On a clear day you can see Changhua

Betel nut stand on Wu Chuan W Rd.

Sepat cleared our skies, making Wednesday a beautiful day to take pictures....

Hard at work at the famous Lai Lai Snacks on Wen Hsin Road. This chain is found all over the island and has opened branches in China now.

Until a typhoon blows in, it is possible to live in Taichung and never realize that we are bounded by towering peaks.

The sky was clear and the day was cool. Good views. Naturally.....

....I made a panorama of this spot.

On a beautiful day like today, everyone is indulging in the national sport.

Stopping at the university to drop summer grades, I took a moment to again make one of my favorite panoramas: the city of Taichung seen from the south.

Heading back into town, I collected this pan of the rivers heading to the sea from Taiping and the mountains behind.

On my way over to Chunghsing University to visit a friend, I stopped at the wholesale market downtown by the train station.

I used the panorama function to capture the northern end of the market, making this composite of three images. With so many people on the move in the market, lots of people were cut off ghostly by the seams.

Shoppers crowd a fruit stand.

Helmets are mandatory on Taiwan's streets, but not yet for vegetable sellers. Still, with all the scooters zipping through the market, it's probably not a bad idea.

I walked around the market shooting the vendors.

Taiwan's markets are always crowded...with motorcycles.

Three amigos.

Lots of vendors sell a little of everything.

Pomelos, a great favorite of our family, arriving a little early in the season.

A yam what a yam.

Cleaning the product.

Dirt lends authenticity to the product.

Vendors enjoy a laugh together.

I've never seen these before -- some kind of nut?

Although largely a fruit and vegetable market, there are a few butchers and a couple of clothing vendors.

Mother and child reunion.

The cabbages of Li Shan are famous.

The southern arms of the market.

Lots of vendors make samples to hand out to prospective customers.

I grabbed these shots from the bridge on Fuhsing Rd.

I left that market and headed over to Minyi Street, full of stalls selling clothing and trinkets. One arm of this market terminates in a traditional wet market that is accessible from Taichung Road south of the train station.

Motorcycles are common in local markets. Despite what you may here from more westernized Taiwanese, as my friend and local scholar Clyde Warden pointed out when we discussed them later that day, traditional markets remain the main food retailing channel in Taiwan, just as they still are strong in Hong Kong. One reason for this is the convenience of motorcycling in....

A shopper scans a shop.

The market.

I always wanted a geode.

An underwear retailer adjusts his stock.

In every culture, humans love to adorn themselves.....

A vendor walks through the market selling sushi.

After visiting the markets, I ran over to Chunghsing to visit my friend Clyde. One of the first universities of the postwar period, Chunghsing started as an agricultural university.

A lake on campus.

Clyde took me to the library so I could enjoy some of the views. If you're ever there on a clear day, the views from the seventh floor are fantastic.

Here's one shot from the seventh floor of the library.

Chaoyang U., my university, on slopeland above Wufeng (background).

Southern Taichung and Tali.

Same street, different angle. I did two panoramas from the library that turned out real well, I think....

This panorama shows downtown Taichung seen from the seventh floor of the library. Looking north toward the city.

On a clear day you can see Changhua.... Panorama of southern Taichung county and beyond, looking south with the central mountain range on the left. A gorgeous day.

UPDATE: My beautiful and intelligent student Joslin informed me of what the strange nuts are: 蘋婆. This website here has some beautiful pictures of the nut, known as Sterculia nobilis. Thanks, Joslin!

[Taiwan]