Cold House

Summers are hot, searingly so. As though one were under a giant magnifying glass with the sun pouring through with all the intensity to use you, the human, as its source of fuel to start a fire. The humidity augments the sun's ability to make things baking-hot to punishingly, suffocatingly hot. Blast furnace hot.

It is now winter in Taiwan. The comparison between winter and summer weather is this. Take away most of the heat but lave the humid air and you have 50-60 degree Fahrenheit days that will still leave you feeling like you never quite dried off after the shower.

Why mention cold house in the title? Because it is cold in the buildings in Taiwan during the winter months! That's why. There are no central units in many houses or buildings that I've been in (this of course does not speak for every place on the island). It is pretty safe to say that anything you see here that looks old, out dated, decrepit, like it's a shed, made of cracked and sometimes crumbling unpainted concrete and has a generally inside out bathroom vibe to it probably doesn't have central air or heating.

I can vouch for my current place of residence in this. It has no heating other than some contraptions that look like modified fans but put out significant heat. Those are good, when you have it in the room, but buying one for every room is expensive--both to purchase and for electricity.

Here's the crux of the matter and my question to anyone who can give a decent answer. If the winter chill lasts from November to March--five months worth of cold ears and feet--why does my residence have no central heat? People are bundled up in heavy jackets and scarves around their necks as they sit and watch TV, eat meals, and do general things around the house. It's so cold! I fail to understand the logic here.

Taipei 101: The Photo I've Been Waiting For

Finally, a decent view of Taipei 101.

One of the nice things about living in Taiwan is the proximity of airports to Taipei, especially Song Shan Airport. TSA airport is directly in the city and one cannot help but notice the towering Taipei 101 building as the planes takes off or approaches the airport. My girlfriend and I took a great trip to Kinmen in November. And this is the shot that I got just moments after lift off. Only a minute later we would be flying over the beautiful green mountains surrounding Taipei.

Once I save up the money I will take my girlfriend on an aerial tour of Taipei in a helicopter. (No, I actually don't know if they have those like they do in the States, but given enough money and the right attitude, one can do just about anything.) Then I will get all the money shots of the city that I can dream of.

Even though the air wasn't perfectly clear, it still provided a nice shot of Taipei 101. I do hope for a sunny take off next time though.