Brief meeting with Taipei

street of taipei

City impression

If London is my bosom friend and beloved, Amsterdam my adulterous lover, then Taipei is a new friend which I have pleasant first impression. Maybe I have watched too much tv in Hong Kong, my expectation of this city was influenced by the news about fighting in their parliament and aweful tv series. It was a nice surprise when I found this city is in fact much better than the image showing in their news and tv soup operas. It is so Confucian (in a good way), my mum was frequently given seat by others which was quite impressive, anyway the name of some of the underground stations already suggest such confucian way of life.

Taiwanese Food. The thing which every Hong-kongese goes there for. It's a pity that I did not try much cos' I didn't have time, but maybe I should be glad for the avoidance of gaining a few more inches to my big belly.


Chado - The Taiwanese way of tea

Books. The things which many Hong-kongese go there for. Eslite is definitely an achievement and pride of Taiwan. I just glanced through their website and found that it is in fact a listed company. I was very amazed by the co-existence of business, money-making, commerical activities and the profound, intellectual, cultural activities. Actually these two groups should not be mutually exclusive but yes, that's the case in Hong Kong. I couldn't find the books in "bookstores street" (which is nice also, near Taipei Station) I found them in Eslite. When I found the whole volumes of 管錐篇 just within my reach on the shelves, I felt like screaming! These're the books I thought I could never possess!

Formoz Festival

That's the main reason I went to Taipei. It's good to have such music festival so close to my hometown (of course it's better if Hong Kong itself will organise one in the future). I saw Super Furry Animals once in Cardiff Stadium but stadium, as usual - sucks, so I think the small venue of Formoz is much better. SFA was as humourous, playful and brilliant as usual. It's great to have some early stuff like Show Me Magic (but I longed for Something 4 the Weekend). There was some problem in the sound effect during Receptacle For The Respectable so it was not as hilarious as the version in the album. The highlight was of course Man Don't Give A Fuck. In order to survive in this cruel world, we all have to sing this song everyday.


SFA

Dirty Pretty Things, that's the main reason I went to Formoz Festival. The audience was more gentle than those in UK (or Japan) so it's OK to stand in the front row. The band became better and better (of course, this is a diligent band, "..carl is studious" as gary said [but carl didn't like this "unrock n' roll" description] haha) , tight and fit (for their performance and outlook ^^). I expect to have their new b-side track One To My Left but I got Plan A instead, so I won't complain. Shirtless (or may I say Topless?) becomes their ritual at the end of every gig, greedy gaze, lustful stare from every corner of the venue. We all love this ritual.




examples of bad photography

p.s. special thanks to ppp, river and her cute little sister, you all make my day!!