Fountain by Taipei 101 and ATT for Fun

I found out that there are two mirroring sets of fountains and ATT for fun when staring at the fountain the other day! I also found out that the lights on ATT for fun changes color...



So, when preparing this post, it occurred to me that it might be interesting if I can offer you the opportunity to view this clip at 1.5, 2 or more times of the original speed... since the differential speeds seem to put things in different perspectives for me... something you can't do in real life.

At the same time, I didn't want to upload multiple copies of the same clip at different speed... seems a really dumb dumb solution for me.

Ended up, this pursuit resulted in a whole lot of explorations, which lead to the conclusion that it is feasible and all that you have to do is to join the HTML 5 trial.  After you join the HTML 5 trial, you should be able to see the Speed options once you click on the option icon on the player...

5/9/2013

Far Eastern EcoARK

I have walked past this strange looking building so many a time... but ain't got no idea what's up with this weird looking building called "Far Eastern EcoARK"...

That structure in the right is EcoARK though it was in this picture because I was taking a video clip of an airplane flying over my head. 3/20/2013

From Far Eastern EcoARK

After I made it to visit the Animal Party Exhibition inside of this FE EcoARK, I saw the sign for another exhibition "The Amazing Feather (驚奇之翼)" on the second floor and decided to check it out.  It was not until then did I realize... "Wow... this building I have been walking around in is made of 1.5 million recycled plastic bottles?" 8-O

And, of course, I intriguingly went to touch the walls, the doors, and saw bottles... bottles.. and more bottles everywhere... and I didn't even know they were bottles... 8-O (Sounds almost like a parody of what that kid said to Bruce Willis in Sixth Sense lol)



Featured film: EcoARK and I


The following clip is the report on BBC news about EcoARK.

Fireworks at Taipei 101: Happy New Year!

Got myself to join the crowds by the intersection of Zhongxiao East Road and Guanfu South Road and saw a closer view of the fireworks at Taipei 101 although I usually try to avoid crowds huge as such.


Just so happen, because I posted the uploaded clip on facebook while giving people my new year's wish, my friend Marc performing in Taipei realized that I am actually in Taipei. 8-O lol

The haphazard nature of life and my no-one-knows-where-the-heck-Ratprincess-is existence.  8-O lol

Happy New Year wherever you are!

P.S. Today, I walked down to see the fireworks and back semi-cane-less- going almost as functiona as my grandpa Canon PowerShot A570 IS- though no nothing topnotch... 8-O lol
(This is cross-posted in Ratology Reloaded)

Famous buildings in Taipei (as per East Metro Mall)

During the winter time last year, to hide away from the cold and rain, I took it down to the East Metro Mall ( 東區地下街) to do my daily walk. There I came across the long term exhibition for the selected 17 famous buildings in Taipei.

After many of a walk through them buildings- version miniature, I decided to walk them through at large.

Many a up-and-down of my health conditions after, I finally moved my butts through them all... and with my dear grandpa camera Canon A570IS, a camera almost as adama shorto as me, pictures taken and images captured.

Funny enough, some time after I started my walking them buildings at large, in the news, one day, I heard that mistakes in the labels were found in the exhibition that has been there for 10 years or more... and... eventually  they were corrected... (which, of course, made yours grandiose delusional thought it might have something to do with my diligent efforts in walking the walk- though such delusion was well-handled. 8-X)

Sure, were I who I was, these places could have been easily visited within 3-4 days- rather than extended for the duration of almost an year.  Yet, were I who I was, some of the path I traversed might not have occurred at all...  At the same time, the path I traversed... nothing but the consequences of walking the walk.

At the same time, some part of journey really resonated only too well with my beloved song de Whitesnake..


The the spirit of you can call me Al cuts it pretty well as well... (an youtube clip I inserted by mistake as  opposed to da "I don't know where I'm going...")


When walking da walk... "I don't know where I am going." (I just... go go go allez allez allez lol)
Right now... "I sure know where I've been."   (Hopefully)

Synchronously, my MBT sandal got totally worn out at the last spot... the presidential palace with the the sole totally out... Thank you, Mon chéri, for absorbing the pressure and helping me walk across continents and in all seasons... (Guess, I did leave traces on the path I have traversed... somehow.. 8-O 8-X lol)

If you are in Taiwan or will visit Taiwan, be sure to visit the following buildings and... beyond...

Bon voyage!

Historial building

1. 龍山寺 Longshan Temple, Taipei
2. 台北賓館 Taipei Guesthouse, Taipei
3. 台北故事舘Taipei Story House (Formerly known as 圓山別莊)
4. 台北當代藝術舘 Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei
5. 北門 承恩門 North Gate
6. 台灣省立博物館 Taiwan Provincial Museum
7. 總統府 Presidential Office (總統府 Presidential Office Front view)
8. 淡水紅毛城 (Museum of Fort San Antonio)
9. 公賣局 Wine and tobacco monopoly bureau

Modern building

1. ATT 4 Fun (Formerly known as New York, New York 紐約紐約)
2. 台北101摩天大樓 Taipei World Financial Center
3. 威秀影城 Vieshow Cinemas (Formerly 華納威秀 Warner Village)
4. 台北世界貿易中心展覽大樓 Taipei World Trade Center
5. 新光摩天大樓 Shin Kong Life Tower
6. 大陸工程總部大樓 Continental Engineering Corporation Building
7. 富邦金融大樓 Fu-ban Financial building
8. 遠企中心 Far Eastern Plaza

 (Cross-posted in Ratology Reloaded.)

總統府 Presidential Office (Front view)

I went back on Sunday to take a few pictures of the building from the outside. Originally, I thought it would have been a short day for my runaround about town.  Then, when taking the pictures in the parking near the 228 memorial park, I heard people sing and music playing... ended up... I went ahead and attended a concert.

Since the sun was already down and it was already dark at the end of the concert, I decided to walk back out to take some more pictures of the presidential palace in the night... which I didn't think I'd be able to capture in a day.

Again, the haphazard nature of life..... lol


11/4/2012

總統府 Presidential Office

In my high school years, I walked by the Presidential Palace and secretly admired them, on guard, macho macho military police (憲兵哥哥) everyday... Yet, never had I had the chance to get inside of the Presidential Palace... or... never would I have dreamed that one day I would be able to get in there.  Then, I realized that, while the ground floor of the Presidential Palace is open for visits in the morning during the weekday, a larger portion of the building is open for visits on the third week of the month every month.

So I took my mom for a trip inside of the Presidential Palace (總統府)!
Since we joined the guided tour, in addition to simply visiting the architecture itself, the informing guides also gave us a detailed review of the history behind Taiwan as well as the formerly-known as Governor-general's office during the era of Japanese occupancy and the now-known-as Presidential Palace (總統府).

The current 總統府 Presidential palace was completed in 1919 during the era of Japanese occupancy and it was the tallest building in Taiwan at that time.  It was built because the old Governor-General's office got caught on fire.  Afterwards, the building did have its share of... how to you put it... phases of deconstruction and reconstruction...  For instance, during the second world war, in May, 1945, the then Governor-general's office was bombed by the US airforce and was severely damaged....

Since limited my words can retell not the history and beauty of it all, I can only share with you some of the images I saw with, sometimes, some simple notes... In addition, the rite of passage would be yours to walk as well through the visit to the building itself!

From 總統府 Presidential palace

After the tour, we sat down in the South courtyard for a rest where there were students from 嘉義 coming to perform. Growing up thinking it is a very serious place... and I saw the singing and dancing in the courtyard.... youthful and energetic! Got my mental model of the 總統府 Presidential Palace totally dis-constructed... 8-O lol


 11/3/2012

台北故事舘Taipei Story House

Taipei Story House (台北故事舘)  was built by the tea merchant Chen Chao-chun (陳朝駿) in 1913 and was completed in 1914.  Apparently, at the height of his time, his property extended beyond where the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and reached the waterfront....  Sort of reminded me of the story of Yuyuan (豫園)..  The house changed hands various times throughout the years.  In 2003, the formerly known as "圓山別莊" was transformed into a mini-museum holding exhibitions such as "Story of Carrier Bag" (手提袋的故事展) that I came across.

Taipei Story House (台北故事舘)  it is a half-timbered faux Tudor style building- supposed to be a rarity in Taiwan.  At the front entrance are the iconic style columns.  The Gothic-style house tower and chimney are made of bricks with the curved garbles decorated with bronze tiles.  Outside of the house is the European style garden.

What I attended to was the beautiful architecture- a combination of bricks, woods,  bronze tiles and glass window.  The fireplaces, the ceiling and the overall configuration of the interior configurations are some other things to attend to when you are inside. I was told that the furniture were no longer original, though.  On the second floor sat one of the first (if not first) vertical piano built by Yamaha.  The piano was built in 1915- a year younger than the house itself.

Since the house is small and there was no place to install an elevator, I had to climb all the way up to the second floor.  Good job to myself!  Then, I took a break sitting on the bench by the fireplace... leisurely working on my DWM...  How gemütlich a working environment (except for doesn't get pay too well... priceless... or nada... more exactly since it's a book I am working on. lol)

After my visit to the Taipei Story House, I had wanted to drop by at the Cafe and get some more work done- only to find out that a special event was taking place and the cafe was closed to the others.  I, thus, wondered away and landed at Let's Drink Cafe at the Pavilion of (Native) Aroma... where, again, I leisurely plowed away with work while enjoying the sight of landing planes every so often.

By the time I got back out, I realized that it had turned dark on the outside and I got to see the beautiful night scene of the building under the lights although it is not the Friday night grade of special lights.  Yet, I am happy enough about it since I had not expected myself to stay long enough to see the Taipei Story House in the night!

So ist das leben!  The magically haphazard nature of life!

11/1/2012

手提袋的故事展 Story of carrier bag exhibition at Taipei Story House

When I went to the Taipei Story House for a visit the other day, they were hold the exhibition of "Story of Carrier Bag" (手提袋的故事展).

Interesting notion, each bag has a story of its own....

So I thought to my carrier bag... "What lies beneath.. thy story?"

11/1/2012

Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, Taipei

I used to walk up to Guan-fu sourth road along Zhongxiao East Road as my walking routine when possible and physically capable.  These days, I have been trying to build up my strength and stamina even more by walking a bit longer a distance- bodily condition permitted--- and, walking all the way down to the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall.  En route, I'd be doing my work on DWM whenever a rest is taken. (Walking and working at large, I guess. lol)

The little increase in the distance I traversed, interestingly, brought me to some scenes in the neighborhood that I grew up in that I had never known. 8-X 8-O lol

In addition to the kite-flying, doggie-walking and all other outdoor activities imaginable... I found one of my favorite sights... water dance....


I love viewing the water dance from two main angle.... facing Taipei 101 or the front of the Memorial Hall.




The clips with Taipei 101 were taken on various days as indicated by the different colors of lights on Taipei 101 building in the background with one of the rainbow color representing each day of the week starting from Red for Monday. (I didn't know that myself until, one day, when sitting by the fountain waiting for the water dance to start, I heard this guy pointed it out to his pals. lol)



The first half of the above clip with the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall in the background aimed to capture the entire thing.  As a result, I had to sit pretty far away from the fountain give the limited capacity of my dear Canon A570is.  Funny enough, though it is sort of difficult to have a clear view of the water dance itself, the people walking around makes it looks almost like a shadow play (The unforeseen consequences, I guess.).  The second half of the clip was taken the day before the Golden Bell Award and the big bright structure in front of the memorial hall is actually the stage setup for the Golden Bell Award.

Something else I enjoy watching is the march of the military soldiers and the flag ceremonies, which takes place on a daily basis.  Following is a clip capturing the march of the military soldier and the flag lowering ceremony on Oct. 29th, 2012.



Since I am not much of a morning person and don't see myself waking up that early only to capture the clips to show you the Flag raising ceremony, I found a clip on youtube capturing the flag raising ceremony.



Pictures and clips taken between Oct. 21 to 29, 2012

紅毛城 Museum of Fort San Domingo

Finally moved my sorry behind all the way up to 紅毛城 or Fort San Domingo, which is located in the New Taipei city, over looking Tamsui River and the distant Guanyin Mountain.

From 紅毛城之遊 The trip to Museum Fort San Domingo

The entrance at the street level, the "South Gate" is the only Chinese architecture remaining.

From 紅毛城之遊 The trip to Museum Fort San Domingo

The Museum of Fort San Domingo has two major buildings.  The 紅毛城 or Fort San Domingo was the main building Fort Antonio rebuilt by the Dutch at the ruin site of Fort San Domingo.  After the British took over, the fort was used as the office area while the Former British Consular Residence was built to house the officials.

From 紅毛城主堡 Fort San Domingo

From 紅毛城 英國領事館 Former British Consular Residence

The Chinese called Fort Antonio 紅毛城 because the Dutch has "red hair" and, the fort built by them red hair is thus termed the "Red Hair Fort." lol

Yet, it was not until the fort was handed over to the British did the building got painted read.  The Fort built by the Dutch was originally grayish white.

It was a long way getting up to see them buildings.  It was because the slope was long and steep.  If needed, one could request to be picked up or dropped off by a small cart.  Yet, the gentleman driving the golf cart looking vehicle was on lunch break when I arrived.  Thus, I decided to, slowly and steadily moved myself up them scary hill... Since the hill was so steep, I actually had to zig-zag my way up... sort of like what a beginning skier would do on a black diamond trail.  It might look mighty strange but it did make it easier for me to move my fat ass up da hill... with quite a few stops in between... of course.  lol

From 紅毛城之遊 The trip to Museum Fort San Domingo

From 紅毛城之遊 The trip to Museum Fort San Domingo

Please check the following photo albums for more pix of my trip to the Musum of Fort San Domingo/ Fort Antonio/ 紅毛城!


紅毛城主堡 Fort San Domingo
紅毛城 英國領事館 Former British Consular Residence

 Sure.  It ain't easy to travel at times.  Yet.  I made it up the hill and toured around... while still in one piece!

From 紅毛城 英國領事館 Former British Consular Residence

10/22/2012

Taiwan's Gems - Wen Stone Exhibition (獨具慧「眼」─臺灣文石特展)

Attended a guided tour on Taiwan's Gems - Wen Stone Exhibition (獨具慧「眼」─臺灣文石特展) when I visit to 國立臺灣博物館 National Taiwan Museum the other day.   The special exhibition will go on till 2013/2/24.

The gemstone, Wen stone are found in basalts.  There are only three locations on this planet where these stones could be found- Sicily, Italy as well as Penghu and Sangxia in Taiwan.  The Taiwanese wen stone shows concentric circles while the Sicilian wen stone doesn't.

Love them mushrooms and snails here...

Not only was the tour informing, because I was such a good student, the teacher (tour guide) gave me an unpolished rock as a souvenir!

Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of him because, I guess, I didn't feel like to put his picture online without his permission but forgot that pictures taken don't need to all go online... (Speaking of cognitive inflexibility.  8-O lol)  One thing I know for sure is that this nice gentleman and I have the same family name: Mr. 張 who love rocks!

國立臺灣博物館 National Taiwan Museum

Paid a visit to 國立臺灣博物館 National Taiwan Museum today and visited one of the historical building in Taipei.



The building was built by the Japanese authorities during the Japanese occupancy of Taiwan in memorial of 兒玉源太郎 (Kodama Gentaro) and 後藤新平 (Goto Shinpei).  So I was told the family symbols of the two families have been embedded in the decorative design of the building.  For instance, the family symbols of 兒玉源太郎 (Kodama Gentarō)  could be found on one side of the lamp while that of 後藤新平 (Gotō Shinpei) on the other.  The embedded family symbols could also be found in places such as in the stained glass of the vaulted roof ceiling.

However, so I found online somewhere, while it is agreed upon that the vine shape symbol is the family symbol of the 後藤 (Goto) family, people seemed to feel less sure about that for the 兒玉 (Kodama) family- though it would be the job of historians to get things clarified.

10/4/2012

台北世界貿易中心展覽大樓 Taipei World Trade Center

The Taipei World Trade Center (台北世界貿易中心展覽大樓 ) is another famous modern architectures next to ATT 4 Fun, Vieshow Cinemas and Taipei 101.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that, every time I walked by the area near ATT 4 Fun, I will see the sign for "Taipei World Trade Center Hall 3"-- Some how, I had in mind that the Hall 3 of Taipei World Trade Center was also one of the buildings I was looking for.

After my visit inside of Taipei 101, I decided to look for it... or... to look for the Hall 3 of the Taipei World Trade Center... more exactly.  Coming out of Taipei 101, I saw this building that looks mighty like a lego castle-- interesting looking building, which was the first structure of Taipei World Trade Center.  As I walked down the street, in search of Hall 3, I went on checking out the legoland and taking some pictures of it while thinking to myself...

"Nice and interesting building though not the building I am looking for."

So I kept on walking in search of the famous Hall 3... and I found... this one story concrete structure in front of Taipei 101 in my face.  And I went... "You gotta be kidding me... this one is considered to be one of the most famous building in Taipei?"  8-O (No offense Hall 3, but if you are a famous building in Taipei, yours truly would also be a famous rat's ass in the whole wide world.  lol)...

Since it was not long before it was reported in the news that some of the miniature models in the East Mall were mislabeled, so I thought instinctively, "Maybe they got it wrong on this one as well since the legoland seems to be more of an interesting building... unless I have remembered it wrong."

Though I didn't think that I was wrong and didn't want to jump into conclusion about the Hall 3 was yet another labeling error, I decided to take a better look at the main building of the Taipei World Trade Center (台北世界貿易中心展覽大樓 ).... so I walked on and walking on... viewing the building from all angles....


Only to realize after I got back home that- it had always been the Taipei World Trade Center (台北世界貿易中心展覽大樓) that I was looking for.  Ain't no trace no where leading to Hall 3.  No minority report on this one.  lol

This round, after I wrongfully believed that it was Hall 3 that I was looking for, I decided to check out the "wrong" building instead... and... voila... it was right!  And they say that two wrongs doesn't make a right?!  8-O lol

The night scene of the Taipei WTC in the night... with the changing of the colors for the lights... So they say, you cannot step in the same water twice.  Can you take the same photo of the same still object twice?

6/24/2012

台北當代藝術舘 Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei (All cultural)

I decided to go to a museum which I thought is supposed to be close to  圓山別莊 though I forgot what the name of the museum was by the time I got to the metro station.

So I asked the lady working for the Metro where the museum of contemporary arts was and I got there with the direction of the kind lady and other people along the way... though I couldn't find  圓山別莊 near by.

Since, I landed in the museum of  contemporary art, I went for a whole afternoon's cultural tour with all due dedications.

I visited the Exhibition titled "Procedural Architecture—Resolution in the Age of Meta-Digital" (衍序建築展—數位時代的新維度), attended talks given by the experts in the field and also joined the guided tour  for the 10th Taishin Arts Award Exhibition (第十屆台新藝術獎入圍特展)... absolutely lifted my cultur-o-meter... regardless where I might have planned to go originally.

Only to realize after I got home- just now- an entire afternoon's excursion later- that... it was really the museum of contemporary arts that I intended to go visit.  8-O lol


6/17/2012 (This is cross-posted in the Ratology Reloaded blog)

公賣局 Wine and tobacco monopoly bureau

公賣局 or Wine and tobacco monopoly bureau is yet another historical building in Taipei.

As per the models in East Metro Mall... this is what it looks like.

What I saw...


6/10/2012

龍山寺 Longshan Temple, Taipei

龍山寺 or Longshan Temple is one of the historical building in Taipei.  It is located in 萬華, formerly called 艋舺... so they say, the development of Taipei started in  艋舺.

龍山寺 or Longshan Temple as per the model in the East Metro Mall...

The Longshan Temple I saw...



Just so happened... I arrived at the Longshan Temple when there was an afternoon chanting service.

 

6/09/2012

大陸工程總部大樓 Continental Engineering Corporation Building

江湖中傳説的大陸工程總部大樓 Continental Engineering Corporation Building as per the building models in the East Metro Mall...

大陸工程總部大樓

大陸工程總部大樓

What I saw in reality...

 
And, since I first made it to this building first on 6/3/2012, I made it back many more a day with or without a cane... with it the final destination or midway to some other haphazardly encountered... alternative... the destination... (Updated 3/30/2013)

台北賓館 Taipei Guest House

台北賓館 Taipei Guest House as seen in East Metro Mall...

台北賓館 Taipei Guest House

From Famous Buildings in Taipei

Some pix I took at 台北賓館 Taipei Guest House... for details on the pix I took such as the cover pix of the albumn, please check in with the volunteers who provide the guided tours...

台北賓館 Taipei Guest House

The  台北賓館 Taipei Guest House has an open house the first weekend of every month with guided tour every 30 minutes on the hour

6/2/2012

富邦金融大樓 Fu-ban Financial building

富邦金融大樓 Fu-ban Financial building is one of the well known modern building in Taipei as per the introductions in the East Metro Mall.
.

Some pictures I took for the real building on my walk today.


5/27/2012

遠企中心辦公大樓 Far Eastern Plaza

It was quite a long trip... walking down to see the Far Eastern Plaza (遠企中心辦公大樓).

The reality was that... I remember it to be one of the famous modern building that I was looking for and sort of knew where it was located... Yet, I forgot which building it was and what it was supposed to look like...

En route, I came across this nice looking high-riser... and even went in to visit its washroom... 8-O lol

This is the third tallest building in Taiwan (with 台北101摩天大樓 Taipei World Financial Center the tallest and 新光摩天大樓 Shin Kong Life Tower the second) and designed by the famous architect 李祖原 who also designed Taipei 101.



     
5/19/2012