Impact Hub Taipei Mannequin Challenge
In case anyone wanted to see what the inside of Impact Hub Taipei looks like! Also featuring the Gogoro battery-swap station… I didn’t know this was going to happen today, but kudos to the videographer, because we did it after only one trial run.
Taipei Children’s Amusement Park
Today, we randomly took Bus 41 up to Taipei Children’s Amusement Park! It was on a whim, so we didn’t realize that the bus ride would take over an hour (future note: taking the MRT would probably be faster). At any rate, the amusement park itself was both smaller and better than expected! (These two attributes were not necessarily related.)
There’s lots to do for young kids here. While the playground and sandbox seemed very popular (and free), S. loved watching the remote-controlled mini boats in the small pond. However, it was clear that his absolute favourite was driving a motorized mini-car around a small track.
We actually arrived in the late afternoon, and discovered that the Park is free after 4 PM, until closing at 8 PM (entrance is normally NT$30, which you can pay by EasyCard). In fact, all the rides could be paid for by EasyCard, and were generally NT$30 each (though the motorized car was $80). All in all, it was pretty convenient and not too crowded–a good visit in my books…
Taipei Children’s Amusement Park 臺北市兒童新樂園
No. 55, Section 5, Chengde Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111
Cream Collon
Please enjoy some Cream Collon after your breakfast Cerear…
Typhoon Megi
Typhoon Megi resulted in two official days off for Taipei, as well as a temporary shutdown of the water mains because the supply got flooded with muddy water. Elsewhere in Taiwan fared worse, with four casualties, power outages, and agricultural losses. In Taipei, the main visible damage was to the trees, and flooding around the riverside.
As to what happens during a typhoon: so far not much, because we’re smart (and lucky) enough to stay inside. It’s typically mostly just bearing with the hours of rattling and howling from the crazy winds (though if you break a window, I guess things get more exciting real fast). And checking the news and Facebook for work cancellations, utility outages, and general updates on the storm. I’ve been checking earth.nullschool.net for weather visualizations; here’s a screenshot I took as Megi was approaching Taiwan…
Recovering from illness
S has been sick for a couple of days, but today he insisted on having fish balls. This means going to 王記府城肉粽 down the block, which–although known mainly for their zongzi (bamboo-leaf-wrapped sticky rice)–also serves a mean fish ball soup.
After eating, we sat on a bench and watched the traffic go by.
The Toronto skyline (and a plane)
Off Coffee
I don’t think I’d like to drink anything that was “off,” thank you.
Taiwanese dogs
People in Taipei have a very different relationship with their dogs than I’m accustomed to. Part of it is pragmatic: with the density of the city and the reliance on scooters for transportation, I guess it’s inevitable that people will bring their dogs along for the drive. With no one batting an eye. Well, except me.
Even worse are the dog strollers. People actually push their dogs around in what at first glance look like baby strollers–but for dogs! On a good day, I give them the benefit of the doubt and presume it’s because they need to take their dog on the subway. Yet I’ve never seen one on the MRT.
I just don’t think “walking the dog” was meant to be done this way. -_-
(Sorry for the poor quality photos, I took them covertly — as if *I* should be embarrassed!)
taiwanese lychees
One of the simple, but luxurious things about living in Taiwan is the access to fresh lychees — and because the season is short, you *really* appreciate them. (The season is sadly over, but we managed to snag these at a small vendor today.)
URLs on a scrolling marquee are just wrong
Scrolling neon signs are everywhere in Taipei, and often in the most incongruous places–it’s like no one notices how much it ruins the perfectly nice university gate, local park, or even temple, behind it. It carries an ugly touch of modernity that isn’t even that modern in our smartphone world. Really, are you supposed to read the URL, remember the cid, and then type it into a browser? [confused.]