Borg!) is also there whenever she's not in school, 'til closing after 23:00 (11pm). I was mashin' her up at hide and seek the other day, but she's got "paper, scissor, stone" on lock.
BELOW:

The Taiwan Experience II

June 26, 2006 - ?

"Certainly travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." -- Miriam Beard




It has begun... again.