The Doctor Is In

Sino-American Cooperation

Where Guitars Go to Die

Cathy and I recently visited the newly opened Taiwan Times Village [寶島時代村] in Caotun Township. The place goes for a nostalgic feel by having the whole interior made to look like old streets complete with replica signs and advertisements from yesteryear. There were many parents there with their children and even a couple of schools visiting for their summer vacation even though the Taiwan Times Village has absolutely nothing of educational value. No explanations of anything because that would obviously rob someone’s attention away from walking mindlessly from store to store buying specialty products that he or she would have under normal circumstances had to visit several towns and cities around Taiwan to find. There’s even a large replica of Jiji Train Station for anyone who can’t travel an hour south to go see the real thing.

Anyways, on to the pictures:

• The first is a portrait of Doctor Sun Yat-sen hanging in an empty room towards the back of the Taiwan Times Village. A man was hastily setting some things up on the side and seemed bothered when I tried to walk in to take a picture, so I did so from a crack between the sliding doors that he partially closed on his way out.
• The second is a picture of my expecting wife in front of a sign which states: Sino-American Cooperation [中美合作].
• The final picture is of a few guitars hanging in an area full of old albums and other music memorabilia.