Going through the motions...

I found myself on the roof at around 2 AM Taipei time. I was shock when my eyes gazed toward the world's tallest building. The 101 has an array of lights and they run through a relatively predictable cycle. That is to say that by midnight it is operating with minimal lighting. There is just more than enough to forewarn an errant plane, But at this wee hour of the morning it was fully lit in a brilliant blue and before my eyes it changed and cycled through an array of the color spectrum. I was intrigued so I climbed the water tower and sat down. I figured they must be running test in preparation for the upcoming New Years spectacular. I got a random sneak peak at the big show, minus the fireworks. It seem that this years show is being paid for by Sony again. Last year after the bombing of the 101, the world tallest building turned in to the world tallest advertisement. It appears that it will again.
While the events the latter quarter of this fine year have caused me much dread, I am still somewhat excited about New Years. I had what may just have been the worst Christmas ever. While it's hard to truly quantify such a thing, being that highs and low usually average out for me, this Christmas was extremely trying. Yet still I am excited about the prospect of stating over in a new year. I am also excited about being one of the first people in the world to greet the new year. My dilemma is whither to stay on my rooftop or climb my neighborhood mountain. I can get a great photo from either. The mountain view would be better, but there is the chance that in a county of 9 million there just might be a "few" other people with the same idea. I t would be a shame to hike the distance and find there are no go places to set up my tripod........

later DJ

This just in.... We evidently just had a major Earthquake in the south of the Island. We have had a few lately. On Saturday we had one that I felt. There was dust and debris that fell from our ceiling. I was sitting watching a movie with Diva, when it happen. It is still a very odd feeling. The quake that struck the south was a 7.1 on the richter scale. It was a 2 or 3 in Taipei. I didn't notice todays. I was either on the bus or running, There were a few houses that collapsed in the south, at least one dead and a handful injured. I didn't even feel it............Daniel

Sheng dan kuai le !!
(Merry Christmas)


These are pictures of Taipei 101 on Christmas night. Some of many photos I have taken of the 101, but i just loved the way the waning moon looked next to the building.


Here is a photo of a group of roller skating Taiwanese in Santa caps. They were parading down the street by my window singing Christmas songs.




I took a climb up to 9 5 mountain or I believe thats the name of it. I thought it was one of the four animal mountains, but I don't think so now. It takes about an hour and 1/2 to get from my door to the top; If your fast and you take the short cut straight up via ropes. Its a fun hike/climb and I am glad the mountain is so close. I find myself up there often...... Anyway... Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and so on and so forth.
I wish I had more time to write and let everyone know the details of my life, but not at this very moment. I hope to write a summary of the year... stay tuned. D.James