Thinking about too much stuff just makes you hungry and sleepy sometimes. When conference food just isn’t enough, there are times that you just step out and see what else is out there. Dante Coffee Shop is fair. After the National Human Rights Museum tour, there is just that desperate need for coffee. We have not eaten for six hours.
Conference cakes could be really nice and pretty though. If you catch it. This is a gold-dusted Tiramisu and it was divine.
Cookies kept me alive and sane while I was waiting for my turn in the conference. Again, absolutely divine.
I just kept on munching on the conference cookies.
And when thirst hits you, you have to swim with the dolphins. Several foreigners and I was at a lost looking for water. It took as a while to figure out that it was in these boxes.
You really just have to swim with the dolphins.
And when things are really much too much, there is a Starbucks a block away. Soy caramel macchiato anyone?
And perhaps a pastry?
Due to the lack of time or the constant rush for it, I never got to buy a bread from this bakery. And it just looks so yummy from the outside! Oh well… And more coffee and cakes stories to come. Seriously. This is just day three.
Part I was actually my previous post, the Petit Louvre. As I said, we got to visit the museum at night, which is a very rare opportunity. Unfortunately, we only had until 9 p.m. to walk through everything. From the Petit Louvre, we go on to the more traditional aspect of the National Museum of History.
My favorite part of their exhibition are the scrolls. I really wish I had more time to take it all in. I even bought a book of modern brush painting from the museum shop. I would review that here when I get the time.
As expected, the lighting was low. People usually assume that scrolls and brush paintings are old. The National Museum of History subverts that expectation as part of their collection are modern scrolls and brush paintings.
I can only guess at what they mean. Some are translated, but a lot are not. It doesn’t make this scroll any less beautiful though.
With the time crunch, we really didn’t have much time to savor the viewing of each artifact. But there is something quite magnificent about museums at night. You are there for the experience more than anything else.
We were also lucky enough to see some works that are normally inaccessible to the public. This collection is only there to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
The details found in the jades and other stones are extraordinary.
The more you experience these things, the wider you are aware of your knowledge gap. I wish to know more, but with the reality that you cannot know all. Maybe little by little, in time.
What is a socially purposeful museum? More importantly, how do we make one? How do we involve the people in this creation?
Keynote speakers from various countries try to explain that.
The more interactive part is the plenary sessions where participants are divided into smaller groups, you can go to where you want to. There are several points of interests and specializations for the each of the plenary sessions.
When your mind is too full, you just cannot complain with the coffee break refreshments. I have mentioned this before, Taipei has the best cakes. Unexpected. But very true. I ate so much cake the week I was staying there.
There was also a small exhibit going on in the venue. This provides some visual stimulation from an intellectually enriching, yet challenging day.
It can get frustrating that I cannot read the exhibition notes, as they are in Chinese. But it does not lessen the interest that the exhibit can provoke.
I almost want to deconstruct this one.
What does this remind you of?
Portia Placino 