Walking Aid

My grandmother, age 94, trained in Taichi for years and still walks with a spring in her step. Despite her Alzheimer's, she, full of pride, likes to brag at her nursing home about her physical health. However, she sometimes loses balance. She cleverly grabs my hand (or anyone else's for that matter) and arm to make me her walking aid.

How To...

In Taiwan, there are often notices posted up in bathrooms asking for guests not to flush their toilet paper down the toilet for fear of clogging it. However, this public restroom, at 旗津區 (Qijin Island) in Kaohsiung instructs one on how to use the toilet instead. 

Guard Dogs

Guarding Buddha's Head fruit at a stand en route to Taidong

They know to sit in a spot where they can get a full view of their surroundings. The first dog seems more like a 老闆娘 (store owner's wife), who seemingly has more reign than the 老闆 (boss). The second directly gives caution with it's old man glare and threat to bite.

It wears a sign that says "我會咬人!" (I will bite people!)

外婆的腳

My grandmother is a short woman. I love to watch how her feet barely reach the ground to tap to the beat, while she sings every other word of the song.




Happy Friday!

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.

Everyone takes a nap during lunch

Taiwanese try to utilize their full lunch-hour: Eat, then nap. This is no pansy nap. I'm talking about a full-fledged, grab-your-pillow, put-on-your-eyemask, everybody-quiet-down nap. 

I will admit I have taken one 15 minute nap so far, and it was much needed. (But yes, I'd like to point out that it was a pansy nap.) Ask me in a few months. Maybe I will get used to it and succumb to the Pavlov's dog theory that makes all Taiwanese get so sleepy once lunch-time hits. 

Raw Beauty

I found this chair on designboom and fell in love with the elegant way the "Yii" chair uses its material and refers to craftsmanship. The chair was a collaboration between NTCRI (National Taiwan Craft Research Institute) and TDC (Taiwan Design Center) aiming to use traditional craft techniques in a contemporary way. Led by creative director Jeff Shi, it encompasses the philosophy of "yii," which is a law of natures transformation over time.

It is made of 43 bamboo cantilevered slats.

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