Second Floor

I already saw many kinds of parking places for cars and high-capacity storage carousels for them as well, though it was first time when I've seen anything similar for bicycles. One can find it close to 劍潭 (Jiàntán) MRT station and they've built lately another in 公館 (Gōngguăn) station too (that's the place where I took a picture).


You can park roughly as twice bikes as before and it seems to be way more organized (and instruction table is available), you will just miss fun taking out your bike from the huge pack :-)

k.


Soundtrack: Moby - Lift Me Up

Weekend With... Ys

Time to try something new. Joanna Newsom and her Ys. Basically it's all about her voice, the lyrics, perhaps better to say stories, and the harp with backing orchestral arrangements. Her voice is sort of recalling Björk (though that impression wasn't so strong as when I heard Gollum's Song by Emiliana Torrini during The Two Towers final credits).

I see the blossoms broke and wet after the rain
Little sister, he will be back again
I have washed a thousand spiders down the drain
Spiders ghosts hang soaked and dangelin'
Silently from all the blooming cherry trees
In tiny nooses, safe from everyone
- nothing but a nuisance; gone now, dead and done
Be a woman, be a woman!

She asked me for the attention. I cannot just sat back and ignore her as she's offering two simple options -- join her or let her walk away. One of best moments: two vocals at the end of Only Skin.

Recommended for night listeners...

k.

Thin Yellow Line

As usually in subway, in Taipei MRT system (Mass Rapid Transit) there is a line on the platform which you shouldn't cross. In the most frequent stations, there is even barrier with automated doors between the platform and railtrack. At some places one can see staff with whistle supervising the traffic (on the other hand, there are no "pushers" with white gloves which you can see in Japan). The entire system seems to be very well organized.


The others noticeable features are the screens all around the platform announcing ETA for the next train (perhaps the main reason is to make people watch the ads going on over and over) and the fact that train is suppose to stop each time at the certain place. Then, people waiting for the train in small line-ups (see the white stripe -- 候車線 (hòu chē xiàn)) can just walk in.

k.


Soundtrack: Fatboy Slim - Right Here, Right Now

Pour Féliciter 2007

Pour Féliciter 2007


Thanks for the picture to 瓊慧 (Qióng Huì).