Big excitement Tuesday night: I took out the trash! I shouldn’t admit this, but this is one of those “first time ever” events. I’ve always managed to stay in places where somebody else was responsible for the trash. Not this time. … [Read more...] about Trash Night Adventure
Street Views
Way-finding in Taipei
Given how densely-packed and jumbled up Taipei can be, it's surprisingly easy to find things. That's because every building has a placard with its address, and the addresses follow this logic: There is a grid of boulevards (called roads), most of which intersect at right angles. Between the boulevards are streets. Smaller roads off the boulevards and streets are called lanes, … [Read more...] about Way-finding in Taipei
Taipei Has a Green Thumb
My friends were asking me whether there's green space in Taipei. Yes, my friends, yes there is. This is the most lush, fecund, over the top plant-friendly place I've ever been. Stuff grows like crazy, and you know that makes me nuts because I'm the world's worst gardener. Here are some photos I took on my walk to work. Nothing special -- just typical sights around Taipei. … [Read more...] about Taipei Has a Green Thumb
Celebrating Mid-Autumn/Moon Festival
My neighborhood took on a familiar smell on September 13, as folks fired up their hibachis and grilled meat under the moon. Admittedly, it's not easy to actually see the moon in this tightly-packed warren of narrow lanes and tall buildings, but the grills, the coolers, the lawn chairs set up in a circle around the grill took me right back to South Street. Charlotte Neal's fire … [Read more...] about Celebrating Mid-Autumn/Moon Festival
Making the Most of a Subway Station
Taipei's subway stations are way more than places to get on and off trains. They have clean, safe public toilets (outside the turnstiles, where anyone can access them). They also have post offices (which, incidentally, provide banking services) and cell phone charging stations with WiFi hotspots. Click "Read More" for photos. … [Read more...] about Making the Most of a Subway Station
