The British Consulate, Kaohsiung 英國領事館

Had there been less people around, maybe I would have tried to disguise myself as the person on the left.

Today Hsiu-chin and I celebrated the beginning of 2009 by visiting the former British Consulate in Kaohsiung (高雄港的英國領事館). Being a public holiday, there were many more people than we expected, and also compared with the last time we came here, which may have been when the boys were only starting elementary school.

The former British Consulate in Kaohsiung. It's always amazes me how great an influence Britain had in the far corners of the world a century or more ago.

I guess if I had been born a hundred years earlier, I would have sought to enter the diplomatic service.

While the building was very interesting, I was finding the view of the ocean equally interesting.

Hsiu-chin posing next to the postbox. Would we do this when in the U.K.?

This was the kind of boat used about 150 years ago when the British came here.

The ink in the stamp pads had more or less run out. Next time, I will bring my own stamp pad so that I can stamp a lot of things with the "official" chop of the British Consulate.

The buildings in the top left corner of the picture are only a couple of miles or so from where we live. So I could make this dream of coming here more often a reality.

Hsiu-chin wanted a picture by the British letter box. I actually wanted to post a letter.

Just sitting here about to edit a Taiwanese professor's academic research paper on econometrics. The rarified atmosphere reminds me of Albert Einstein's office in Bern, Switzerland, which I visited many years ago. This beats any modern office. People need to be able to think and concentrate. I doubt if many Nobel prizes were won through constantly being in noisy surroundings.

I'll have to come back again when it's quieter. I could bike from home to here within 40 minutes (mostly by "river" bike paths), and I could get a lot of work done here, too. I could go indoors to see the computer screen better, too.

The large concrete post is one of the entrances to the adjoining National Sun Yat-Sen University. The bay behind has a beach for swimming, and I could join a morning swim group for a moderate fee. I would not mind an occasional swim here, but am not sure if people would really let me swim out, so perhaps I'll just stick to the pool.

This beautiful mosaic is found on the ground in the courtyard of National Sun Yat-Sen University (about 1.3m x 1.5m).

One thing about watching the afternoon sun, is that no two minutes are the same.

Today, as it is the start of the New Year, I have made the following resolutions:
1. Smile and laugh more - I often take life too seriously.
2. Work harder and smarter - I will need to this year.
3. Keep up the swimming and eat and sleep well for my health and sanity.
4. Spend more time enjoying beautiful scenery and surroundings.
5. Pursue my dream of "cycling for cultural understanding".
6. Keep working on my two blogs (this one and a new one I am just starting).
7. Have more fun times with family and friends.

In closing, let me wish all readers a Happy and Prosperous 2009.

Today’s background music (Theme from Shaft) is played in memory of Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008), an outstanding musician and songwriter.