Pack Rats

Two of my favorite places to curiously pass by are in the Da'an district of Taipei. These two places exhibit a creative and unique way of using the space given to fill the space with stuff!

One, in the middle of the bustling Shida nightmarket, is owned by a key smith, who's shop is completely outdoors. You might dare call it a 攤子 (stall), but it is so established that this woman invites her friends to come over and watch tv with her at night, she can be seen cooking dinner on a portable burner, and she, of course, makes key copies on the spot.

The other is located near Yongkang street, an area known for its charming shops and delicious food. This place, I cannot fully introduce, because I simply have no idea what it's about. From what I can tell, it is an apartment that is completely full, leaving a small walkway for the owners to get around. I just know I love to try to peer in and see the mass amount of books and fans... wondering if it's a shop, a home or just a storage area.

In the midst of Shida Nightmarket, this key smith always has friends over to chat.

Near Yong Kang Street. This Obasan is almost always watching TV.

A Puffer Fish Mystery

Last weekend, I went surfing at Honeymoon Bay and saw hundreds of puffer fishes washed up on shore. The other ones were floating in the ocean bobbing up and down playfully as if someone dumped a bunch of bouncy balls into the ocean. 

A girl in our surfing group accidently stepped on one, resulting in one needle severely piercing her foot and the rest prickling her. She explained that the fish had been fully bloated at the point of puncture, but it immediately deflated after.

I wonder what brought them there. All were in different states of decay; some extremely fresh, some already half eaten by flies.

Everyday Movement Amplified

For a company called Fluke that makes vibration testers.

Happy Friday!