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Taiwan: Taipei: Taipei Flower Show 2006

Posted on December 20th, 2006 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Taipei.

Below are a few pictures I meant to post…but I never got around to it.  Surprise, surprise.  They were taken in Daan Park, a large park in central Taipei that’s about 10 to 15 minutes from my apartment by foot.  They randomly have events there - in November I stumbled across the Taipei Flower Show.

[Chinese sedan chair.]

First is the sedan chair that a Chinese bride was traditionally carried in from her family’s home to the groom’s family’s home, where she would live out the rest of her days in the insanity of a typical Chinese household.  To some extent, it’s my understanding that this tradition is still followed today, but they use cars instead of a huge, wooden hut on poles…kinda cheapens it, doesn’t it?

And this one…it’s just here because it’s pretty.  I like all the lanterns hanging from the trees, guiding one down the path, the flowers planted thick around the base of each cluster of gnarled branches.

[Pothead.]

There was a series of what I labled “Potheads” (yes, the pun was intentional.  Yes, it is horrible.  Yes, I am [vaguely] ashamed.)  I thought they rather looked like aliens among the large, colorful bushes of flowers.

And this one…really, I just thought he was cute/cool.  I really have no other reason.  He just makes me happy, and that’s all the reason I need.

And this last one…I have a sick sense of humor…but doesn’t that small child in the center of the photo rather resemble a food pellet that a couple overgrown, hungry koi are about to inhale?

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Taiwan: Taipei: Ali Baba’s Indian Kitchen

Posted on September 24th, 2006 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Blog, Food, Taipei, Taiwan.

A friend introduced me to Ali Baba’s Indian Kitchen, which is near my old area on Nanjing East Road, Section 2.  Brad and I used to walk that route late at night - to think that we might have passed it!

[The obligatory poorly lit entrance with a lone sign to indicate a reastaurant within.]

Like to many excellent eateries in Taiwan, there isn’t much on the outside to hint at the delicious foods that are hidden within.  A small opening in the wall of buildings leads to a short, dark entrance hallway.  Up a couple narrow staircases and you enter a beautiful, clean, stylish restaurant filled with the aromas of Indian spices.

[We had a mutton curry, a spinach paneer, garlic nan, and mango lassis.]

They have a weekend lunch buffet for NT$399 (12pm - 3pm) otherwise the meal will run you about NT$500 per person.  I’m generally rather cheap and I thought the food was totally worth it.  For more information, you can also check out their website.  (Apparently they also have a Taoyuan branch.)

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Taipei: An Awesome Kennel

Posted on September 20th, 2006 by Anna Zhan.
Categories: Animals, Blog, Cats, Taipei, Taiwan.

These photos were taken at an awesome little kennel in Taipei where Tarzan stayed while I was in Thailand.  Like some sort of Montessori school for animals, this kennel had no cages - just rooms full of toys with a caretaker on duty in the room.

When I came to pick Tarzan up from a pre-trip visit, I caught them spoon-feeding my cat canned cat food (to make him more comfortable, they told me.)  It made me worry that Tarzan may not want to come home after two weeks.

The kennel employees managed to turn Tarzan’s fear of dogs into a calm acceptance of them.  Before long, he was running around the dog’s room, stealing their toys!

The service wasn’t cheap, but I got to enjoy my trip knowing that “my son”, as my old landlord refers to Tarzan, was in good hands.

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