011_receipt lottery

Receipts are precious in Taiwan, well, for at least a month. The numbers printed on top of each receipt are in fact lottery numbers. The government came up with this idea to encourage people to request receipts from retailers in an attempt to reduce tax eluding. The grand prize is two million NT. It is also a great way to keep the city clean.

010_customised façade 02

This picture is another good example for expression of individuality on the building façade. Existing structure and new additions are clearly identifiable. The extreme makeover award definitely belongs to the unit in the middle with its maximum conversion. The balcony is all walled up and bay windows are added. Check out supporting structure for the bay windows.

009_mini department store

This is a growing trend for second-hand-goods shopping in Taipei. The owner of the shop doesn’t own a single item on the display. He or she only provides rental space for individuals who wish to sell their personal belongings. Potential merchandises then will be sorted into categories. It’s quite effortless to see which item is of the public’s common interest at the moment.

008_customised façade

Modification of building facade to suit individual needs seems unavoidable in Asian cities. While A/C condensing units are key elements used for public display of individualism in Hong Kong (see 003_floating boxes at http://urbanomania-hk.blogspot.com), metal-grating boxes and shading devices made of polycarbonate play a major role on face-lifting of residential buildings in Taipei.

007_bus map

Exploring a new city for a foreigner is easy when the urban fabric is structured by train networks, especially in non English-speaking countries. MRT map (or MTR in some countries) helps reduce chances of getting yourself into verbal interaction with the locals. As long as you can read the map and understand how interchange of lines works, you’re trouble free. Thank goodness, in Taipei the same kind of tool is provided for bus services as well. Tourists can visit places outside the MRT’s coverage by doing the following:
1. Check out the name of the bus stop near your destination and try to memorise the Chinese characters.
2. Locate the above on the bus map.
3. Count how many stops away from where you are.

4. Board the bus and pray for the driver not to skip any of the stops because you’re counting.

006_running green man

The green light for pedestrian crossing in Taipei is animated starting from walking slowly to running vigorously. Similar running green man can be found in Kuala Lumpur and, interestingly, there is a yellow man in Rome. Check out 010_yellow man at http://urbanomania-eu.blogspot.com.

005_keep right

When using escalators in Tokyo you must stand on the left and keep the right hand side clear for people walking up (or down). In Taipei, even though they were under the Japanese occupation in the past, it’s the other way around.