As another week comes to an end, we are firmly in the grip of the annual plum rains. Apparently the plums are a ripening at this time of year and hence the name, but essentially it is warm air from the south coming up against cold air from the north resulting in rain where they meet; a “persistent stationary front” which typically affects the north of the country. The rains affect China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, but it seems as though they are just in time to avoid drought in Taiwan this year.

The featured article this week is Shopping for Tailor Made Clothes. Although tailored clothing tends to have an image of being extravagant and even decadent, getting clothing made to fit can be surprisingly cost effective (dress shirts around NT$1000), and they just feel better in my opinion.

In news from Taiwan, opposition DPP Legislator Chen Ou-po made absolutely no friends by gate crashing the funeral of President Ma’s mother. Although he denied throwing a tantrum due to a lack of attention at the funeral, he did apologise after being condemned by just about everyone.

In slightly odder news, Kuo Chih-ling, a young “mixologist” is encouraging other youngsters to discover their talents. This is laudable of course, but her talent as a mixologist is to make cocktails, a talent which she started age 4, winning an international prize age 16, and begs the question, how did she know how they tasted?

And finally in feel good news, a great story of hitchhiking in Taiwan. It’s a couple of years old but a great read. I think many of us living in Taiwan have at least one story of similar kindness, but when I hitched I got a ride in the back of a recycling truck.

If you are looking for something to do this weekend, the 2014 Fulong International Sand Sculpture Festival is on. Take the train to Fulong Station and then walk over to the beach (map). Despite the plum rains, the CWB is saying Saturday and Sunday will be cloudy without rain.

In other site news, you can now follow us on Facebook, Google Plus, and Twitter, and if you haven’t already, please visit our Flickr page.  And as always, if you have any feedback or comments, please get in touch.

Thanks again for reading, have a great week, and we hope to see you back soon.

Taiwan Ho!