Nuts!

For the plane ride back, I happened to wear my squirrel t-shirt. During the safety demonstration, one of the flight attendants stood in the aisle about two rows in front of me, and was going through her normal routine when she spotted me and my shirt. When she realized what it was, she started laughing in the midst of demonstrating how to use the life vest. She actually pointed and said, "Your shirt!", which then made everyone turn around and look at me. I wasn't quite sure how to respond, so I just shrugged and smiled. It usually makes me happy when people are as amused as I am by my shirt, but I'm not sure how I feel about being singled out on an airplane during the safety demo. Afterwards, she came up to me and told me how much she loved my shirt and we chatted a little. Strangely, every encounter we had afterwards, she only spoke to me in Chinese.

I Heart Milk?

When I first started going to Taiwan, fresh milk was an extravagance and powdered milk was the affordable option. My grandma assumed that all American kids had to have milk for breakfast every morning, so she'd always stock up when I stayed with her. Seeing this in the store reminded me of those summers in Taiwan, and while I hate milk, standing here gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. It wasn't until I told some friends about this a few months ago that I realized that KLIM is actually "milk" backwards.

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial

Taiwan - Day 4

Easily one of the most recognizable landmarks in Taiwan. I've been a few times, but my Aunt insisted on taking me again. I've posted side-by-side pictures from my visit in 2005, along with my current visit. What do you notice?




Chiang Kai-Shek Statue


(First picture of Chiang Kai Shek statue is not mine - the one I took was a closeup)

They say that history is written by those in power, and I think this is a great example of that. The current president of Taiwan, who hates all things remotely related to China, has been trying to get rid of all references to Chiang Kai-Shek including renaming the memorial plaza and trying to get rid of the statue. When Pres Chen found out that he couldn't actually remove or destroy the statue, he decided to instead, make a mockery of the whole thing. Imagine for a moment that someone desecrated the Lincoln Memorial with finger painting and paper mache. Or made the Statue of Liberty wear glasses and a fake mustache. What does that say? How does that make you feel? What's interesting is that this sign is still outside the statue hall:


If I showed up wearing a bikini and flip flops, I'd be showing more respect than the current display does. Fuck you, Chen. You, and hopefully your party, will be out in May, and Taiwan can return to better times. #2!!!

National Palace Museum - Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan - Day 1
One of my favorite things to do in Taiwan is to go to the National Palace Museum with my Uncle. Despite stemming from the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, the National Palace Museum in Taiwan actually has the largest collection of ancient Chinese treasures and art, as Chiang Kai-Shek ordered as many of the artifacts to be moved to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War. While some view this as an act of looting, consider the fact that had they not been moved, the artifacts would most likely have been destroyed during the Cultural Revolution (much of what is on display in the Forbidden City was reacquired from Western countries). What's amazing is that while the exhibits are in constant rotation, save for a few of the most famous artifacts, you rarely see the same thing twice - my Uncle has been going on a monthly basis for the last 15 years and always sees something new. That's how much stuff there is.

One of the reasons I love going to the National Palace Museum is because my Uncle has a very deep understanding of ancient Chinese culture and artistry, so with over 5000 years of history and culture, there's always something new for me to learn. What truly amazes me is the pure skill and artistry behind all the artifacts. Even with all of our tools and technology today, scientists still can't quite figure out how many of the items were actually made. I think my Uncle put it best when he said that the ancient Chinese were very intelligent people who came up with many advanced ways to improve both their everyday life and that of their artistry. Unfortunately, what they were lacking were the scientific breakthroughs that fueled growth and revolutions in the Western countries.

Doris in the White City

I intentionally didn't pack my SLR because I didn't think I'd have any time to walk around Chicago, but after I found myself with two free hours this afternoon, I really started to kick myself for not bringing it. One of the things I love about Chicago is the architecture here, and it would have been really great to try and capture all the beauty. After spending about 2.5 hours walking around in 17 degree weather, I'm actually glad I didn't bring the SLR, as it was cold enough trying to operate my Canon. Here's a quick tour of the buildings I saw today:

View from my room at the Hyatt Regency



Millenium Park - The Bean



People's Gas Company Building
One of the many buildings in Chicago built by Burnham & Company



Santa Fe Building
Originally built as a railway exchange for the Santa Fe railway. Burnham & Company had offices here, but it now houses the Chicago Architecture Foundation along with other offices.



Federal Center
Comprised of the Loop Post Office, Dirksen US Courthouse, the Kluczynski Federal Building, and the Flamingo statue.





Monadnock Building
Another Burnham & Root building, this is known as the tallest building without a steel frame to hold it up. The walls are supposedly six feet thick on the first floor.









The Rookery
Built by Burnham & Root, but the interior was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and made of iron and marble. There happened to be an art class drawing pictures while I was there.









Chicago Board of Trade
I stumbled upon this building as I came out of The Rookery and the way this art deco building looks in the sunset is just absolutely breathtaking. The building is topped with a statue of the goddess Ceres, but is faceless because its sculptor didn't think any other building nearby would be taller than it to see its face.




Marquette Building
One of the world's first steel framed skyscrapers, the main lobby of this building is surrounded by mosaic panels made by Tiffany telling the story of Jacques Marquette, the first European settler in Chicago.





Chicago Theater

Chicken Little

It figures that I should leave the Bay Area when there's actually decent weather and have to head for cold, "wintery mix" Chicago. It wasn't too bad when I first arrived, but it snowed for just a little bit earlier today. I was on a call in my room and happened to look out the window when it started. From inside of my 70 degree room on the 29th floor, it was quite beautiful. I think Chicago just had a winter storm last week as you can still see snow on the streets. Also, the sidewalks of Michigan Ave are lined with signs warning of falling ice. I can't imagine how much a chunk of ice falling from one of these skyscrapers would hurt. You might be happy with that new Burberry scarf you just bought, but it's not going to help with the crack in your skull!

Now Boarding

What is it about airports that makes people abandon all sense of common courtesy? I feel there are numerous examples of this, but none more so than the process of boarding an airplane. Most airlines these days have separated passengers into different seating areas and board accordingly, yet despite the fact that a ticket may have a big fat 4 stamped in the middle, people insist on crowding the boarding area long before boarding for their section even starts. Not only are you jumping the gun, but you've just started a domino effect. People in sections 2 and 3 don't want you to get ahead of them, so then they start squeezing in. Those that have no idea what's going on see a big crowd and then they get up too. Soon enough, there's a huge crowd in front of the boarding area, and travelers trying to get to other gates can barely get by. Why the madness? We Americans laugh at China's inability as a nation to stand in line and the need for a national monthly queuing day. But judging from the cluster fuck I've been seeing at the airport, we could probably benefit from something similar. What's your hurry anyway? Sit down and wait your turn. You'll have more leg room in the boarding area.