I just have to say it: the sheer amount of stuff produced in the industrial world never ceases to amaze me.
Steamed buns done up as hedgehogs. Tres cute.
I just have to say it: the sheer amount of stuff produced in the industrial world never ceases to amaze me.
Mother and daughter strategize purchases.
Yesterday Zeb and I headed into the mountains for some hiking and father-son bonding. This produced many touching moments, such as:
"Dad, why are we wasting time here looking at these stupid butterflies?"
"Do we have to go all the way to the top?"
Nevertheless, I did secure some good photos with my son's help. He proved to be an avid spotter of spiders and bugs, and an enjoyable companion. My favorite Golden Orb Spiders were out in force....
Taichung was clearer than I have ever seen it. From the hill you could almost see the ocean on the other side of Tatu Mountain. I'll have some more panoramic shots up tomorrow, hopefully.
Of course, butterflies are not the only things wandering around the hillsides.
Had to use the flash to catch this toad cowering in its hole.
Unfortunately these tiny photos can't do justice to the startling clarity of the air that day.
Catching some water along the trail.
Zeb found this one right next to the trail.
But there was something interesting about it...
This tiny orange spider decided to crawl over the monster.
Atlas shrugged, but couldn't throw the little spider off.
Zeb takes the measure of a snail.
The good weather also brought the roadside vendors out in droves...
[Taiwan] [hiking] [night markets]
it was a beautiful day. it's great to see the sun again. the rain was becoming a bit overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteFongyuan! I'm moving there in 2 weeks! I can't wait. Miaoli City is small-townish (in the way a Candian small town like Belleville is).
ReplyDeleteBut the pollution is worse. I find the air pollution (from cars and scooters, mostly, and sometimes from burning fields) is far worse than in Fongyuan. Fonyuan, on the same day, will smell better and look cleaner for some reason, even though Fonyuan is at least twice as large.
I'm sorry. I've done the same thing as a foreigner, here. Much less, now, since I guess I feel very isolated and don't want to be isolated. Why? I don't know. A lot of factors. One of them being why should I great another foreigner just because he's a foreigner? In Montreal, someone from Lebanon won't greet someone from Morroco, just because they look similar? The expectation that they would do that would be considered ridiculous, maybe even one of the worst forms of racism... I miss that multiculturalism here. So many Taiwanese expect me to greet other foreigners just because they are white.
I usually smile. But if I'm not in a good mood, well, it's just like anything, right?
Only in very small towns, or in the country, in the U.S. or other Western places, do people consistently say hello to one another, unless they are fellow dog-owners. Also, when I first came here, I wanted to get away from my fellow (red-haired) barbarians. I wanted to disappear, to a certain extent. Is that wrong?
great pictures michael. as for the foreigner thing, it's something i have never quite figured out myself. like harris said, if i am in a good mood i will most often smile. there is always that slightly uncomfortable atmosphere that comes from both people thinking 'oh a foreigner...should i acknowledge him?'. I've been to places in india, for example, where if you stumble upon a white face (a very rare occurance) it is expected and required that you stop for a chat, at the very least.
ReplyDeleteI guess i prefer to err on the side of friendliness, even if it is, like harris said, unwarranted.
incidentally, did you make an attempt to acknowledge them?
About the foreigner thing: we're territorial, you know. Like dogs. (Hmmm... that's not right. Then we'd be sniffing each other's butts... Let me think about this...)
ReplyDeleteI tooke the train from Taichung to Fengyauan today. The view was fantastic and nearly comparable to the view from the train on the East Coast. Nearly but but not quite. You live in a beautiful area, Michael.
ReplyDeleteI guess i prefer to err on the side of friendliness, even if it is, like harris said, unwarranted.
ReplyDeleteincidentally, did you make an attempt to acknowledge them?
Yes, in one case. No dice.
The view was fantastic and nearly comparable to the view from the train on the East Coast. Nearly but but not quite. You live in a beautiful area, Michael.
Only because the weather was so good. Can't see a damn thing when the pollution is there....
michael
great photos
ReplyDelete