A Different Perspective

Mark is known for his love of mountains, trees, rocks, water and sky, and solitude. Recently, he had an experience which gave him a new perspective. Stuff like this happens in Taiwan. We'll let him tell it. Thanks to Ping for the real Chinese names for these places!

Flora and More-a (Flora)

Mark has observed that there are two things the Taiwanese love above all. Number One is food, and they talk about it incessantly. No, seriously: incessantly, as in "without pause or interruption." You can join pretty much any conversation between any two or more Taiwanese simply by blurting out "How chi ma?" (Is it good food?) There is a 96.3% chance that you've asked a perfectly legitimate question at exactly the right moment. The other 3.7% of the time, you'll get a really good laugh. Mark does this all the time. The Taiwanese don't just talk about food, though, they eat it every chance they get. And they will talk about food with their mouths full! In fact, they will go to a restaurant and eat one food while talking about another food as the flat screen TV in the corner plays some cooking show about a totally different food.

But since Mark isn't Taiwanese, this post is about something else. (Besides food? Ping wonders what that might be...)

It's In The Bag - 非女人專屬

Mark has always loved backpacks. Every time we went into an REI or visited The North Face outlet, Mark had to check out the backpack section. Over the last ten years, he's gone through five or six backpacks, but he was always looking for the next great configuration. The standing joke with Mark and backpacks was: "Honey, I don't have one this size...!"

When we arrived in Taiwan, it became immediately apparent that the temperature and humidity levels made wearing a backpack hot and uncomfortable.

Look Who's Here! 老朋友

When we lived in Portland, we happened upon these various characters who became so dear to us, we had to bring them with us to California. They lived on top of our refrigerator. Though we pared down a lot of other stuff, these particular personalities had to come with us. Yesterday, we opened another box, and there they were! They've come with us all the way to Taiwan.

Mark's socks appear normal at first glance, but what lurks inside?

Top Ten Taiwanese Traffic Rules - Human Powered 台灣交通規則

We recently published Mark's list of the Top Ten Traffic Rules here. Marcos Del Aguila suggested that the rules for human-powered traffic might be different. Indeed, they are!! Here are Mark's Top Ten Taiwanese Traffic Rules for Humans/Human Powered Vehicles:

10. There is no "right of way." It's not right of way, it's "right away." If you do it right away, it's done. He who gets there first wins, whether his power source is flesh and bone or a reciprocating engine. This also applies to dogs.

Alishan Maple - Art Within Limitations 八色挑戰

We've been working on learning to live well, whatever our current conditions may be. I [Mark] have been learning to work with fewer tools. I'm used to having a "studio" with a nice, big easel, and many colors of soft pastels at my fingertips. Most of those things are still packed in boxes, and I no longer have a dedicated room for a studio. (Plus, why should I have lights on in another room when there's plenty of room where Ping's already sitting with the lights on? Hmmm....not very "green.")

Convenience Store 便利商店

With a bit of research, Ping figured out how to buy event tickets online. While that process is relatively recognizable, paying for and picking up the tickets can be a bit different here in Taiwan. Here, if you like, you can also go to the local 7-Eleven.

Really? Really.

Top Ten Taiwanese Rules of the Road 台灣十大路規

I think anytime you go to a different country, you get the immediate impression that "these drivers are wackos!" In time, though, you learn the local driving rhythm and flow, and you figure out how to fit in. I (Mark) am lucky that I grew up in Ecuador where drivers were borderline homicidal, so I have figured out crazy driving patterns before. Since I am not driving these days, I get to observe a lot more. Here are the Top Ten Taiwanese Rules of the Road as observed from the passenger seat and as a pedestrian.

10. There is always room for one more; it doesn't matter if we're talking about lane splitting scooters or how many trucks can turn left after the light turns red. If you can squeeze an ant in there sideways, someone is trying to jam a scooter in next to it. Heck, someone's trying to squeeze a BUS in there!