29/10/2016
Paw prints for the future
Perhaps these paw prints, currently embedded in a Bangkok street, will be unearthed by someone thousands of years from now and preserved as an artifact from our time on earth.
Labels:
lateral universe,
Thailand
26/10/2016
Hello Good-gye Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai at night Homage to the King |
White stupa in Chiang Mai |
The words Chiang Mai means "new city" which was true in 1296 when it became the new capital of the old Lan Na kingdom, founded in 1262. Today it is that part within the wall and square moat. This trip we stayed outside and walking to the old city required crossing the belt line road which is something like a foreign body trying to cross the body's blood-brain barrier. There are only a few crosswalks over this daunting road and most of those don't even have a traffic light. You cross at your own risk. And even where there are lights, they barely give enough time to run across before changing back to red.
One note though—on our last day in Chiang Mai a friend turned us on to a different, excellent veggie restaurant, Imm Aim Vegetarian & Bike Cafe. They serve even better peanut butter smoothies and the people were really nice so who knows? We may move back but, for now anyway, we are apartment hunting in Bangkok.
Labels:
Thailand,
travel notes
17/10/2016
Taipei, a once over
Taipei City
Taipei was a pleasant surprise. If anything, I was expecting the usual color and chaos of other S.E. Asian cities, but Taipei was mellow nearly to the point of hypnotic.
People were friendly and helpful even when they didn't speak English and the city was clean, prosperous and quiet. Even the motorbikes, so much a part of life in Asian cities, were quiet. And Taipei was safe. The Westerners we met, many of them long time residents in Taipei, were quick to mention it. Still, we were shocked to see that most of the bicycles downtown were left on the rack unlocked. Where else does that happen anymore?
And we loved the vegetarian and vegan restaurant options. We especially liked the buffet at Minder Vegetarian. In fact we ate there every day, sometimes twice a day. But, there was one quirky thing about Taipei, the umbrellas. Umbrellas are popular among Asians as protection from the sun, it's practically a cliche, but in Taipei it was something more.
A light rain fell intermittently throughout our entire stay and—every time it began—umbrellas instantly popped open creating a nearly unbroken canopy over the entire sidewalk then—when the rain stopped a few minutes later—the canopy disappeared. This happened repeatedly throughout the day—every day. Add music and you'd think it was a flash mob ballet.
But perhaps the most amazing thing of all to me was that people in Taipei don't litter and there was hardly a trashcan to be found, not on the street, not outside stores or cafes, not anywhere. In Taipei people just don't drop trash on the street. It's mind blowing. The streets and parks of Taipei are almost completely litter free. But, when the nightly garbage truck announced itself in the neighborhood with a tinkley blend of ice cream truck jingle and Twin Peaks soundtrack, people came out in spite of the rain and tossed their would-be-litter into the truck.
I didn't intend for this to be just a laundry list of Taipei's glories. Laundry lists are boring. Certainly, like everywhere, Taiwan must have a dark side. Such widespread conformity can be a red flag but, otherwise, we just didn't see it. As it stands, we were intrigued and hope to return.
Taipei was a pleasant surprise. If anything, I was expecting the usual color and chaos of other S.E. Asian cities, but Taipei was mellow nearly to the point of hypnotic.
Breakfast in Taipei |
People were friendly and helpful even when they didn't speak English and the city was clean, prosperous and quiet. Even the motorbikes, so much a part of life in Asian cities, were quiet. And Taipei was safe. The Westerners we met, many of them long time residents in Taipei, were quick to mention it. Still, we were shocked to see that most of the bicycles downtown were left on the rack unlocked. Where else does that happen anymore?
Few bother to lock their bikes. |
And we loved the vegetarian and vegan restaurant options. We especially liked the buffet at Minder Vegetarian. In fact we ate there every day, sometimes twice a day. But, there was one quirky thing about Taipei, the umbrellas. Umbrellas are popular among Asians as protection from the sun, it's practically a cliche, but in Taipei it was something more.
The only "litter bug" we saw was a Daost priest ritualistically throwing leaves onto the sidewalk. Ba'oan Daost Temple |
A light rain fell intermittently throughout our entire stay and—every time it began—umbrellas instantly popped open creating a nearly unbroken canopy over the entire sidewalk then—when the rain stopped a few minutes later—the canopy disappeared. This happened repeatedly throughout the day—every day. Add music and you'd think it was a flash mob ballet.
People carrying their trash to the garbage truck during the nightly trash pick-up - Taipei, Taiwan |
But perhaps the most amazing thing of all to me was that people in Taipei don't litter and there was hardly a trashcan to be found, not on the street, not outside stores or cafes, not anywhere. In Taipei people just don't drop trash on the street. It's mind blowing. The streets and parks of Taipei are almost completely litter free. But, when the nightly garbage truck announced itself in the neighborhood with a tinkley blend of ice cream truck jingle and Twin Peaks soundtrack, people came out in spite of the rain and tossed their would-be-litter into the truck.
Reflexology path Taipei |
I didn't intend for this to be just a laundry list of Taipei's glories. Laundry lists are boring. Certainly, like everywhere, Taiwan must have a dark side. Such widespread conformity can be a red flag but, otherwise, we just didn't see it. As it stands, we were intrigued and hope to return.
Labels:
Taiwan,
travel notes
12/10/2016
Trump, Taiwan and dinner
Red eye to Taiwan |
We landed in Taipei yesterday and will be here for a week. After that we head to Thailand for the next five months. Unfortunately, even though it's all so far away at the moment, the first thing I did this morning was read the latest US election news.
Trump is so bizarre he's like a very real, truly diabolical version of a creepy clown. And, when you think about it, there really are definite, disturbing similarities between him and the worst of them. To name a few, they both threaten people with violence. They both scare people outside the US and then there is the matter of the hair. We know that people like Trump feed on the darkness in the hive mind but is it also true that Trump's rise, as some speculate, is fed by a collaboration between Russia and Wikileaks? There is evidence to suggest this is so.
A real life creepy clown |
But there is one big difference between Trump and other the other creepy clowns stalking people these days. As the Washington Post wrote, Trump could "reshape America and the world". This would be a disaster of inestimable proportions. So, before we left, I did my part to avert this disaster. I voted for Hillary. I hope you do the same.
Please note . . . if you are still thinking of voting for Trump anyway because "you doubt he could do much harm" — this Washington Post editorial is for you.
Inflight monitor |
As for Taipei, it's an amazingly mellow, friendly place. We are both blown away by it. Also, Taipei is very vegetarian friendly. Happy Cow lists 177 vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurants here. So far, we've eaten at two, both very excellent Minder Vegetarian buffets. One is walking distance from where we're staying. It was one of the big reasons M. Lee picked the apartment we're staying in. So today it rained all day, just right for getting over jet lag.
Labels:
Taiwan,
travel notes,
vegetarian
09/10/2016
Clinton - Trump Town Hall debate
This extract from a Metafilter discussion of tonight's town hall debate between Clinton and Trump is of another failed attempt by predator Trump to be "presidential". Cooper is one of the debate moderators.
COOPER: you grab women's genitals, that's sexual assault, do you understand that?As for me, I voted for Hillary before leaving on this trip. At the moment we're sitting at Los Angeles International Airport. Our flight to Thailand via Taiwan leaves at midnight.
TRUMP: I never said that, I don't think you understand this is locker room talk. So many terrorist organizations around the world cutting off heads it's crazy around the world, Yes it's locker room talk and I hate it but I will knock the hell out of ISIS and. . .
COOPER: You're saying you didn't kiss women or grope women without their consent?
TRUMP" I have great respect for women. We're going to make America safe again
COOPER: Have you ever done that?
TRUMP: No I haven't.
posted by petebest at 6:12 PM on October 9 [31 favorites +] [!]
Source: "Don't modulate the key then not debate with me via Metafilter
Labels:
politics,
reality checks
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