Since my last effort to amaze and amuse, I’ve amassed a tidy little collection of images I need to share with the world.
As ever, Carrefour is a magnificent source of material. I’ll start you with this:
Since you ask, no, I wasn’t in the musical instrument section. Proof? This was in an aisle nearby:
The neglect shown towards all those little infants saddens me immensely. Still, if you have a hungry little monster to attend to, there’s always provision. Just be careful to avoid the cashier:
Sorry, crshier. I have visions of a really uptight individual cursing all and sundry through clenched teeth. You don’t want to be messing with him/her.
That’s enough for now, but fear not! I shall return to Carrefour before I conclude this feast of visual delights. It’s probably my favourite, so you’ll have to stay with me, and anyone caught skipping to the end will be placed in detention.
A change of venue brings me to the park just around the corner from our house, where there are strict rules by which we must abide:
Funny. We had been thinking of traipsing round there and firing up a barbeque, but the sputum issue had been a bit of a worry. You can imagine how we were simultaneously relieved and disappointed, but that was nothing compared to the abject horror at being denied the chance to don our alpine gear. (It is still winter in these parts):
I should point out that it’s as flat as the proverbial pancake in this part of Taiwan. Oh, and I should think the last time Tainan experienced snow or ice, the British Isles were still joined to mainland Europe (if you see what I mean).
I’ve been lucky enough to hook up with a fellow Brit cyclist in the last few weeks. I don’t have a picture to prove it, but I do have another cycling image to illustrate how bikes are revered out here:
Rest assured, this is not an exceptionally valuable machine with delicate paintwork, it is not brand new and parked outside a bike shop, nor is it very cold here so keeping it warm is not an issue (see above), but there is this peculiar trend for leaving bikes partially clothed in bubble-wrap. Any locals reading? Please explain. Ta.
On the subject of unusual clothing, there was some kind of religious festival the other day. Many, many people passed by our house over a period of several hours. Lots of what you’d expect. Drums, dragons, lions, screechy-type music, firecrackers, gongs, bright colours, scooters, blokes chewing betel nuts, scantily-clad young women pole-dancing. You know, that kind of thing. However, what struck me was the number of these on show:
That’s trilby hats, not Audis, in case you were wondering. [Sorry, chaps. Didn’t feel it was appropriate to snap the pole-dancers!] Who’d have thought that the good old trilby would find a home in this society, let alone in this kind of festival and procession?
For those of you disappointed by the lack of car focus in this post thus far, feast your eyes on this little beauty:
Hilarious. Even more so when I tell you that it has curtains fitted. Made my day.
Now, we are often accused of stereotyping the Chinese, and I admit to having posted the dreadful Harrow gag a few months ago. Then again, it’s difficult not to smile at stuff like this. (Not a vely good pic, but look carefully near the blight light reflections):
Makes good coffee. I take care to purse my lips and brow it gently before I take a sip.
Christmas is now a distant memory, but at least we didn’t end up under the hideous golden arches this year. I spotted this while we were in Taipei in November. Seemed rather appropriate.
Taipei also provided a couple of favourites. Park rules almost on a level with that other Fine City, Singapore:
Me and the boy needed to take a leak while we were enjoying the park; luckily neither of us needed a longer visit:
We never did find the toilet for a No. 2.
After school classes can be found everywhere. There’s one at the end of our little terrace that gives lessons on Lego. Yes, really. I took these for some friends of ours in Kaohsiung who are rather fond of Star Wars stuff:
Sorry, Darren and Conner, they’ve been removed from the window now, but we know the owners if you want to come and take a look.
I promised some more CarrefourtheloveofGodwhatweretheythinking, so here’s one of which I’m particularly fond. It also gives me the opportunity to shoehorn in an old favourite tune at the end:
Like the kids sang, “We don’t need no edvcotion!”
And with that, all that remains is for me to say Happy New Year, everyone.
fiftyyearsandcounting 