Winter Typhoon (!?!) Mitag

We have typhoon Mitag just passing by. Yes, it is end of November, and the sea is obviously still warm enough. Not usual, but also not too unusual, people say. As visible, also some other tropical storms are around, Philippines seem to be really in bad position for this.

I came in shorts and sandals to work today, but might equally well come in swimming suit. But it is rather cold, 20 cels, so at work I switched to jeans and socks, winter is coming, obviously!

As it was raining, I cooked my lunch at work. Since the last bean soup I had 2 potatoes, and if I did not walk them to walk out of our room, I had to cook them. So, unique chance of my potato-lunch, the 1st time here! It is rather unusual for someone from Croatia not to eat potatoes for half year or so, so these really deserve their position in my blog!

Few pics from Taichung 2 weeks ago, as I downloaded now from "Treo".
It is 3rd city in Taiwan. Visible.

Building which I already presented some time ago, but now from a different angle:

Interior of these buildings is a bit hypertech.

In Taichung, city of 1.5 million, there is no Metro or anything like this, buses are the only mean of public transport. But it works almost perfect, and rarely we had troubles to move around. Here is working place of one bus driver, I am always amazed how they are effective. There were 5 or so means of collecting the fare. Various types of cards added to cash fare payment. It works.

I did some promotional work for Taiwan in Croatia: my croatian blog came on the cover page of largest Croatian blog 2 days ago (I am astrosailor there).

Connected with the parliamentary elections in Croatia, I commented how a Croatian stucked here could not wote even if she/he would like, as the closest place to do so is Hong Kong consulate, where officials consider themselves "working in PR China, and they are responsible also for Taiwan, as this is the same country" (I am citing the official working there, with whom I spoke by phone in summer 2007). Croatia does not recognize Taiwan, even in unofficial manner as most of the countries, but really considers it a part of PR China. Legacy from Yugoslavian (=communist) times, probably, and I pointed to this stupidity in my Croatian blog. My comment was that Croatia should leave the decision about it to Taiwan people, not deciding for them a-priori. Croatia used its right for self-decision in 1991, when separating from Yugoslavia. How they can ignore such right of Taiwanese people, if and when they would like to institutionalize their de-facto independency of PR China. The same goes for Tibet. If we play democracy, let's obey the rules. If we play dictatures, be frank about it. Simple as that. Comments of people to my blog showed they agree with my opinion on this, simply, people in Croatia are not informed well about Taiwan. I hope my blog fixes it at least a bit.

Strange movie (for Taiwan) after midnight: "Everything is Illuminated"

Tonight, passing through the eternally ultimate stupid experience of TW TV channels, I stumpled upon some movie in Ukrainian. Not an often experience here. Trabbie (the car) and stilisation managed to attract me even if it was well after midnight. You know, such pictures I know from my own experience, not far from Ukrainian border, in fact, almost on it. Finally, I entered, some 13 years ago, the eastern Polish city of Bialystok atop old "Ukraina" bicycle, and entered it from the eastern side, didn't I!?

So, what I saw was pic like this:

During the movie, it developed to

Almost Kusturica style movie, I would say.

I did not see the beginning, so I did not know what's this for the movie, but I recognized the main actor as the one from Lord of the Rings, and searched for his list of movies on the web-I love this Alexandrian Library of Web! In fact, Wikipedia helps a lot, really, even if it is not of highest accuracy or impartiality, it gives a good hint usually, where to search, by attaching original links. This feature of Wikipedia I find especially useful, it forms complex world of informations-but it does not GIVE it on the plate, it demands the reader to have quite good orientation for himself. Knowledge exposed, in fact, I would say.

Here is about the movie from wikipedia. Wikipedia on the movie
Another good review of the movie is here:review
From this website I took the pics, the article is good also: article
Main characters in the movie (the dog is missing):

It is, in essence, comedy passing to full-weight serious story about tragedy. It is about Jewish village in Ukraina, destroyed (and all the people killed) by Nazi in WWII. Jewish boy comes to find the place and person who helped, in time of his grandparents, escape. In his search he meets contemporary Ukraina, which is not so contemporary. Movie was shot in Czech Republic, btw. I suppose Ukraina was still rather too dangerous and odd place to go and shot the movie, for USA director. The fact says something for itself.

What crushes your peace, even sitting here in Asia, is that you realize how many people were killed in Europe in XX ct. in wars. And how much suffering there was, and is. And how it is amazing we are playing 'culture' for the world, and in fact, we are, really, this 'museum of culture' for the world. I am sick after such thoughts and would love to fly to Mars.

Autumn in Taiwan

Middle November, and my main "problem" is still should I wear sandals or shoes?, as it happens to be too warm for shoes, if it is sunny.
I eventually decided to go for shoes, as at night, when I go home, it is sometimes too fresh for sandals.

But, I am still im shorts and T-shirt, just sometimes wearing long sleeves, really just sometimes, still. When I read about snow in Europe, brrr!

Yesterday, in a beautiful fresh (22cels) morning, I saw some flowers similar to roses on my way to work, biking. Today, in an equally nice morning, I took some pics.


Accross the street were some other flowers:

It seems this is classical autumn in Taiwan, I do not know, I never tried it before. It is pleasantly warm and NOT humid. I like it.

Day after: let me continue in Nature tone. In the morning I went to University and I saw the bird which I met few times briefly, but never managed to photograph. There were two, one went away as someone was passing by, but the second stayed. It is big bird:

And here it posed for me from some 4m or so:

There is, as we see, some nature in Taiwan. Even in Hsinchu. But Taiwanese do not seem to appreciate it. In the morning we had to close the window as some of fabrics in Science Park decided to get rid of its cadmium or so, so we ate it for breakfast with our air. Mmmmm!@#$%^&

Miki d'Japan 2 - Part Four (final): Tokyo2 & Yokohama

From Kyoto I took myself and my backpack to the nightbus for Tokyo. The cheapest way, by far, 5300yen=33eur for 21h-6h ride. Even if it is in a strange coffin-like coach with closed windows, feels strange, indeed, if you are claustrophobic I do not reccomend it!

Good morning Tokyo!

THEY are here, already! Andrzej says it is Turkish one, and gathers all the muslims from Tokyo. Interesting, Turkish religious activity??!!

Student dormitory in one of campuses, here I visited friend and tried the student standard of Japan. Well, in fact here are the cheapest apartments for stuff, not really student dormitory. However, it is rather obscure place, not at all above the european level, rather below. But if it means paying for it few ten thousands, rather than hundred thousands of yen, then it is good, one has the place for sleeping. Accomodation is very expensive in Tokyo.

So, after I left my backpack, we went for Yokohama, and had a nice day walking around.
Here you will see my selection of new architecture. Three towers in the new area,

You might as what is so special in these buildings? This.

It is all made on the newly made land of former Yokohama Harbour. Once it was the largest in the world. Here are the red-brick buidings from that times, now full of restaurants and bars.

Most of Japanese emmigrants left Japan for USA from here. This was the first ship doing it:

People come in nearby park to rest-pleasant place, spacious, with view to the sea. The one who lies down on the grass really enjoys his rest ;-)

It is a factory of newness!

But, when you go a bit inside you see some older things

We went to Chinatown, it is rather touristic one, chance for japanese and westerners to see a bit of chinese world.

The God of money is here, how appropriate!

Wherever you go, some Greek restaurant!

Girls...mmmmm!

Evening we went to Shibuya, usual colorful world of night Asia

Next day I went for Narita Airport, yes, poor japanese boys. Although Andrzej said he read somewhere Japanese sexual activity, compared to other nations, is quite low...maybe, having all the time such sauch pieces around, they had to develop some self-protective methods...zen, maybe? ;-)

Girls go to school-but there are also hard working people of Tokyo.

As you saw for yourself, in this trip I mixed everything. It was quite instructive trip. I hope also for you who followed me here.

By mikidkolan at 2007-11-10
Arigato gozaimasu!

Miki d'Japan 2 Part Three B -Kyoto: Zen in the City

The next day I said "bye-bye" to Toji-an-I do NOT recommend the place, btw., if you are able to find smthing cheaper or just a bit more expensive then 2000yen/night

I went to the bike-rent again and got the red bicycle, which also served me very well:

I decided to go western side of the city, Arashiyama, all along the line of hills. I thought I saw enough of temples, how surprised I'd be if I'd know it was hardly even the beginning, and the best is yet to come.
But, at first, I visited this huge one, 5 min from railway station, north, following the bus towards the center:

The BIG one is obviously renovated-see how the Japanese are doing it!

I like these doors od the temples, so ancient look:

And all this along such streets, yes! Btw, Japan is left-side ride, so I proved myself I can drive (bike!) in such circumstances and survive. I HAD international insurance this time, so my kids would get something in case I'd do some wrong move ;-). Luckily, in Japan drivers recognise someone walking on two legs as a human being, and take care not to override it. In difference to Taiwanese drivers who, when seeing something on 2 legs, think it is something to hunt for and you in general have to play the "run rabbit run" game.

I commented how well they include old architecture in new...find the temple is the game!

This one (left corner) did not have berette (you saw "Hana Bi"?)

Entrance to something BIG-I was driving, got lost, searched on the map and saw closeby is something big, well, it would be not speaking well of me if I'd miss this one ;-)

Beautiful day, indeed

The most beautiful couple I saw recently, both of them vere delicious, here you understand notion of beauty of the body and style, and their moves were really ... japanese. My bow, and I wish them many many equally beautiful kids.

Inside was beautiful garden

As said, this is IN the city

I went further, land of gardens, yes

I could put now few tens of nice pics, but will try to be informative, rather.

Hold on, the best is still to come! Tourism is hard work, they should pay the tourists for it!

In some places you can not go beyond the entrance, here in fact I understood THEY were strong, not humble at all. Hierarchy rules everywhere.

Rich place, yes

Here are postal addresses of some of them

He Himself was there. Strange guy he had to be to stuck here. I would stay with Freud and Reich on this.

Just a remembrance how these meditating guys saw it. I agree, such graphics gives very good the spirit of the place, I found this in one webpage about zen illustrations, http://web.terebess.hu/zen/sato.html:

Interior of one of secluded places. Khm. I could meditate here, also.

We are still in the city, do not forget!
Yes. Miki was there.

Let's meditate...

OK, time to go shopping! I need to drink something, after so many tranquile places!

Shrines are really embedded in the city

As said, the best is to come. No comments.

Follow me into one shrine:

Well, it is important to know how to bend your back, hehe, plot from one of the holy places. Study it carefully, kid!

But, girls wait for something completely different, few kilometers away, Life is going on!

This was the city of Kyoto. It came out as rather lenghty tour with me, I hope you enjoyed it. Be sure to go there in your poor lifes. Zen is good for old turtles and strange guys, there are more interesting things to do in life ;-)

Next, and the last part will be Tokyo2.