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Category Archives: Taiwan

Airborne Wishes

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on September 29, 2015

Writing wishes on their lantern

There is one district in the outskirts of Taipei named Pingxi where tourists flock mainly to see and experience the flying lanterns on a railroad track.

Readying the hot air lantern by putting fire on bunch of papers inside

To do the lantern experience, I’ve observed that first, you choose and buy a lantern from one of the many vendors in there, then write anything that you (and your companions if lantern sharing) hope or wish for, afterwards stand on the railroad tracks (when there’s no passing train of course), it is there that fire will be lit on a bunch of papers inside to generate hot air. Just before releasing, smile at the camera (100% of those I’ve observed have their photographs taken, and they were all smiling, the lantern must be expensive, I suppose), lastly let go of thy wishes into the air. Goodbye. I wonder where all those lanterns end up.

Couple smiling at the camera with their lantern on the railroad tracks

Released lantern

Assortment of lanterns

Bye bye lantern

Trio lantern sharing

Belief, Taiwan lantern, Pingxi, railway, tourism, tradition

By the River Tamsui

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on September 27, 2015

To pause for a while and watch the sunset

One fine afternoon, in place of long walks, it was the perfect time to ride leisurely by the river Tamsui and watch the sunset in my rented bicycle. Then I’ve come to understand that I take delight inTaiwan more than in Hong Kong or Macau.

Sunrise Sunset, Taiwan bicycle, cycling, New Taipei City, river, Tamsui

Post Boxes in Taiwan

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on September 26, 2015

Red and green post boxes in Ximending, Taipei

Cat themed post box in Houtong

Two-toned post box in Pingxi

Receptacle, Taiwan Houtong, mail, Pingxi, post box, Taipei, Ximending

Taiwan Sausage

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on September 24, 2015

The pale looking ones are actually sticky rice inside a sausage casing. The rice sausage is being grilled, then it would be sliced lengthwise partially so the pork sausage can be wedged on it.

The pork sausage in Taipei (and around) is a savory and tempting snack whether skewered or placed inside a sticky rice sausage (that serves as bun). Quite an extraordinary sustenance because it is deliciously fatty.

Nearly each time I could smell it, I buy. For at least five times as I can remember that I ate grilled pork sausage, I could say that I had a gratifying street food snacking experience in Taiwan. So I thought of collecting few pictures about this subject.

Why does pork sausage taste even better at night?

Skewered pork sausage

For a longer satisfaction

Of various sizes

Pork sausage inside the sticky rice sausage. A meal in itself

Comes in bite sizes too

Food, Taiwan grilled, pork sausage, rice sausage, sausage, stall, stand, sticky rice, street food, Taipei, vendor

White Ampalaya Juice Stand

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on September 22, 2015

One of the many ampalaya juice stands in Taiwan

Only in Taiwan where I have seen the ampalaya being sold widely as beverage. The physical appearance of white ampalaya in its relatively considerable size is such a curiosity. With honey or sugar added, the ampalaya juice is refreshingly good because of its clean taste and with no overpowering bitterness.

Another white ampalaya juice stand

Beverage, Taiwan ampalaya, juice, Taipei, white bitter gourd

2-Step Toilet Flusher

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on September 20, 2015

Floor toilet with 2-step flusher

Taiwan is particular in saving water as one can observe from most of their sink faucets where the flow is powerful spray instead of steady stream, which means less water is needed in effectively removing soap from hands in just a short time. They also have this 2-step flusher so unlike the usual two buttons we normally see in Western toilets. This one in Taiwan is more hygeinic as I don’t need to use my hand. As you can see from the instructions below, one flusher is for urine, and another one dedicated for stool.

Instruction and trivia inside the toilet. Now you know if frogs do poop

Another toilet with 2-step flusher

Really nice to do one’s business on the floor toilet while looking at that cat picture

Fixture, Taiwan 2-step flusher, floor toilet, toilet, water saving

Gastropod Shell Pot

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on September 18, 2015

Snail meat is for snacking while its shell is for potting

Grilled snails are for snacking in Jiufen town. One house I happen to pass by has this idea of repurposing the gastropod shell as plant pot. Cute.

Grilled snails at Jiufen Old Street. I see lots of potential pots

Food, Garden, Repurposing, Taiwan container garden, gastropod, grilled snail, Jiufen, old street, plant pot, Shell

Railway Boxed Lunch

Leave a comment Posted by Lana on September 17, 2015

The store that sells bian dang (boxed lunch) at the railway station

Twice in separate days I bought TRA’s (Taiwan Railways Administration) carton boxed lunch at the train station for the purpose of convenience and experience. Going around Taipei and its neighboring towns via Metro and TRA, I’ve observed and verified by myself that it’s very handy to buy boxed lunch at the stations and then have a quiet meal on park benches or any seating one can find in public spaces.

Another TRA boxed lunch store

The boxed lunch typically consists of pork chop, tofu, rice, stir fried vegetables, and stewed egg. At NT$60 it was satisfying and simply delicious. I ate my bian dang (local term for railway boxed lunch) on a bench in Houtong, a cat village in Ruifang District. I also had bian dang on a bench in the grounds of Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall before touring this monumental memorial.