Richmond Night Market, Vancouver

Last night went to the Richmond Night Market with my sister and her fiance. Was rather out of the way in the very Asian suburb of Richmond amongst warehouses. We knew we were in the right area because there were hordes of people in the middle of nowhere.

It was not too different from night markets all over East Asia and it could have been too. Most of the attendees/shoppers were high school kids of Asian descent and the goods and 'street foods' sold were of East Asian origin. You could get Korean stationery, Vietnamese DVDs, Japanese soft drinks, Taiwanese soups, you name it. There were also a stall selling clothes for pets!

Vancouver

In Vancouver for my brother's graduation. Also a family reunion. My mother, sister and her fiance and my grandmother are also here.

My brother rented a professor's house for us to stay in during our stay here. The professor and his wife are away in Europe on holidays. His house is a veritable shop of antiques and an art gallery. All sorts of interesting curios and objets d'art from all over. Also amazing that they trust strangers to stay in their place stuffed full with treasured items amassed over decades. No small privilege wandering through the interesting house and its beutifully lush garden.

Another small-world coincidence is that my sister's fiance just found out that he actually knows the guy the landlord is staying with in London!

Taipei

Was in Taipei overnight in transit to Vancouver. My friend, Michael and his lovely girlfriend, Annie, picked me up from the airport. We met up with another friend, Shirley, for dinner in the base of the Taipei 101 Tower. I think it is still the tallest building in the world but with many taller buildings approaching completion around the globe.

Annie very kindly put me up in her family owned hotel not far from the airport that night despite me meeting her only for the first time. The kindness of others never ceases to amaze.

Cousin's shop

My cousin, Lynette, has an online business selling accessories. Here's a bit of promotion of her business, L'ArtiChaut.

This is a videocast of her in a Chinese language website. She's the one in black.

This is a picture of her sniffing durians. Not sure whether it fits with her L'ArtiChaut image though.
L'Artichaut is artichoke in French, also for 'hot art' as in L'arti chaut. I guess the silhouette of an artichoke is a little bit like that of a durian. Similar colour too.

Toilet tidbits - Father & son

Public toilet somewhere in Melbourne, I forget where. Father and son toilets in one cubicle. Aww, how cute.