Saturday saw MJ Klein playing host to Taiwan’s biggest English blogger meeting in Hukou, held at a Thai restaurant. Lots of fun, lots of food and drink and lots of music. It was a great chance for me to meet some new friends too.

First off, a big thanks to MJ (better known as the NH Bushman) for putting it all together. It must have been a lot of work, but I am sure everyone appreciates it. I didn’t take many photos, but will post some of the few I did snap off.

The Bushman/MJ plays guitar while the lead singer of the Fong Band (Thai music) belts it out.  MJ can really play.

MJ plays while Carrie is the singer this time.  Like Michael, she has musical skills.

Baby Alice and mother Joanne, along with baby Chloe and mother Becki.  Andres, I am sorry, I guess I missed your beautiful daughter with my camera.  All three babies were about a year old.

Baby Alice again, mom looks on.  Daddy Neil is nowhere to be seen.

Todd and MJ trade stories.  With Todd, MJ and Carrie’s fiance John there, there was some serious height represented.

Ashish takes aim.  I am sure his photos were better than mine.

Micheal contemplates the next course of delicious Thai food.

MJ presenting Taiwan’s next pop star, Michael Turton.

Andres and his camera.

Mei, of Mei Eats.  In the background are Craig and Selina of Craig Ferguson Images.

Todd and his lovely fiance Cathy.

Thanks once again to MJ for a really good time.  I was happy for the opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.

Sunday night was a meeting of local bloggers, coupled with tech folks in town for an Intel designers forum as well as members of the bike industry.  Suprising how much common ground was found between the groups.  Here are some snaps of the event.

Byron of textura design and bike hugger.  Byron was the host/patron of the event and a fun guy to talk about on virtually any topic.  Thanks a ton to him for doing this.

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Uggh….I think this is Mark, also of Textura.  I didn’t get a card from him, so big apologies if I am wrong on the name.  Mark is a videographer and I am sure that somewhere on the net there is some video evidence of our meeting.

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David Reid, of  David on Formosa.  It tends to be David that I rely upon to know just what is happening in Taiwan.

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Matt, from Dahon Bikes.

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A group shot.  Next to Matt is Alton Thompson, a music conductor here in Taipei.  The completely dark shadow just next to David is Mark from Doubting to Shuo.  Sorry to both Alton and to Mark, but that is all I had of them.

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Michael Klein, better known as The New Hampshire Bushman on the left, with David Reid and David Wilson of Isla Formosa on the right.

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Sorry to those who didn’t get mentioned.  I will try to update this a bit and at least put in a more extensive list of links of those who were there.

A big thanks again to Byron and to all, it was great to either meet you for the first time or meet up again.

Guting Market is a traditional market right behind the Starbucks I visit almost everyday.  Actually, when I was working on my Daily Someone project, I went there often, but after finishing the project it has gone ignored.  I passed through there last Monday and took a few shots, then went back today and took quite a few more.  These are the results of those two visits.

Even after too many years in Asia, I love visiting traditional markets.  I think Ryszard Kapuściński said it best in his book, The Shadow of the Sun.

The open market is an entirely different universe. It is vitality, spontaneity, improvisation. It is a folk festival, an outdoor concert.

Markets and temples, my two favourites.

Lotus seeds

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Canned goods

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Tiny, but packed shop

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Mostly tofu

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Roasted nuts

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Buying fish from the bicycle

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Cut to order

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Sesame snacks

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Bagged nuts

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Mmmmm, greasy…

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A good heart

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More entrails

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Fish on a Table #1

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Fish on a Table #2

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You can even get sushi.

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Keeping the fish moist

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Choosing the fish

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Freshly cut

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Mushrooms

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Thanks for visiting.

I believe it was on some NPR podcast, but I heard last week that there is a new exhibit of Andy Warhol’s work and artifacts happening somewhere in the US right now.  Of course, when one thinks about Warhol, one tends to think, about the Marilyn Monroe silkscreens.  With that in mind, I present this simple little homage.

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Very simply, the same photo, processed four different ways.

*Click on the photo to be taken to a larger version.