Happy Birthday

This is my third birthday post on the blog. Happy birthday to me and to all Taurus.

Birthday Daily Taurus April 20 - May 20
Today is a fine day . . . your work benefits from your total concentration. This may be a good thing as you will be able to forget about personal plans for a while and relax your expectations of the day. Surprises happen all day long and, you are able to finish what you start in the work world. The noon break is fun with co-worker friends and somewhere in the visit there is talk of metaphysics, horoscopes and telling fortunes. You are also interested in the subject of writers and teachers that talk about self-help techniques. You might spend time in a bookstore after work for a short while. Young people want some of your time this afternoon and you enjoy their company. Laterthis evening you will want to have a camera handy--HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Birthday Weekly Taurus April 20 - May 20
From Sunday, May 4 2008 - 12:00amTo Saturday, May 10 2008 - 11:59pm Everyday You should know there may be a few surprises this Sunday morning. The more you go with the flow, the more positive those surprises will become. You are inspired and amused and may be thinking about some travel money you could be earning. You will be very pleased at the response from your writing. This Monday is a fine day . . . your work benefits from your total concentration. You are patient and determined to finish what you start this Tuesday. Someone is happy to help and results become easier to find. On the way in to work this Wednesday morning the verdict may be with regard to your thoughts on the weather. Many times you feel that weather is manipulated and there are definite feelings that you are right. Advancement in the work place may be a bit slow but it is certainly well deserved. A massage during the noon break this Thursday would be nice. You are so busy most of the time that you often forget to stop and smell the roses. This Friday is a good day to stop and smell the roses, tell or listen to a joke, listen to the birds around your office and shop in a book store. Everyone has good wishes for you this Saturday evening--HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Snowing in May--Tung Blossom

"Tung trees come in full blossom in areas where most Hakkas populate. This beautiful coincidence tells the wondrous connection between Hakka towns and Tung trees." I don't know how the Hakkas and Tung trees got connected in the first place. I mean the fact is Tung trees were densely planted in north Taiwan and Hakkas who inhabit the south of Taiwan in places such as Meinong township, have never stood out and claimed this wondrous connection. Nevertheless, I think the Tung trees are a gift that is given to people who live in northern Taiwan and most of the trails for Tung blossom are spots for firefly sighting too.

The 2008 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival website has all kinds of information regarding this 'snowy' May season. They even have a map that gives percentages of Tung blossoms all over Taiwan. The only thing missing in the map is that the trails for Tung blossom sightings are only in Chinese on their website. So I put these recommended trails into the google maps below. Enjoy your snowing season in May.

Quote from their website
"Every year in April and May, when driving from Free way No.2 or Tai # 3 Route, Aleurites Montana gradually budding, blossoming in the woods and under the Tung Tree. You can see purely white flowers swinging with the winds and when wind suddenly blows harder, the beautiful scenery before you is like having snow in the summer, just like snow of May.
As expected by the Hakka people in Taiwan, The Council for Hakka Affairs, Executive Yuan, earnestly cooperated with 8 counties: Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Zhanghua, Yulin and Nantou, and lead 25 townships and 44 communities, together they organize more than hundred of art activities. Additionally, in order to enhance the development of Hakka industries in Taiwan, the Council associated with 92 companies that sell Tung's merchandises and sell more than 400 Tung's merchandises. The Council also cooperated with 78 Hakka restaurants and present some delicious Hakka dishes. With a handbook in hand and you can enjoy discounts on all these activities.
Hakka Tung Blossom Festival is a high-quality trip for everyone which enables everyone enjoys Hakka mountain city, culture and beauty of Tung. Besides, the Council specially associated with local traditional industries this year, and let everyone receives information on Tung viewing via 3G mobile phone and TV Channel. We welcome everyone accesses our website and establish their own Tung viewing blog, where everyone can share information related to Tung.
This season “Joyful spring with Tung; creative spirit in Hakka”, we welcome you to spend time in Hakka village; enjoy Hakka music, dishes and creative merchandise under Tung tree. You especially need to come down here and experience the beautiful scenery of Mother Nature!

Chairman of the Council for Hakka Affairs, Executive Yuan
Lee Yung-te"

Tung Blossom Trails(info from the 2008 Hakka Tung Blossom Festival website)

View Tung Blossom in a larger map

WuGongShan: Tung blossom biking trail in Kaohsiung County(made by Talent)

85 housing B&B

You don't have to pay NT$ 8500 for a night in the Splendor Hotel to share the same view of Kaohsiung harbor/city now. Located in the 85 tower building which is the tallest building in Kaohsiung, the 85 housing B&B provides a low profile luxury for less than NT$ 2000. The 85 housing B&B is a legal business suite rental agency. The owner, Mr. Hsu and his wife, started this business 2 years ago; 4 business suites overlooking Kaohsiung harbor and/or Kaohsiung city are located on the 31st floor (view of harbor, city (partial) and the heart of ocean park; NT1700~1900/night; check in 17:00, check out 13:00), 23rd (view of harbor; NT1500~1800/night; check in 17:00, check out 13:00) and on the 17th floor (one room has a view of the city; NT1400~1600/night, the other has a view of the south wing of the tower; NT1100~1300/night; check in 16:00, check out 12:00) of the north wing of the tower respectively. To offer the best quality of rooms for clients, a medical quality level air filter is provided and the couple clean every corner of the room with disinfectant after clients have checked out and I have to say they have the best toothbrush/paste set that I have ever used in accomodations.

All rooms are equipped with cabled TV, DVD studio, refregirator, hairdryer, electric teapot, coutch, NT100 coupon for breakfast in a cafeshop and parking included, which makes this is a good deal for anyone who wants to stay overnight in Kaohsiung.

For reservations call: 0927522331 for Miss Cho/ 0925362331 for Mr.Hsu or email: edwardloveemily@yahoo.com.tw

Firefly Season

I was amazed by the number of fireflies flashing in the HuiSun Forest Station about 10 years ago. It was nothing like being occasionally visited by a lost lighting bug in a suburban area; hundreds of thousands of little fluorescent lights shimmering in bushes at the same time making the scene a festival like a Xmas lighting show. A few years ago, I visited the DongShi Forest Area and was touched by these fallen stars dancing around in the forest and the craving for a firefly trip tickles me whenever the temperature raises. Last week, I took a vacation and paid a visit to these long-lost friends in DongShi and HuiSun Forest Areas.

There is a good bargain to be had if you reserve a room on the DongShi Forest Area's website. A cabin with 2 king-sized beds, breakfast, entrence fee and parking, Spa, tour and coupons for a meal and tea are all included in the package of an overnight trip for only NT$2,999 for 2 persons (NT$3,999 for 4 persons). The firefly tour starts at 19:00 and 20:00 daily in front of the registration building. There are 4 trails for firefly seeing in DongShi Forest Area and are well indicated with direction signs. (Map of DongShi Forest Area)

There are two trails for firefly seeing in Huisun Forest station. With red LED lights along the trails, it's easy to find your way back without a guide. Group tour is given daily at 18:50 in the parking area across the shop. Light polution from cars driving by makes Huisun forest a less enjoyable venue for firefly seeing but the beautiful formosan blue magpie makes it worth it.

The Luciola cerata Olivier is the most common species that can be seen all over Taiwan from the begining of April to the middle of May. The peak of firefly courtship is from 19:00 to 21:00. I tried to catch these horny fairies with my camera by long time exposure, luckily the moon light helped to present the depth of view by lighting up the forest a bit. Here are some tips for firefly shooting: ISO 400 or above; aperture: as big as possible; exposure: 2mins to 10mins depending on ambient lighting and ISO/aperture combination; focal length in 35mm film: 50mm or above (fluorescent lights are indistinguishable from the background when the focal length is too short (example); too much zoom-in limits the number of fireflies on screen); focus: Manual (set to infinite); flash light: off.

Venues for firefly sighting in Taiwan

View Firefly Sighting in a larger map

The Sound of Ocean

There are many drumming teams in Taiwan but I have never seen a performance like The Sound of Ocean before. The Sound of Ocean is the masterpiece of the U-theatre which contains 5 parts: Collapse, Flowing Water, Breaks, Listening to the Ocean Heart and The Sound of Ocean. Each part was connected with sounds of drum, gong or singing and instruments for each part were placed in position during these interludes insensibly. Stories of rain drops gather into a stream , a river flowing to the ocean were told by sounds of drums whereas waves of the ocean were presented with the engulfing sounds of gongs. Performers integrate martial art into their performance as dance/movement and stillness of meditation, making The Sound of Ocean a feast of both sound and vision.

See for yourself: A clip posted on Youtube by slave2fashiondolls


Photos taken in Tainan on Apr. 22

The U-Theatre itinerary 2008

The U-Theatre traveled on foot through 25 western Taiwan townships in 1996 and through 35 mountain districts in eastern Taiwan in 1997. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the U-Theatre is embarking on a round trip throughout Taiwan on foot this year to share its glories to people who live on the same land through the sound of their heavenly drums.

The trip is divided into 3 routes; starting at 6:00 every morning, 100 townships will be visited in 50 days. The first route started in Taipei on March 23rd, stopping by Yilan, Hualien, and will be ended in Taitung on April 13th. The journey continues on April 14th in Pingtung stopping by Kaohsiung, Tainan, Chiayi and stops in Yunlin on April 28th. The 3rd route starts in Changhua on April 29th, stopping by Nantou, Taichung, Miaoli, Hsinchu, Taoyuan and back to Taipei on May 11th. It is still possbile to join the 2nd and the 3th routes by registering before March 31 and April 15 respectively. Contact 02-2938-8188 for detail.

30 performances will be given for free in this 1200km journey except for shows performed on March 23 and May 1. Performances mostly start at 19:00 and locations are labeled on the google map below. The masterpiece, the sound of ocean, will be performed in Kaohsiung on April 19th.

U-Theatre’s performance of “The Sound of Ocean” earned the Best of Show award at the Festival d’Avignon in 1998 and, in 2000, U-Theatre accepted the “Audience Choice” award at the Biennale de la Danse in Lyon. Performances at the Berlin Art Festival Amphitheatre of “The Sound of Ocean” during August 2003 overwhelmed Berlin theatre-goers. One article proclaimed “The Sound of Ocean” the “preeminent performance of the week in Berlin theatre.”U-Theatre’s 2002 work, “Meeting with Vajrasattva,” earned first prize in the performing arts category in the first annual “Taishin Art Awards”. In naming U-Theatre as their top choice, the judges noted that the group, “beautifully expressed tranquility within movement and movement within tranquility in the confines of a performance stage.” U-Theatre has achieved a unique melding of visual, audio, and performance into one outstanding form of performance art.

The Orange House

I got an email inviting me to exhibit my photos in a restaurant in Kaohsiung, so I stopped by the restaurant and talked to the owner, Marcus, about the exhibition.

According to Marcus, he started his first restaurant years ago in a basement of a hostel in Kaohsiung. The color of the walls were orange and why he named the restaurant the orange house. A few months ago, he relocated the restaurant to its current address, 121 Shihcyuan 2nd Rd, and painted the walls orange. Knowing his family originated from Holland, it makes perfect sense to me all the sudden that the appeal of orange to Marcus, even though he is a Canadian.

Not only a restaurant, the orange house is also an interesting combination of a hostel and a Dojo for Aikido, Yoga and Kung-Fu. The ambitious man blends his interest in Aikido into his businesses; a strategy of attracting people who have different interests to the same place.

The lighting and setting in the room makes the orange house a cozy restaurant. A fireplace DVD playing in one corner creates an illusion of warmth in the room. Black paper bands running across the center of the glass doors add a degree of mystery to the atmosphere by partially obstructing views; allowing those inside to be somewhat isolated from pedestrian distractions as only legs and feet are visible and conversly drawing the eye of passersby from the outside, a curiously inviting sense.

One thing I like the most about the restaurant is that the atmosphere changes everytime the theme of art exhibition changes. Currently, photos of my Mysterious and Mighty Street Dancer series are exhibited (photos below).

For more information, check on the restaurant website.