A quick follow up to my last post; it will have to be quick, I am off to Canada tomorrow and have other things to do as well.  Sitting right next to the Wanhua Fish Market is a huge wholesale produce market.  Actually, although it is the fish market I had heard the most of previously, the produce market was actually quite a lot larger.

The market seemed to be divided into two parts.  Like with the fish market, there was a large wholesale area, where very big boxes, crates, containers or sacks of green goods were being shipped and received.  Adjoining that was a huge, but more usual traditional market, where one could buy the day’s or the week’s veggies.

Surprising I haven’t heard more of this, as the entire complex was really big.  Timewise though, the produce market got short shrift, as we did the fish market first and by the time we hit the produce area, we were getting tired (a 3:00am alarm will do that to you).  Actually, just being the the veggie area also made the three of us quite hungry, which probably hastened our departure as well.

I won’t get into technicals too much, there is packing to do, but here are some photos.

Always with a smoke:  I have mentioned it before,

but it always surprises me how much food preparation

and smoking go hand in hand in Taiwan.

Making Change

Broccoli; my favourite veggie.

Asparagus, another favourite.

Something I have yet to get used to in Taiwan.  Indoors, very tight aisles,

yet scooters zip through.  This would be so against the rules in the west.

Really long green beans.

Sacks of onions.

Really happy and friendly.

Red peppers

A big cart for a tiny woman.

My shooting partner for the day:  David Reid.

Well, I have been in the photographic doldrums for a bit now, so when my friend Mark suggested a trip to the wholesale fish market in Wanhua, I was all in.  When he suggested a 4am start time, I was less so, but  still enough that I sacrificed some sleep for a photographic opportunity.

I met up with David, we took a taxi to the market, where we met with Mark and took some shots.  Adjoining the fist market is a huge produce market, but the photos from this post will be limited to the fish market.

The market is where vendors from traditional markets all over Taipei get their product.  Even at 4am, the place was busy and I would be frightened to even guess how many kilos of fish were bought and sold.

Chopping off the tails.

Sitting on Crates

The auctioneer:

This guy was busy, auctioning off small crates of fish one at a time.

I am not sure if the larger lots were sold this way too, but I never saw it.

Baskets of big ‘uns.  These did not look tasty at all.

This guy had his own section; baskets were put on the scale and weighed;

I am guessing the billing was done by the computer he is showing me here.

Cutting up a big chunk of fish.

Smoking and food preparation;

in Taiwan they go hand in hand.

Again, I don’t really know how everything works,

but I think the guys in the blue hats would be the

equivalents to traders in a stock market.  You can see

the sell board in the background.

The auctioneer.

Traders.

You would zonk out too if your day started well before 4:00am.

I will try to get some photos up from the produce market within the next day or so.

Having taught in Taiwan for a number of years now, you would think that I have taught hundreds of kids.  The truth is that is not the case.  For the first three and a half years of my time here, I taught one group of 12 kids for the entire time.  I did teach others too, but those twelve were my core afterschool (not kindergarten) kids.  Needless to say, I became quite attached to them and they even came to like me.  When I started, they were in first grade.  They are now in sixth and they are worlds more mature.  I must have done a good job as their teacher though, as they have become quite fluent in English.

From Left:  Charles, Albert, Kevin Lin, Kevin Du, Herbert and yours truly.

It was a really pleasant surprise when my phone rang a few weeks ago, and when I answered, the voice said, “Teacher Darren, this is Kevin Du.”  Kevin was one of those original students and he was calling me to invite me to go for a bike ride with him.  After a rainout, we were able to meet up last Sunday and take that ride.  Not only was Kevin Du there, but also Kevin Lin, his brother Albert, Herbert and Charles.  Kevin Lin and Herbert were also originals, I had taught Albert when he was in kindy and while I was never his teacher, I knew Charles from the same school.  What an exceptionally nice group of kids!

What a fun afternoon it was.  We met up, and they led me up and down the hills of Muzha, ending up near the zoo.  Not only did we do some riding, but we stopped and did the very normal grade six activity of skipping stones in the river and throwing rocks at things.  I hadn’t done this in years, and it was a ton of fun.  The photos are no great shakes; just taken with my point and shoot, over which I seem to have no mastery.  Anyways, it was a really fun activity and one I wanted to share.

Herbert showing good form.

Keving and Albert; brothers throwing together.

Charles is going to make a BIG splash.

Keving Du lets fly.

Kevin Lin again.

A big thanks to the group for inviting me.  I can’t wait to get out with them again.

Unfortunately, Myanmar has been in the news as of late, none of it for good.

This post is not to lament the atrocious government the Burmese people live under, nor is it to capture the destruction of the recent cyclone. Simply this is just meant to show a tiny portion of one of the most beautiful countries one could imagine.

U-Bein Bridge, at about 1.2 miles long is the longest teak bridge in the world. It’s timbers were recycled from either abandon homes or from a previous Royal Palace, depending upon which story you listen to. Whatever the origin, U Bein is a really lovely peaceful spot.

U Bein is also one of those spots which really came together for me. We had arrived just before sunset and were lucky to catch some of the best light imaginable. Like many spots in Myanmar, I hold fond memories of my time.

This (extremely) beautiful young woman was a guide (not ours). Although she wasn’t much more than 14 or 15, she was fluent in six languages and really could not have been more pleasant.

A pair of monks make their way across the beautiful footbridge, just as the sun was giving its best colours.

I can’t remember the exact number, but there are somewhere over 1000 pilings making up support for the bridge.

More people make their way across as the set gets lower in the sky.

A boatsman goes under the bridge. Unfortunately, what is not seen here is the hundreds of ducks following along after him.

More lovely light. The pilings are definitely showing some wear after about 150 years of use.

I love it when people carry things on their heads; there is just something so romantic about it.

The monks who were going across seem to be coming back. it looks as though they have picked up a friend.

The day ends at U Bein.

Hopefully in the very near future, all the people of Burma will be seeing better times under better leadership. It is a political quandary as to whether one should visit Myanmar while it is under the control of the present junta; it will be wonderful when that ethical question won’t have to be asked.