Saturday Evening Bike to National Palace Museum Resumed

Activities/Actions:

• Biked to/from GuGong
• Paraded with three Cows on CowParade @ NPM
  
• Snack @Shilin and Dinner @Roahe

Stat & Course condition:
A section of North Bank Keelung River bike path between DaZhi Bridge and Grand Hotel was under construction with only one lane available. The weather was nice.


Note and reflections:
Last year, the weekend bike trips to National Palace Museum started on the 19th of April [April Runs] and ended on the 25th of October [Octorber Runs: Where is a long run?]. The cease was due to weather, other activities and my completion of all exhibition rooms. Recently, the museum exhibits new themes and artifacts, so it is the time to begin a ride into Chinese's rich treasures.

Today, I started my journey around 5p and got to Shilin Park and found many totem poles at the entrance of the park. I stopped to take some photos of these craved poles in various shapes; some were made by other materials (bronze cast; recycled engine parts). I arrived at GuGong just before 6p and found three artistic cows of CowParade being fenced off by red strip. How come??!! As public arts, these cows were supposed to interact with people but, instead, being fenced off (Poor cows)--could not even take a good photo without the red tape surrounding them. (see other CowParade Posts at CowParade Taipei 2009)

The exhibition was fine with a puppet show at Saturday Night @ NPM from a Hakka Puppet Theater. I came back home around 10p after a short stop in Shilin Night Market for a fried chicken and at Roahe Night Market for BiBimBap (石頭拌飯). At a Shilin fried & grilled chicken stand, I told the seller that I want "very spicy (大辣 Da La)." She asked me three times to confirm that I really wanted "very spicy." I guess that no one ordered spiciness at this level. Actually, the "Da La" chicken was not spicy at all. (PS. Both markets were crowded as usual).

Photos:

Totem and Legend (We Are Family): A large piece of wood carved nicely.

Totem and Legend (We Are Family): Art from recycled metal and woods.

祥雲牛 Lucky Cloud-Cow

水牛翻身 Turnover Buffalo

四季平安(青花牛) Peace and Joy-Ming Blue

Hakka Chinese puppet show at NPM.

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the left side of the open finger gloves found

Well, after more than two months, I found the left side in my apartment during the house rearrangement and clean-up. I had been thinking of getting a new pair, but .... I found it this morning. Is a "welcome back" appropriate since it has been in the apartment for the whole time?

Related posts:

• a glove has gone
• 15.6 mile (25.1 kilometer) Wednesday

The 3-year old gloves [Harbinger 155] are still working well, bought just before 2006 New Year Road Trip to Mammoth Cave with Kou, Rina, Yeong-shin and YS's friend.

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a resting week

Activities/Actions & Note/reflections:
Well, the week of slow runs did not heal the pain [วิ่งไม่หยุด: a week of slow runs], I decided to take a rest and do therapy. For the whole week I did some strength training and 10-minute stationary rowing. On Tuesday Meng-Shin brought me a polyfoam bag for my cold therapy [วิ่งไม่หยุด: Frozen pea bag - cold therapy for Runner's knee], but it has to be returned on Friday. I felt much better on Thursday, so I decided to start a slow run on Saturday (or a long bike ride) if the weather is nice.

After a used shoes test, my right and left feet is not"excessive pronated." The test was performed by placing NB 476 (my most used running shoes) on a table, with its toes pointing away from me. After squatted down to eye level, I found that the shoes does not tilt inwards. In addition, after examined its outer sole, extreme wear and tear along the balls of my right foot was not observed, but the wear and tear at the ball of both feet was not "extreme." Thus, I believe that I am NOT "excessive pronated." The wet foot test also confirmed that I have neutral feet.

(tests followed http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-pronation.htm)


A light-green Nalgene bottle: I got this bottle more than a year ago, but I just started to used it this week. :D

Photos:

A light green Nalgene bottle born in USA, adopted in USA, residing in Taiwan and speaking three languages.

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2009 Taipei Lantern Festival

Activities/Actions:

• Biked to/from Taipei City Hall
• Visiting Taipei Lantern Festival

Stat & Course condition:
Good weather (did not rain)

Note and reflections:
Visiting the festival at its last day was nice because of a good size crowd. This year Taipei lantern exhibition was much smaller than that of the last year (probably due to Taiwan Lantern Festival in Ilan). Cows and Taiwanese water buffaloes are the main guys along with some pandas and Summer Deaflympics Taipei 2009 mascot, Taipei green tree frogs (I do not know their name). One of popular things is the illuminating party light sticks in various shapes and styles sold by street vendors. Two love stories (Chinese and Western; a main character in Chinese version is a cowherd) are told by rows of lanterns on both sides of the City Hall Plaza. It is the right timing because the festival falls during the St. Valentine's Day this year.


About Summer Deaflympics Taipei 2009 Mascot
From http://english.2009deaflympics.org/files/13-1027-865.php

The 21st Summer Deaflympics Taipei 2009 has adopted as its mascot the lively Taipei green tree frog (Rhacophorus taipeianus). While it is the tiniest of Taiwan's eight indigenous species of frogs, it is remarkable for its ability to jump long distances. Similarly, although Taiwan is a small island nation, it has impressed the world with its economic power, springing to new heights.

The banyan leaf worn by the male mascot and the azalea flower on the female are respectively the Taipei city tree and flower. They symbolize the city's vision of a fresh and environment-friendly future. The mascots have their arms wide open, in a pose that looks like the Chinese character for north “bei”, which represents the host city, Taipei. With open arms and cheerful smiles, Taipei enthusiastically welcomes participants coming from every part of the world!

Photos:

A orphaned cowherd and an Emperor's daughter: Chinese Love Story

Orphaned Cinderella and the Prince: a western love story.

Thailand to participate in the 21st Summer Deaflympics Taipei 2009 in September

Besides cattle, Pandas featured in this year lantern.

"Do you want one?"
Illuminating party light sticks at several street vendors

Cows from a milk carton

The first prize lantern (of a category) depicting three cows

The main lantern in front of SYS Memorial Hall in a full display.

Along Ren-Ai Rd, Mascot of Deaflympics Taipei 2009.

Ren-Ai Rd. wall of Taipei City Hall turned into the main Lantern illuminated by fusion of modern technology and traditional/contemporary arts.

For me, "All Pass" this year!

Just a day after St. Valentine's Day

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Frozen pea bag - cold therapy for Runner's knee

Although the pain on the inner side of the right knee (actually, the medial side of the right leg) has bothered me from time to time, I still on my bike to almost everywhere. I did research over the web and found that cold therapy is a common treatment of the pain around knee. The pain I am experiencing is located around the end of femur around the end of possibly vastus medialis (a component of Quadricep femoris) or satoris. Well, I am just guessing. According to this Q&A "My Knee Aches" at RunnerWorld.com, it seems that I may experiencing Patello-femoral Pain Syndrome, a.k.a. Runner's knee or Jumper's knee (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runner%27s_knee). Causes of this syndrome include "a tight iliotibial band, neuromas, bursitis, overuse, malalignment, core instability, to name but a few." However, I think that in my case iliotibial band is less likely to be involved in. I probably need to focus on Quadricep femoris muscles. However, the pain area is very close to the medial ligament. Maybe my medial collateral ligament is sprained.

Also, it is possible that the pain is one of the collective symtons of "Shin Splints" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints or http://www.watfxc.com/TF/TF%20Education/shin_splints.htm. The pain is around the medial side of the right leg and a bit lower than the knee cap. Running down hill or excessive pronation can cause this. I did run down hill in Taroko Marathon, but how about "excessive pronation?" http://www.selfsource.com/footflex/shin.html. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-pronation.htm

According to www.runnerplanet.come, applying cold to the injured area 5 times a day for about 15 minutes a time is a recommendation for almost similar injuries. Cold reduces flow of fluid resulted from tearing and thus reduces inflammatory at the area. Two simplest ways to apply the cold are 1) Ice bags and 2) Ice massage. The skin during the cold application will go through 4 stages of sensations from first Cold to Burning to Aching and Numbness. It is suggested to stop this therapy once the skin feels numb, which is at around 15 minutes of application (http://jointhealing.com/pages/productpages/cryotherapy.html). Then, I need to go to get a frozen vegie bag from supermarket (a frozen pea bag will do) or a polyfoam transportation ice bag from the wet lab.

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