|
|
Post by Blue on Nov 3, 2013 15:27:04 GMT
This fascination with Florentijn Hofman's Rubber Duck in Hong Kong and Taiwan befuddles me. Don't ask me the reason that this duck is wearing the UK flag in front of a KFC in Taiwan.  Recently this Rubber Duck was the only thing that was killed by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan. A moment of silence was held. The Giant Rubber Ducky is Dead: Long Live the Spare One! shanghaiist.com/2013/11/02/rubber-ducky-dead-taiwan-silence.php Actually, another incarnation was thought to be killed in Hong Kong, but it was undergoing routine maintenance:   |
|
|
|
Post by Blue on Jan 1, 2014 11:13:15 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by cloudlesszen on Jan 15, 2014 1:47:34 GMT
Yeah, I have lived in Taiwan for a couple of years now. The fascination with the yellow duck thing is kinda like Hello Kitty. Taiwanese like things that are cute and cartoonish. As for the duck with the British flag on it, Taiwanese think the British flag is cool and hip, so they use it as art. What confuses me more is how a guy can make money off a giant yellow duck and then trademark it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Blue on Jan 15, 2014 14:13:58 GMT
There was once a craze about Portuguese egg tarts in Taiwan to the point that there was an egg shortage.
Then there was a craze about Mister Donuts to the point that Dunkin Doughnuts returned to Taiwan to compete in this market. Earlier this year there was a doughnut recession with Dunkin Doughnuts leaving Taiwan yet again, but Krispy Kreme's entry kinda ended that.
Let's see what happens when the first Gap store opens in Taiwan . . . . . . . and how is the Dairy Queen store in Tienmu going . . . . . .
|
|
|
|
Post by Blue on Jan 15, 2014 14:53:07 GMT
Funny thing that you compared the duck to Hello Kitty because I did take the following picture when I was wandering around the Xinyi District:  Here's the waiting time to get into Krispy Kreme. Certainly not the waiting time I would encounter at a Krispy Kreme in Daly City, CA, or at Victoria Station London, or at Shinjuku, Tokyo Japan for that matter.  A globe sponsored by some alcoholic company (hence, warnings in Chinese not to drive after drinking!)  And finally,"Hello 台北!". No need to shop in Gap when I'm in Tokyo, San Francisco, or London for that matter simply because in the past there was no Gap in Taiwan.  |
|
|
|
Post by cloudlesszen on Jan 16, 2014 0:54:08 GMT
Haha, over two hours for Krispy Kreme! You are right, not the wait I would expect in my hometown at all. I didn't even know there was a Dairy Queen in Taiwan, that is strange. My wife likes to go to Subway sometimes...the more I visit the big cities, the more it feels I am back in the US. Probably why I much prefer living way out in the country.
|
|
|
|
Post by Minh on Jan 16, 2014 2:29:03 GMT
If only there was any way for me to get that giant duck for my backyard, it would be the best hihi.
|
|
|
|
Post by Blue on Jan 16, 2014 14:43:50 GMT
cloudlesszenYou've probably seen this on the news recently: edition.cnn.com/2014/01/15/travel/10-things-taiwan/10 things Taiwan does better than anywhere else 1. Night markets 2. Themed restaurants (including Hello Kitty and Barbie themed) 3. Free WiFi 4. Chinese artifacts 5. Animated news 6. Mock meat (ie vegetarian) 7. Little League baseball (controversial about how the players were selected, though) 8. National health coverage (But now they find ways to make us pay more premiums) 9. Hello Kitty obsession10. Little dumplings (no need for Ding Tai Fung . . . one can get them for breakfast)
|
|
|
|
Post by cloudlesszen on Jan 17, 2014 2:02:44 GMT
Haha, I hadn't seen that actually. That is quite accurate from my time living here. Especially the mock meat, they make some crazy meat-like dishes here. Never encountered that kind of skill in my travels in Japan or South Korea.
|
|
|
|
Post by ziman on Jan 17, 2014 13:20:34 GMT
... 5. Animated news ... 10. Little dumplings (no need for Ding Tai Fung . . . one can get them for breakfast) Those two are particularly memorable for me- I remember once when visiting Canberra, Australia during a closely-contested general election there, I saw an animated Taiwanese news feature about it. It was so hilarious! As for the dumplings- my father told me about this funny story on his Taiwan trip last year: there was a delicious little dumpling shop right opposite where he stayed in Taipei, where he ate breakfast on most days. In that shop, there was a big sign on the wall that read: 敬告鼎泰丰： 好吃不需要那麽貴！Translation： "A respectful notice to Ding Tai Fung: Delicious food doesn't have to be so expensive!"  |
|
|
|
Post by Blue on Jan 17, 2014 13:48:54 GMT
Cost comparison:
1 xiaolongbao at Ding Tai Fung = US$1
1 xiaolongbao at a street stall = US 30 cents
|
|
|
|
Post by Blue on Jan 18, 2014 11:28:17 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Blue on Feb 3, 2014 13:00:43 GMT
Okay, we can argue that ancestor worship isn't a form of idolatry, but still . . . . . . this picture is way too disturbing!  Maybe I should respect them as superheroes instead:  Now I'm really afraid that I'm gonna see many of these lanterns during the Lantern Festival!!!  |
|
