elephantasy

I was enchanted by this circa-1950s street amusement on display at Taiwan Storyland, a kind of living history museum located in the basement of an electronics superstore near Taipei Main Station. I have visited several times over the years and I never cease to feel amazed by its weird awesomeness. A few other choice shots...

At this display I was invited by a woman to play an inscrutable game and win a cellophane-entombed prize. You know my Chinese must be great if I know how to say things like "cellophane-entombed." Truthfully, she did not use those exact words.

I loved this antique ice cream seller's bike. I can't tell what's better, that Mickey Mouse is painted red, or that his thumb appears to be emanating stink.

This is a 1960s miniature organ that sits at the front of the "schoolhouse" at Taiwan Storyland. Music education became compulsory in Taiwan (I believe) during the Japanese colonial period. Classes emphasized western art songs, which were translated into Japanese.

Business was hardly booming the day I visited (with my cool friend Catherine), but let's hope Taiwan Storyland stays in business for many more years to come. It's a fantastic and fascinating place!