Typical - Maybe - Taiwan Scenes

Scenes Around Taiwan - September/October 2006

Students enjoying some "Stinky Tofu" at this outdoor restaurant.

Pre-K Field Trip

Mr. Mugs in my parents' neighbourhood.

No room inside? Keep your fridges outside!

Making "Chong you bing" - onion pancakes.

Nighttime activity - a look off of the Chongxiao Fuxing station platform.

Attack of the Giant Goldfish. No, it wasn't flying,
there is actually a tank.

Meat markets. Think it's not up to health codes?!
Look up 1 Corinthians 10:25. :)

Get some fried cakes while you browse for a DVD.

Bubble Tea, Hi-Life, Stinky Tofu, and tons of DVD shops -
what more could one ask for?

Talk about efficiency - the owner of this CD/DVD shop was
making his dinner (shown above: dumplings filling) as he sold his wares.

The amazing Taipei MRT.

Evening rush hour

Look closely and you will see the attempt at beautifying
the construction zone (see the planters on the fence?).

The amazing high speed rail. We can now go from Kaohsiung
to Taipei in 1 hr 30 mins.!!!!!!

Drive-through lemonade stand.

Ghost month in Taipei. Many Taiwanese believe that the seventh month
(I think) of the Lunar calendar is when the ghosts from hell are released.
Therefore, you must burn things like paper money, paper houses, etc. and have tables
of things like fruits, chicken, etc. outside to appease these spirits.
I've also heard that you don't want to leave things like pineapple out, because they taste
so good that the spirits then don't want to go back to hell after the month is up.

One of my all-time favourite chains (originally from Japan),
Mister Donut. And no, it's nothing like the ones in North America.
They sell these awesome donuts in the shape of... well,
I guess a flower.

An intricately designed building near Yongkang Street,
near Shi Da University - can anyone tell me what it is?

I really wanted to come eat at this restaurant,
merely because they were giving these Sashimi-headed
dolls away as loyalty prizes.

Umbrella Bag stands - an institution outside
of most institutions. The concept? You take one of these
plastic bags, then put your wet umbrella inside.
Ta da - no drips in the buildings!

Kris holding a Strawberry Shortcake Bubble Tea cup.

A "Shui-guo cha" - or Fruit Tea. But this must be the mother of all fruit teas!