Botanical garden

Continuing on the pictures of plants and flowers that I put up these last few days, I went to the Botanical Gardens of Taipei last weekend. I had intended to go to take a look for weeks, but for some reason I never remembered to go (probably week-end laziness). I finally did last Sunday. I arrived a little late, but soon enough to take a walk.





It was a beautiful day, and warm. At sunset, it was very nice.



And when I said I was late, it was because some parts were closing around 5pm, or they began watering the plants

Surrender

I do not particularly hate them, but as it happened during my stay in the US, I enjoy not carrying a cellphone, especially if I do not have too many people to call. But after much insistence and taking into account that I cannot use the language/s of the place, I finally could not resist the temptation (or opted for the more reasonable side of the problem) and I sold my soul to technology again.

Last Friday, with the help of a student, I did the deed. I got a new cellphone, then. At least, I will be able to use it in Europe.

Spring

Spring began last Friday, in the evening in Taiwan. At least, the astronomical spring, because it has felt like Spring here these last few weeks. So, to celebrate, some pictures of flowers




and of other non-classified plants

or of blossoming trees.


All very beautiful. And it is a pity that I am unable to take a decent picture of the many, mainly white, butterflies that I see fluttering around campus every morning. It was a long time ago the last time I saw so many in a city.

Toys

After the series of traditional style animals and demons of a few days ago, now a picture I took several months ago, in my visit to Yingge, with a different kind of modern pets. All together now.

Shops

One of the first things that you must learn here is where is the nearest convenience store. Shops that apparently never close —I saw many open even for Chinese New Year— where you can go to buy anything to eat, or to drink, or reading material (if you can read it), or for other small personal needs, at any time.

There are different shop chains, the best known is surely 7-Eleven

part of a Taiwanese economical empire. But there are other, like Family Mart

or OK Mart

etc. You can trust that there will be at least one, open, anywhere you go.

For Rent

As part of the global economy, Taiwan does not escape the world economic crisis. And people begin to be worried. Exports have plummeted, unemployment grows, factories close down or must merge, there are rumours about the reliability of some banks. That is what newspapers print. But I realized the other day that some things are changing around me. For instance, the office that opened in my building in November has been closed for more than two weeks. Or here, at the crossing of Roosevelt Rd and Keelung rd, where there was a car dealer, it is completely empty now and on the outside is the character

zū: for rent. Maybe they are really related to the crisis.

Animals (part 4)

And then, there is the category of small figures, monochrome generally, scattered on the edges or near the tips of roofs. They seem to watch the horizon.



As you can imagine, there may be many, and very different.

More farewell parties

March. New post-docs are surely about to arrive, but at least one, Youhei, is going back to Japan. A funny guy that arrived here a month ahead of me. We had a farewall dinner for him last Thursday. At Shao Shao Ke, a northern Chinese food restaurant in Taipei, also remembered by lots of graffiti on the walls and ceiling.


The food is very good. The typical dessert, made from deep fried cheese ans sugar, is excellent; but it has to be ordered in advance.

A night of eating and drinking.