Where Is the Subway Heading for?

BY ALAN LIN
Storages of fun underground welcome you to this place.

“Subway, 161 Street Station, Yankee Stadium.” When one sees these words on a sign at a flight of stairs downwards, normally, he/she would suppose there is a subway station underground. However, do not be fooled by the sign. The entrance leads one down into no station, but a dungeon. Weird; yet, numerous green dots on the mini-map suggest the popularity of this place.

Although the word “dungeon” has connotations of darkness and the undesirable, it is of least negative implications here in Freebies Dungeon 0L$. No one is going to be a prisoner here; yet, everyone is willing to be “trapped” in the dungeon for several minutes. There are so many boards hanging on the wall and boxes stacked under. It takes a long while to search for your desirable stuff in the maze of advertising pictures.

The dungeon declares: “Free items gratis.” and this is the most appealing feature to draw people here. Anything you could think of could be found in this underground world: clothes, skins, vehicles, and even a cage for vampires. More importantly, most of them are free! You could try on as much different stuff as your wishes. Lavishness is allowed here. Just try to make yourself look best!

Turning the Wheel like Farm-Animals (revised)

BY ALAN LIN
A turning wheel may pertain to vigor in life. Yet, what does it become if it wheels at the same spot?

One problem that many people would encounter in Second Life is that they do not know where to earn free Lindens. There are so many things to buy whenever you teleport through places; however, you could do nothing if you have no money. For this reason, some people are keen to know where they could earn money. I happen to find an interesting place where one could obtain some free Lindens through one’s own labor.

You could turn the huge wooden mill in Nipponbashi for $1 every 10 minutes. Although it is not quick money, many people still flock into this place to do the work typically categorized as slavery. It is a “hot” place that everyone is waiting to replace the camping ones. Except those in usual clothes, you could even see a dragon or an Ultraman (a famous figure in Japanese TV series) pushing hard against the mill. Or you could choose to be the one who l those “animals” to keep them working with a big whip. The interesting thing is that it is really odd to see people circling around the huge log again and again like a cattle or a horse while a person is whipping at the side.

No pains, no gains. It may be a “serious” way to earn Lindens. However, what makes me interested in this place lies in such seriousness. It is a place where one is prompted to think whether we are doing just the same thing in real life: doing routine work, and leading routine life; just endlessly moving like a turning wheel without purpose. This might be what many people fear deep in the mind. To my amazement, such a reflection is brought out simply by an odd-looking and monotonous turning movement. So, what’s going on next?

Turning the Wheel like Farm-Animals

BY ALAN LIN
See what a turning wheel brings forth.

One problem that many people would encounter in Second Life is that they do not know where to earn free Lindens. There are so many things to buy whenever you teleport through places; however, you could do nothing if you have no money. For this reason, some people are keen to know where they could earn money. There might be quite a lot places to make money, and I happen to come to an interesting place where one could obtain some free Lindens through one’s own labor.

You could turn the huge wooden mill in Nipponbashi for $1 every 10 minutes. Although it is not quick money, many people still flock into this place to do the work typically categorized as slavery. It is a “hot” place that everyone is waiting to replace the camping ones. Except those in usual clothes, you could even see a dragon or an Ultraman (a famous figure in Japanese TV series) pushing hard against the mill. Or you could choose to be the one who is lashing those “animals” to keep them working with a big whip. The interesting thing is that it is really odd to see people circling around the huge log again and again like a cattle or a horse while a person is whipping at the side.

No pains, no gains. It may be a “serious” way to earn Lindens. However, what makes me interested in this place lies in such seriousness. It is a place where one is prompted to think whether we are doing just the same thing in real life: doing routine work, and leading routine life. This might be what many people fear deep in the mind. To my amazement, such a reflection is brought out simply by an odd-looking and monotonous turning movement. So, what’s going on next?

Chickens with Hakka Aroma (final version)

BY ALAN LIN
The chickens in the heated boxes invite everyone to catch their taste.

Within the short brick oven, fire rages around the steel boxes. Located in Jiouchiunghu, Sinpu (Hsinchu County), the chickens hung in the boxes draw tourists here to taste their wonderful flavor. On holidays, a lot of hikers stand in a line to have a roast chicken as their “reward” after the long walk in the adjacent hills.

At irregular intervals, the cook would add some wood into the fire to keep it burning fiercely, and thus give chickens a special wooden fragrance. Some people may well ask what makes chickens here so special, as Tungtzu chickens are roasted in steel barrels as well. Indeed, both kinds share similar roasting ways; yet, if we say that Tungtzu chickens smell more pleasant than roast chickens by electric ovens, we could further say that roast chickens here have their succulent flavor reserved. The heated steel boxes allow the chickens inside to be fully cooked, and improve their savor.

Besides, chickens here derive their refreshing aroma partly from Hakka preserved vegetables stuffed in their bellies, which are rarely seen in non-Hakka villages. Such vegetables are considered longevity and good fortune in Hakka tradition, and it is also a “must” dish on the table when Hakka families celebrate Chinese New Year. Although Hakka preserved vegetables are not made from expensive ingredients, the taste and the aroma they provide are quite special. Thus, roasted chickens here have a special Hakka taste which is not “seen” in non-Hakka areas.

As the chicken is ready, the cook would not chop it into pieces but serve the chicken as a whole in a pot. At this moment, just forget your knife and fork at home and simply use your hands to enjoy the meal: It is no time for table manners!