Modern Toilet, Jan. 8th

a couple of days ago, i went to modern toilet, a restaurant here that is bathroom-themed and serves their food out of toilets and urinals....seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nwqhaCIgU

i spent about an hour trying to find it, but i went and it was really fun!

yesterday i went to the flower expo here. i spent about 4 hours looking at plants, veggies, fruit, horticulture, green living, means of production of livestock, pavilions from different countries displaying their native foliage... all interesting stuff, but it was so overwhelming.

i think in a couple days, i'm going to get out of taipei and visit other parts of the island. it's a small island, taiwan. it's only 200 miles long, and there are buses that can take me to beaches and hot springs and to mountains where i can hike. a local gave me the insider tips :) so in a few days, i will be heading out to see the northern and eastern parts of the island. there are no hostels there, so i will have to foot the bill on a hotel, but why not treat myself, right?

i have yet to eat at the food court in taipei 101 (the second tallest building in the world where they had new year's eve). i hear it's really good local stuff. i have been eating weird food. i ate a month old black egg a couple of days ago. ok, i took a bit, and it was nauseating. i went to the shilin night market, a 100 yr old market, one of the oldest in taiwan. i ate goose head and goose tongue, chicken butt, chicken uterus and stinky tofu, which is taiwan's national dish. all were not as bad as they sound.

the food here is great! lots of noodles, wantons, dumplings, fried meats and sushi. you can find food anywhere. there are many stands and restaurants on every block.

i have developed a cough. i thought it was because i have been smoking. but after coughing a bit overnight, i think it's because i spent all day in the cold yesterday, or it could be just that i'm in such close proximity to people who are sick. people on the subways are wearing masks. i'm not sure why they don't do this in other cities, but taipei has people all over wearing masks to prevent illness or because they are sick and don't want to spread illness.

well, that's all the news this time. cheers!