What Hat Are You Wearing Today 1?

[alanfgag]

Nice to see that Goldsiegel ride again.

 

[delectans]

Love the great photos today, Historyteach24, Randall, and Rusty! More, please, those merely whetted my appetite.

 

[delectans]

Notes On Our Summer Travels Across Longitude And Time Zones (Part 5)

On this, the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year(of the Black Snake), I would like to extend my cordial New Years well wishes to everyone for an auspicious year. We are beginning the new year in the midst of another Winter Storm Warning here in Minnesota, and as our friends on the Eastern Seaboard are also digging out from Winter Storm Nemo I thought it fitting to continue my travelogue from last August. Those sultry days of exotic adventures, linen and straw seem so distant now...

(CAPTIONS IN PROGRESS...)



August 10th, 2012. Up before dawn, we took a leisurely stroll across Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Park in Taipei. Legions of early risers were already busy with various traditional martial arts-based morning exercises. Here, Yang-Family-Style T'ai Chi Ch'uan. OPTIMO Montecristi.



The well-drilled color guard marching past us following the raising of the national flag.



T'ai-Chi Long Sword, or Jian.



Magnificent hand made eagle kite aloft in the gentle early morning breeze.



Old and New.



T'ai Chi Broadsword.



Fashionable ladies just after their T'ai Chi Fan session.



Spear practitioners warming up.



Early breakfast at our favorite morning eatery across the park. Chinese doughnuts, sesame flat-bread and a bowl of warm, sweetened soy milk. Immensely satisfying.

 

[delectans]

By a grove of palmettos in the park, following breakfast.






Banyan and its aerial prop roots.



A portion of the man-made lake in the park was drained and undergoing routine cleaning.



The bridge across the lake.



The comfortable cool of the early morning began to rapidly give way to rising temperature and humidity as the Sun tried to break through the overcast skies.






By 9AM or so the morning regulars have begun to disperse. This T'ai Chi Fan group, however, was still going strong...

 

[delectans]

...led by their instructor, who possessed a remarkably fluid and beautiful form.









Another group of ladies who enjoy the fan as a traditional dance form.






Morning break with the fresh, succulent peaches we bought earlier at the morning market.



For my birthday, I decided to wear my two finest hats, and made the switch. OPTIMO Montecristi. Off again for a day of shopping and of course, eating.



Taipei is a shopper's paradise, but while we enjoy our shopping excursions, we invariably find ourselves thinking about and planning for our next meal. Visiting another Din Tai Fung conveniently located in the bustling food court of the SOGO(Fuxing) Department Store.



Finally seated after a forty-minute wait. Just long enough to be hungry again and eagerly anticipating our third meal. It was scarcely 11AM.

 

[delectans]

Tender, sauteed bean-sprout tips.



Pork chop fried rice.



Trademark dumplings with truffles.



I really appreciated the tableside bin, to place purses, cameras...and my hat.



Shrimp pot-stickers. We always seemed to order one or more additional items at the end of our meals, but never had any leftovers.



Across the street from the SOGO, on Zhongxiao East Road.



Trying on one of my favorite watches, the 46mm IWC Big Pilot, inspired by the famed Flieger Baumuster 'A' pilot watches of the 1930s-1940s.



Rolex boutiques abound.



Initially unmoved by the solicitations of the wheelchair-bound man, the young lady had a quick change of heart and offered him alms before the light changed. A touching moment of humanity.

 

[delectans]

Taking in the energy and bustle of this great thoroughfare before hailing a cab.






Heading out at dusk to eat once again.



Many of Taipei's finest restaurants are tucked away in tiny sidestreets barely wide enough for one way traffic.



One such restaurant is Long Du/Dragon City, a venerable old Cantonese restaurant serving some of the best Cantonese-style seafood in Taipei. The house specialty is their Peking Duck, which must be reserved many days in advance.



Attentive and courteous staff greatly enhance the dining experience.



The lobsters were tempting, but we set our minds to focus on their famed meat dishes.



Live abalone to further entice us.



Parrotfish of the Scaridae family with some serious dentition.

 

[delectans]

Pidan, also known as thousand-year-old egg, and steamed taro appetizers.



The best Peking Duck this side of Beijing.






The lamb chops are another house specialty.



Traditional, steamed "peach" Longevity Bao to celebrate my special day.



Even as we enjoyed the moment, and I was officially a year older, we were already looking forward to another day exploring Taipei prior to our week-long excursion to Macau and Hong Kong...

 

[Chepstow]

Monte, Justin, David, Alan, Steve, AnA, Rusty, Mike and Al, thanks so much for the nice comments and compliments. They are all, much appreciated! Thanks

Robert, fantastic Goldsiegel! Nice to see you in a Alpine hat.

Jared, a good choice, you look very good with the Cav!

D-Guy, nicely dressed with your Bates!

David, the photos are cool! You both look great!

Alan, a stunning Borsalino! I am a fan of that flecked felt! Wow.

Lauro, cool look! The shape of the Strat works good for you.

Alex, a great special edition from Akubra, looks very good on you!

AnA, fantastic, the shape looks great and you very stylish!

Tom, great hat, love that hatband!

Monte, a small pic but a great Stetson Deluxe!

Scooter, thanks for the kind words!

so cold and windy, a typical winter day. My wife cut my hair so short, now my head freezes!
So I went with a City Sport Donegal Cap, to hold my head, warm.

 

[Chepstow]

Great photos, HT, Rusty and Randall! post more please!

Al, my friend, your photos are always fascinating ! I have rarely seen, so clearly photos!
That is very exciting to see what comes next, because every photo tells his own story and
It' a pleasure, to see, with which love, you are photographing. Thank you that I could be there.

 

[scooter]

Fellas, you're lighting it up today. Magnificent hats all the way around!

 

[gtdean48]

Akubra Imperial Moonstone Wanderer (customized Fed4)....

 

[DJH]

Great Wanderer, Tom.

Black Sheep Hat Works for me

 

[RBH]

Thanks everyone.
Great photos Al!

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

I really like your cap, Manfred. Very nice color!

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Good morning, Tom and David! Good way to start the day off! I'm still waking up with my Falcon Park, complete with custom "Hands OFF!" tag...

 

[delectans]

Couple of great looking lids, Manfred, Tom, David, and Alive'n'Amplified.

Manfred: Fedoras and caps look better with short hair!

 

[Iain]

Akubra Campdraft, been wearing it for a whole 7 days now since I got it and still no sign of the novelty wearing off.

 

[casechopper]

Snow is fine, but rain on top of snow?! :eusa_doh:
Akubra Cattleman today

 

[casechopper]

Yesterday, in an area with nicer weather...
Akubra Fed IV