The Thailand-based Art from Steel tout a superb range of hand-crafted metal statues depicting characters from a range of well-known films and TV series.

Billing themselves as the world’s largest producer of hand-made recycled statues, their workshop boasts over 450 unique models with the larger ones requiring the talents of up to 12 skilled workmen!

Their list of source material includes Alien, Dr. Who, Gremlins, Gundam, Lord of the Rings, Predator, Robocop, Star Wars and Transformers.

Check out the Art from Steel website to see more…

Technorati Tags: Alien, Art from Steel, arts, crafts, Dr. Who, Gremlins, Gundam, Lord of the Rings, Predator, hand-crafted metal statues, Robocop, Star Wars, steel statues, Thailand, Transformers

Whilst in Taipei last month, we came across these packets of dried snacks in the Eslite book store. Dried seafood is nothing too unusual in East Asian supermarkets – I’ve grown up on dried chilli cuttlefish etc. But these packets contained little whole crabs, shells and all!

I guess you’re meant to chew on each one like crisps. Anyone tried this before? Here’s another packet which has assorted contents…

Technorati Tags: crab crisps, Eslite, snacks, Taipei, Taiwan

This video (in Taiwanese), demonstrates a rather interesting concept by Taiwanese inventor Peng Yu-Lun for a train that never stops.

He correctly points out that trains would be far more efficient (and on-time) if they didn’t have to go through the trouble of stopping to pick up passengers,

Yu-Lun’s design achieves this with a kind of “top-mounted boarding shuttle that is scooped up when the train passes one station and automatically deposited when it reaches the next stop.” See the video to get a better sense of how it would work.

Via Swiss Miss

Technorati Tags: Peng Yu-Lun, Taiwan, train that never stops, trains, transport

Fans of Taiwanese singer (and movie star) Jay Chou might wanna get their hands on these guys. Toy2R recently released two different 2.5″ Qees, but they’re only available in Taiwan.

Via Vinyl Pulse

Technorati Tags: Jay Chou, Taiwan, Toy2R, toys

A pair of giant pandas sent as a gift from the mainland to Taiwan arrived on the island last week in the latest sign of rapidly improving relations across the Straits.

The four-year old pandas – Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan – touched down at Taipei Taoyuan airport after a three-hour flight from Chengdu in Sichuan, with island residents watching spellbound as the journey unfolded live on local television.

Via China Daily

Technorati Tags: China, giant pandas, pands, Chengdu, Taipei Taoyuan airport, Taiwan, Tuan Tuan, Yuan Yuan

PingMag talks to photographer Masato Seto, who has been photographing women at their betel nut stands in Taiwan.

Betel nuts are seeds from the Areca palm tree, about the size of quail eggs. The seeds are split in half, spread with lime and pepper, and wrapped in betel leaves. They are then chewed like gum. They excrete a red juice when sucked on that gives a buzz.

Read more on PingMag

Technorati Tags: Masato Seto, betel nut sellers, culture, Taiwan

A Hello Kitty-themed 30-bed maternity and pediatric hospital has opened in Yuanlin, Taiwan. The facility is authorised by Sanrio.

Director Tsai Tsung-chi said he hopes the white, mouthless cat that is one of the world’s most recognisable characters, will ease the pain and fear associated with childbirth and being admitted into hospital.

Via Boing boing

Technorati Tags: Hello Kitty, Hello Kitty Hospital, Sanrio, Taiwan

If you’re looking for a new 2009 desk calendar, you could do worse than this beautiful, understated calendar from Taiwan’s Agua Design.

Via Pop Wuping

Technorati Tags: 2009 desk calendar,, Agua Design, calendar, Taiwan, Taiwan Pattern Calendar

In-Cha, a 12 year old Taiwanese South African seems to be the next big thing after Vanessa Mae. She’s a violin playing musician who’s blending her work with a bit of hip hop and R n’ B.

In-Cha started playing the piano at the age of 4, but fell in love with the violin after going to a concert with her Mom at the age of 6. This resulted in her Mom securing private tuition lessons for her with the renowned Professor Vincenzo Lo Castro.

Not easy to impress, he instantly recognised her talent and potential as a violin soloist and thus In-Cha’s career in music began in earnest.

In-Cha is the youngest South African to pass her Grade 8 “Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music” classical violin examinations which she did with a distinction.

Find out more on In-Cha’s website

Thanks Elaine!

Technorati Tags: In-Cha, music, Taiwan, Vanessa Mae, Violin

On July 1st, Taiwan attempted to create a world record for the most people to receive foot massages (reflexology) simultaneously.

1,008 reflexologists and 1,008 tourists from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, all volunteered to rub, and be rubbed, for 40 minutes in this record event.

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau organised the record foot feat to promote their health tourism. “Reflexology“ is among the most popular practices in Taiwan for relaxation and improving general health.

Guinness had set the requirement to have at least 400 participants receiving treatment for at least five minutes on each foot, a feat the 2016 participants managed with ease.

From Weird Asia News

Technorati Tags: foot massage, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, reflexology, Taiwan, world record, world record foot massage