Taipei, Taiwan

Today is Perpendicularis Major: 11-11-11. What we require are the services of the most perpendicular of Chinese folk characters: this dudette. She is here in a parade honoring one of the most important deities of south China's coast: Mazu. The time before Pependicularis Major occurs again: 1000 years. [2011]

Taipei, Taiwan

Among the most popular street foods in Taiwan are spiced tea eggs. The ones in his pot are shelled and ready for lunch. They have been boiled and steeped in black tea, soy sauce, and Chinese 'five spice.' Every 7-Eleven in Taiwan has a crock pot of tea eggs right beside the Big Bites, and that tells you how popular they are. [2011]

London, England, UK

On this day, twenty two years ago, the Berlin Wall began to crumble. One of the crumbs soon arrived at London's Imperial War Museum as a visual reminder of the not-so-distant past. In the blink of an eye, Communism was gone. The people of East Germany must have understood graffiti artist Indiano's message: They changed their lives. [2006]

Bologna, Italy

'Join us!' This is the direction Communism was supposed to spread in Europe: from east (as in Russia) to west (as in Italy). In fact, Italy's Communist Party was one of the biggest west of the Iron Curtain. The workers of the world, however, never did unite, and anti-communism spread from west to east. [1984]

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Some tools are so simple, yet so essential for keeping cities livable. No synthetics here, just a green, clean, sweeping machine. I wonder if he plays quidditch after work. [2007]

Abu Dhabi, UAE

If you can change oil into water, turning the desert green is no problem. But, first you must have oil, and Abu Dhabi does. Drip irrigation makes it possible to deliver precise amounts of water (and nutrients) to the root zone of each plant. We should be using it everywhere, not just in deserts. [1992]

Douglas, Isle of Man

Ever meet a three-legged Manxman? His three legs are on his cap, along with a classic race car, a palindrome that means money to the Manx. The three-legged emblem is called a triskelion, and it is seen everywhere on the Isle of Man. Race cars are seen everywhere on the Isle of Man, too. Always italicize race cars to make it look like they are racing. [2011]