Saved by Havana's

It's been raining for most of the the weekend and still going strong today, so trying to dry any clothes in a damp climate is near impossible. I have also started to see why my apartment might not be so good to live in during the winter months as various damp patches are starting to appear through the paintwork.

I also nearly electrocuted myself this evening, when I was hanging up some washing, how I didn't put few hundred volts through my body was probably due to my rubber flip flops which earthed me.

It all happened as I was holding a steel bar which I had wedge into the side of the air conditioning support framing to act as a cross beam for holding the bamboo laundry poll. But as the steel bar touched the aluminum window frame the was a massive spark at the window edge and huge bag from the AC unit.
















I'm not sure how I didn't get an electric shock from Taiwanese dodgy wiring.

Scooter Slogans

I think this must be the one thing that everybody mentions in there Taiwan blogs, which is the slogans that are printed on the sides of mopeds.

I suppose I could added to the list of photos show ridiculous sentences you see when looking close at the text. But the is just way to many, I already feel Jonny has contributed quite well too this field of images!

Catchy.

But I rather liked this, one with the slogan 'With Fashionable Feeling'. Now I say that's got some shelf presence.

Corporate View

Yes I 'm making progress in the world of corporate work space, I now have a window view although this is more to do with the fact my co-workers don't like to have any sunlight on there

ink I did them a favor choosing this space.

Let's get creative flowing!

Packaging Conspiracy

This packaging was explained to me, as one of the best food packaging ever design. The idea is that the seaweed is separated by a layer of plastic to protect it from getting damp by the rice, thus allowing you to mass produce rice snacks which are as fresh a possible when you by them.

Step 1 :)

When we were hiking in Yangmingshan and we stopped for a snack lunch, I just happened to open this up completely wrong and started munching away on the rice, thinking the seaweed was just decoration, to every one else amusement they couldn't understand how I had managed not to open it properly.

Step 2 :(

Will this is the result of the 6th one I have been unable to open normally... I even remove the Family Mart sticker on the back, but when ever I pull the two sides the sea weed does not seem to cover the rice and instead it just brakes in half.

Ximen Deals

My co-worker Avo said that Ximen is a good place to go and buy the 2nd hand mobile, as the shops are normally a bit crooked I am not entirely sure where my phone was originally acquired, but I hope it was traded in and not stolen.

I love this photo because of the excitement he had on his face while he showed of my cash!

Been a Westerner I was a bit worried that they might try and take advantage of the situation, but with my limited Chinese and a bit of cash flash and pretending to walk off I managed to bargain the price of a Nokia Xpress Music phone down to 3000 NT.

Little Faces Taiwan

I thought the was something rather nice about these fire hydrants and the little power box next to them.

Expressions.

Power Me

Before I leave Process I've been taking photos of various things I have seen on my way to lunch which I liked the look off.

I photographed this fuse box, close to the Dirty Tiger, I really like how the power sockets had just been left attached and not protected from the elements, along with everything else which look seemly unsafe!

Rustic!

Birthday KTV

I headed to KTV with Rita as two of her office friends were having a Birthday party. It was good fun as it was the normal AmTran gang pitched up!

Greg utilizing his cake cutting skills.

We went to the KTV in Ximen and it was nice to know that the TiT development were still going up and in new locations too!

Right in the centre of Ximen.

Close up.

All signed up

Well I have renew my visa for another two months and hopefully I can apply for Student ARC at the end of September to finish off my Chinese study at MTC, otherwise I’ll be jet setting off to Bangkok for a short brake.

Guess you can’t fix all the bugs!

Also spotted little Microsoft error message on one of the MRT information display screens.

Remove A Reck

This was unbelievable and massively unsafe I think, but funny at the same time and a very Taiwanese solution to a problem.

I happened to spot this out of the corner of the window.

These two cars our obviously on their way to the scrap yard but instead of securing them down with chains or rope the driver has used the hydraulic arm to crush thought the roof of the first car to hold it in place, kind of cool thinking! Both the images should in large if you click on them.

We were doing 60pmh, notice the none existing securing cables.

Surly Not!

Yes this is how it looks a forklift is stopping this truck from rolling down into the underground parking.

If you click on the image you should enlarge!

I am not sure what the workmen where doing but they had a real heavy peace of machinery on the back of their truck, I think they might have been drilling, only in Taiwan!

Guts

Apart from the tropical rainstorm we had today where I got completely drenched. I also purchased a chocolate bar called Guts, what a great name, but it wasn’t as chewie as I was expecting.

I also went to a great burger bar in Shi-Da called KGB highly recommended it. I also had dinner at the Ahmi Coffee Shop, which is a resturant located in the Ambassador Hotel, which was pritty good too.

Another note if you’re your wanting to exchange GBP bank notes as far as I know the only bank which well take them is MEGA International Commercial Bank. Bank of Taiwan, City Bank and First Bank well not exchange GBP notes for TND.

I did have two notes rejected because they had a slight tear in the top, silly I know but there really picky about this.

Still Advertising TiT

On my way to exchange some travel checks at the City bank near Taipei Mid Station, I happened to see a new development for TIT again and yes it was another huge poster which put a smile on my face, obviously know one has told the English checking department what there advertising.

A new TIT development in progress.

Rather confused about the number I had been given by the security guard, which was 914 as the counter was displaying only 275 I wasn’t sure if I was in for a long wait, luckily I wasn’t.

Animal Channel

After finding an American café to have a burger, which I deeply needed. When I entered the café the were a lot of little dogs with very Paris Hilton looking owners siting around at the front of house. I thought, great I can eater a burger and look at cute girls what a combination.

Ahhhh cute, what else can I say.

Half my way though my meal a filming crew from the Animal Channel pictched up to film all these little dogs which by then had been dressed in cute little jackets, poor things!

Chaotic Advertising

The is a new re-development of an old building happening across the road from the Young Hurne Market Station, I just happened to be walking across the road to see this huge banner flapping around in the middle of the high street. It wasn’t particularly windy that day so I have no idea how it managed to come loose?

Young Hurne, main road.

Flapping away.

Spinnaker.

I love the construction worker figuring out how to fix this problem, I think they were there for a few hours debating about it.

Town in Town

I actually saw this photograph on Jonathan's blog and it did make me laugh. But when I was on my way to register at MTC I saw the poster and wow it's not hanging down some quite little street, oh yes it's really out there in the center of town and it must be about 15 stories high.

One of the busiest intersections of the city.

But it is common to have engrish sentences in Asia, which don’t really make sense, for example: Friendly mansion.

In context.