Beer available from 711’s 
Australia will NEVER do that.
Off topic, but there’s an interesting theory about how Beethoven’s piece arrived at that particular title:
[quote]
The title ‘Fur Elise’ in German is just a dedication meaning simply, ‘For Elise.’
Now the piece was published in 1810 when Beethoven was 40. His first piano sonatas were published in 1783 when he was 13, so we can safely say he was capable of writing a comparatively simple piece like Fur Elise 27 years before he supposedly actually did.
Now, this will seem like pure conjecture now, but I am confident that when scholars get around to reading some of those old diaries that everyone seems to have kept in the 18th century so some humanities major can get their Ph.D. they will discover that Beethoven had that piece for many years before its now officially recognized publication date.
Why did he never make it public?
Because he used it to score more pussy than a bonobo.
First look at the properties of the piece: it can be played by one person. Someone of Beethoven’s piano skill would be able to play it and still hold a conversation. It demads no attention, or concentration. So a woman goes into the room to meet the great Beethoven and he’s sitting in there alone and he’s playing this tune. I imagine the typical conversation went along these lines:
Julie: “Hello, Mr. Beethoven, what’s that?”
Beethoven: “Oh, just a little piece I’m working on. And please, call me Ludwig.”
Julie(nervously): “It’s beautiful. What’s is it called?”
Beethoven: “I was thinking of calling it ‘Fur Julie’”
Julie(blushing madly): “Oh Beethoven,really…?”
Beethoven: “Absolutely. Here let me show you the first notes. Come sit next to me…”
All the various lures he is holding out here are breathtaking. Beethoven is offering everything anyone could want: immortality, their name attached to something beautiful, the chance to meet whatever noble Beethoven was working for at the time, and of course, making a nice guy out of a notorious bad-boy.
Now is anyone going to tell me that that would not have gotten him laid? And he lived at a time when social conventions were such that all the ladies in town couldn’t publish in the local scandal sheet how they were tricked and seduced by Beethoven.
Historical evidence will eventually prove that there was a girl named Elise that was proving very hard to fuck, so Beethoven finally had to play the piece in public. It was probably at this point that he got that scowl that we see him with in almost every representation of the man. He was giving up his best seduction method and deaf. One or the other would be bad enough, but the combination of both probably kept him pissed until the day he died. [/quote]
Shops that play “Ming Tien Jien” so you know the shop is closing. In Paris got in trouble twice at the supermarche cause of this - I was expecting the shop to play the please come to check out song. Maybe I have been here too long…
- Lower tax
- 7-11 everywhere
- Night Market… (I can’t believe you can get a jacket for 200NTD)
- Bubble tea
- Those breakfast ‘restaurants’…
In case anyone is wondering, the vast majority of good things that people are listing here are even better in mainland China. The food is cheaper and better and just as convenient to get. (I can’t believe someone actually said that they loved biandangs. Get thyself to a proper Sichuan restaurant, stat.) Women? Sure, I guess if you live in Taipei, but outside of there, I’ve been thoroughly underwhelmed with local women. Low taxes? Try no taxes. And taxis tend to be cheaper as well.
The only things in my mind that are clearly better here in Taiwan are the bubble tea, not having the scenery of the east coast so nearby, and the freedom I have from having a scooter.
You left out, “Earn 3x as much $$ and can actually convert the local currency so I can save & send some back home”
[quote=“QuietMountain”]
In the US, however, that kind of music usually means the ice cream truck is coming around. Not quite the same level of anticipation (or drooling) here.[/quote]
Speak for yourself!
I also like the scooter rentals down in Kenting where you can get a scooter using only your health insurance card (as opposed to a valid driver’s license).
Being able to drive like a maniac, and the cops don’t care because most Taiwanese people drive 10 times worse than I do.
Also I don’t have to pay any income taxes in Taiwan just because I have a child. In the States, I would have to pay 28% federal income tax (after deductions), 5% state income tax, 3% county income tax, and 7.65% social security!
Also I agree that it’s really great that in Taiwan almost every shop is open until 10 pm (or even 24 hours!).
By the way, the music which the garbage trucks play is not Fur Elise. However, I’ve forgotten the name of the “garbage truck music” piece because it wasn’t written by Beethovan, Mozart, Bach, or Handel so it isn’t a famous piece of music anywhere except in Taiwan. If anyone knows the name and the composer of the “garbage truck music”, please post it here.
The garbage trucks in Tainan all speak English.
(very
s
l
o
w
male English voice:)
"Hello.
I
am
an
English
teacher."
(rapidfemaleChinesevoice:)
“Woingwenlaoshi”
"What
do
you
do?"
“Nidegongzuoma?”
The musical garbage trucks just make me smile. I haven’t noticed the pre garbage truck scooters yet, but we will see. Back to things I love about Taiwan:
Cheap good food available everywhere,
Shopkeepers that are cool and polite without pressuring you to buy stuff (unlike South America)
Being a fast scooter ride to mountains or some of the nicest beaches I’ve ever seen.
Friendly, helpful people wherever I go, and whatever my problem is. I couldn’t get ADSL this fast in Canada! And my Chinese vocab is maybe 25 words.
I really enjoy paying the ticket price of things and thats it. No inflated taxes or levies or such and such. The price is the price. I like that.
Lots and lots of beautiful women everywhere.
:lovestruck:
Buying ram and storage space for my laptop at 1/2 the price it is in Canada.
free Kung Fu
Lots and lots of things to hear and see that blow my mind every day. Westminster chimes at 5 minutes past, hordes of kids in uniforms, crazy temples everywhere, crazy barbershop poles that can mean anything, or just a haircut, and watching thousands of people constantly moving all of the time, and they get along in such close proximities.
Living well at over half the price I’m used to.
thanks
smashy
Things I love about Taiwan:
- My salary!
- Taiwan taxes!
Otherwise, could somebody recommend a good psychologist and give me the address to anonymous alcoholics!!!
Sorry, it’s late Friday afternoon, I’m burn-out!!!
The short skirts that I saw so many of when I was in Hsimenting this evening and, even better, the lovely legs displayed beneath them.
(This is where I really need the drool smilie suggested by Wolfie.)
-my boyfriend
-my job
-my friends
-my house
-my crazy nights around
-punk, metal, hc, black metal bands
Food, Food and Food… yes I know. I like to eat, but who can resisited when you are in Taiwan?!
Cops here won’t haul me in for “noise pollution”
Luckily, the judge dropped the case as I have since moved out of that apartment.
[quote=“mod lang”]Cops here won’t haul me in for “noise pollution”
Luckily, the judge dropped the case as I have since moved out of that apartment.[/quote]
Still having those four-hour sessions, huh? Man, I know exactly how that goes. 
[quote=“Mark Nagel”]Well I’ve never lived in Taipei so maybe the garbage truck music is different there. But I’ve lived in Tainan, Taidong, Hualian, Pingdong, Jiayi, and Miaoli (in that order), and the garbage truck music is definitely not Fur Elise in all of those places. I’m sure because I can play Fur Elise on the piano, but I can’t play the garbage truck song.
By the way, I’ve never seen the “pre-garbage truck scooter”, either. So I guess a lot of things must be different in Taipei.[/quote]
I’ve lived both in Taipei City and Taipei County. And, I think the garbage truck song is different in each. But, perhaps I’m wrong. Anyway… there is a chance the tune may be different depending on where you are.
Post update or “Why it helps to read the entire thread before you post.”
In Zhuwei, Taipei County, I hear the Maiden’s Prayer from the garbage trucks. In Neihu, Taipei City, I hear Fur Elise. However, I’ve never heard the pre-garbage truck scooter.
Ok... another thread and an earlier post to this one just reminded me of this first one...
1. Lots of Asian male eye-candy.
Then also...
2. bubble tea. Gotta love that stuff!!!
3. mango ice - the shaved stuff with the syrup.
4. crispy, salty chicken
5. the cute kids that stare at me, smile, say "hen gao," and seem to get a pure, geniune kick out of the tall, bearded foreigner. I don't know why, but this often bothers me when it is teenagers or adults (unless they are cute guys), but not with the kids. :smiley:I love the fact that when I am suffering with a horrible cough due to the flu I can go to nearly any drugstore and obtain, OTC, a solution containing codeine phosphate.
I love Taiwan because it’s the wackiest place on earth. It’s like a video game come to life. Especially when you’re riding around on a scooter. I keep coming back to this country cuz I can’t get enough of it. Who knows when I ever will really leave…
missed it when I am not there and hated it when I was there… strange!