Observations in Taipei

So back to web logging. Let's see how long this streak goes. Meanwhile deactivated my FB account (Yes We Can!), been active on Quora, G+ and a mostly passive reader on a multitude of StackExchange sites recently. Trying to bring all my friends to Quora and G+. At first it felt good not to waste time on FB, but as days passed reached a state of procrastination-work equilibrium. Morning newspaper routine is replaced by checking hot questions on SE, following up with new updates on Google reader and daily gems on Quora such as How much will it cost to deliver a pizza to the International Space Station?

• Kids make the same sounds while playing as in India. If you are listening from a distance, you cannot tell whether they are speaking Chinese or Hindi/Marathi from the tone of it. Also it seems small kids make the same sounds all over the world.
• Polite bus drivers who greet with Ni Hao (Hello!) when you get in and Xiè Xie (Thank you!) when you get out.
• Most people here don't like window seats in buses. All of them will take the aisle seats (edgehog is the word). Could be because the space between seats is less than normal.
• When I paid (quite handsomely) a visit to the Eslite bookstore I was surprised to see Chinese translations of all the English bestsellers at about half the price of the English ones. Felt sorry that I can't read Chinese, would have saved so much money!
• Wind blows real hard! The whooshing gale sounds make getting asleep easy.
• Everybody is busy on some social network. Buses, trains everywhere. Well, a few of them read a book too but a majority are busy online. There is a ubiquitous V sign that youngsters use when they post pics on FB.
• Local vegetarian food is tasteless, or to be PC let's say differently tasty. So many tea brands on shelves, sadly, none of them taste like they do in India. A post about food later.
• People have bizarre English names. A person I know is called Airforce. Beat that!
• Road work is very quickly finished. If they are digging a ditch in the morning, by evening you are likely to see it done and all covered up again.
• People don't remove shoes/sandals when going inside temples!
• Many people ask Are you vegetarian because of religion? I don't argue and say yes. May be they have a view that vegetarianism has something to do with Hinduism. I wanted to say, No, it's because I'm not used to it and am nauseated by the thought. May be I should tell it next time, at least they will not think that Hinduism is restrictive.

You might also like to see a cartoonist's view of Taiwan A few things that make me marry Taiwan and Only in Taiwan

I thought of finishing each post with a good piece of music (that I did not compose).

Enjoy this remix of Jeeves & Wooster theme! Be patient until 0:48.