Perks of the Job

There are some benefits to the job I do, even if they are few and far between. As luck would have it, the steel flues for the chimney are being fabricated by a company based in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. This is easily my favourite location and city so the opportunity to be paid to go on a factory visit was perfect.

I first worked in Kaohsiung in 1991 and in the 18 years since then the transformation of the city has been nothing short of very impressive, although there was always plenty of scope for improvement. At the beginning of the nineties Taiwan was one of the leaders of the Asian Tigers with a booming economy and double digit growth but this economical miracle came at a price. Without doubt Taiwan back then was the most polluted, filthy, smelly place I've ever been - the swarms of cockroaches coming out of the street drains at dusk was worthy of a Stephen King novel. There was a million scooters on the road pumping out blue smoke from the 2-stroke engines (not many people were wealthy enough to own cars then); there were factories upon factories churning out cheap goods with the all too familiar "Made in Taiwan" little gold stickers that seemed to be on just about everything you bought 20 years ago; and there was the heavy industries, refineries and steelworks with chimneys pouring out black, acrid smoke. At the refinery where I worked, the minute you excavated a hole in the ground it filled up with a noxious black sludge that had leached into the ground over the years.

But what really exemplified how bad things were was the Love River. The Love River is in the heart of Kaohsiung but back then it hardly lived up to its romantic name for it was little more than an open sewer. It's waters were a forbidding, impenetrable black colour that didn't ripple and dance in the wind but moved in a languid fashion like hot tar. Just crossing the bridge between one side to the other necessitated either holding your breath to avoid breathing in the whiff of raw sewage or to continue breathing and gagging as you made your crossing. What is incredible was that once a year the Dragon Boat Festival was held on the river. However, in order to make this possible the sluice gates to the open sewers draining into the river were closed to give the river a chance to clear itself. The downside to this was that the sewers backed up into the city making the city somewhat less than fragrant.

It's difficult to describe the change as it's not a simple case of "now" and "then" because it 's been a process, rather than a event. However, without a doubt the change has been significant and to the city's credit the Lover River is now clean, full of fish, has river cruises operating on it and the river banks now have parks, walks and coffee shops.

A Clean Lover River

So, what are the other changes that have happened in Kaohsiung? Principally, it has gone from being a dirty,

polluted and chaotic city to one that's clean, organised and pleasant, and as much as I dislike the idea of change I have to admit this is a positive improvement. I think that the reason why this is so positive is because the people haven't changed and it's the people of the city that give it its soul. It's not become a Singapore in that it’s been sanitised and sterilised but it it is just far more pleasant than it used to be.

Kaohsiung's Wide City Roads

Kaohsiung always has had wide streets and boulevards but now they're green and planted. Before, the pavements were in a dire condition but now they're mostly renovated and smooth. Before, it was usually necessary to walk in the road because the footpaths were full of scooters but whilst scooters are still allowed to park on the pavement they are only allowed to do so in allocated areas. Of course, the fact that there are significantly less scooters on the roads now helps but then when you think that all those scooter drivers now drive cars, there isn't a car congestion problem either.

The city also has a brand spanking new underground railway system that runs north to south and east to west, and it's cheap to use too.

Underground Station Concourse

Apart from the underground trains, scooters and cars one incredible change has been the number of cyclists there are now. Eighteen years ago the only cyclist I ever saw was in the refinery where I was working, and that was ridden by a guy who looked a 100 years old and the bike had no tyres. But now there are cyclists everywhere and the side lanes to the main carriageways, that used to be the domain of the scooter, are now increasingly used by the cyclist.

And check this out for a brilliant idea; in strategic locations (i.e. at underground stations, principle junctions, parks, etc.) you will find racks of bicycles that are for use by the public. There is a machine that you swipe your credit card or your travel card, you punch in the number of the bike you want to rent (the only difference I could see was the saddle height) and it is released from its lock. Off you then go cycling where ever you want to and the best bit is you don't even have to return the bike to the same location, you just need to return it to one of the other racks around the city, and your credit card/travel card is charged according to the time you've used the bike for. And again, it's not expensive. What I find so amazing about this, and what it also tells you about the people of Kaohsiung City, is that there doesn't appear to be any vandalism or theft of the bikes. Picture this set up, if you can, in a provincial town in the UK or even in the cities. How long do you think this system would last at chucking out time? Isn't it a fact that the true measure of a civilised society is that a system such as this can exist for the majority and not be deprived of it due to the actions of a criminal

minority.

Bikes for Rent

For the factory visit I was picked up by the owner, Andy to give his English name, in his 20 year old Mercedes 300 SEL. What a wonderful car in pristine condition. The trip took only 30 minutes, with Andy complaining the at the roads were busy due to the World Games. Well if that's busy, give it to me any day. Obviously, Andy has never driven around the South Circular or any of the motorways in the UK.

In the morning we inspected the liners, looked at the fabrication process for the few cans (called cans because the liners are made in sections) that were still being made.

Liner Can Fabrication

Lunch was a leisurely affair at a local restaurant and consisted of noodles, fish, prawns, scallops, cuttlefish and beer. I don't think I've drunk beer at lunchtime whilst at work for probably 30 years, back when I was a hod carrier working in a women's prison. It was a nice touch and again rather than refuse and succumb to the mindset and constraints of the health and safety brigade it was liberating to be able to enjoy two bottles of the local brew - after all, it was only two bottles.

Trial Fitting of the Cans

Back at the factory we talked about previous project and I was keenly interested in his company's heavy lifting capabilities, and Andy was enthusiastically happy to show me around their stock of jacks and equipment and to tell me the stories of their research and development programme, showing me the early prototypes. Later that afternoon we did a trial fitting of the liner to demonstrate that there would be no problem joining the sections, which are bolted together.

Once back at the hotel I had arranged to meet a once colleague and now good friend of mine, Dave, who originally went to Taiwan in 1989 and had married a Taiwanese girl and stayed there ever since. We met in a bar on the Wu Fu 4th Road, which is famous for what was once its vast selection of bars but which now seems somewhat depleted. I'm not sure whether this was as a result of the downturn in the global economy. I was told by several people that Taiwan was suffering more than it had in the past - it certainly didn't seem to be impacted significantly during the Asian crisis of 1997.

After a few pints in Jasmines Bar (an old time favourite) we went to Stormy Weather , then The Oxford and finally into Bloody Mary's, which Dave told me he was the owner of. It was good to see some familiar faces and as usual, the welcome was warm and friendly.

Temple Roof

The following day I went out walking and taking photographs and as is usual at this time of the year it was swelteringly hot. To be honest, I think that Kaohsiung is a architectural disaster. Whilst it does have some outstanding buildings, it predominantly consists of concrete and tiled shop/town houses that are a hotch-potch of design and additions. However, along just about every street there is at least one, if not more incredible Chinese temple of the traditional design.

Kaohsiung City

I headed up to Long Life Mountain where you can grab an impressive view of the whole of the city. In the distance the surrounding mountains could be seen. During my first visit to Taiwan it must have been least 6 months before I realised that the city was surrounded by mountains and even in the year I was in Kaohsiung I only ever saw them twice due to the high levels of smog and pollution. I think that it was a really positive indicator that the clean up was well underway way - or perhaps I was just lucky to be there on the right day? I then walked down Long Life Mountain, through the university to Hsitzuwan Beach, where the beach volley ball tournament of the World Games was underway.

I then proceeded to walk along the harbour, watching the heavy seas break over the harbour wall, and up to the old British Consulate building overlooking the harbour. I was disappointed to see that my favourite restaurant had gone. It wasn't that it served particularly good food (bad food is hard to come by anyway) it was brilliant due to its location - right at the narrow straits that is the entrance to what is reputed to be the fourth busiest harbour in the world. From here, over plates of fried rice and fresh sea food you could watch phenomenally large container ships glide past that seemed to be so close you felt as though you could reach out and touch them. You would have to be brain-dead not to be in awe at the sight and size of these ships.

I was exhausted when I eventually made it back to the hotel, only to receive a call from Dave telling me I was invited out to dinner that evening with him and his wonderful wife, Amy. Dinner was in a area that I once knew but now did not recognise, called Tzoying. Eighteen years ago there was a dozen buildings surrounded by rice paddies and vegetable fields. Now it is a heaving metropolis that is even busier than down-town Kaohsiung. The restaurant was an all-you-can-eat buffet with free flow beer, wine, Saki, cognac and juice. Like the trust shown with the bicycles, you didn't have to wait for the restaurant staff to come and fill your glass, you just went and helped yourself at the beer pump or the wine bottles or the Saki and no one seemed to be eating or drinking to excess. Apart from a table of eastern Europeans who, with insane grins and bad pony tails repeatedly went up and filled the largest glasses they could find with cognac and made numerous trips with Saki bottles wedged between every available finger on their hands.

After dinner it was back to Bloody Mary's for a night cap.

Sunday was a day of more walking, shopping and taking a ride on the underground. Later that evening I went to the night market but there wasn't too much happening (probably too early) and so decided to walk back to Bloody Mary's to meet Dave for a farewell beer. On the way it sounded like a coup was going on and as I approached the city centre I chanced upon a Chinese festival with parades, marches and of course, lots of fireworks. Fireworks as we know them in the west are not the same in Taiwan. In places like Hong Kong and Singapore they have been banned and criminalised but in Taiwan, I'm pleased to say, that it's on ongoing tradition.

The firecrackers, which are ear-splittingly loud, are strung out in the middle of the road and at the end of them there is a pile of pyrotechnics containing enough gunpowder to keep Guy Fawkes more than happy. The result of what appears to be an impromptu firework display is traffic chaos but I didn't see anyone who was angry or looked inconvenienced and most were happy to stop and watch. The first display I saw was almost over by the time I arrived but the second firework display I saw took place in the Kaohsiung equivalent of Piccadilly Circus.

Street Fireworks

The procession, which had started from a temple just around the corner stopped at the firecrackers and waited for all the other participants to catch up. There were no barriers to keep people back, there were no bossy marshalls, there were no giant LCD screens instead of the real thing, no health & safety posters and no "light the blue touch paper and stand well back", just an orderly and polite crowd that were just as keen to look at the photos I was taking as well as watching the impressive display. Firstly the firecrackers were set off and then a main display started. And what a display! Made all the more exciting by being in such close proximity as you could physically feel the bangs and booms of the exploding rockets, smell the gunpowder and smoke and was showered upon by the falling ash.

By the time I reached the bridge over the Love River a second and equally impressive display had started and so I paused here to watch again. A video of the fireworks can be seen by clicking here.

The evening, and indeed my stay in Kaohsiung was concluded with several pints with Dave in Bloody Mary's as I had to fly back to Cebu the following day. As always, I was very sad to be leaving.

Topping Out

This weekend we had our topping-out party to celebrate the completion of the construction of the chimney to the full height. That statement isn't entirely accurate as the full height of the chimney isn't reached until the flues are installed, which then project another 3m above the concrete, taking the stack to the full 100m height. But let's not get bogged down in detail.

Topping out parties are a time honoured tradition and it's a way of rewarding the work force with drinks and a meal for their efforts. On this occasion, being somewhat unfamiliar with the Philippines, I allowed our local staff to largely organise the event.

Mmmmm, Roast Pig

A venue was selected that was near to the sea (almost in it!) in a open timber barn with a palm leaf roof and a buffet menu was drawn up. Added to the buffet was two roast pigs, or Lechon as they are called here. These seem to be very popular and are widely available where ever you go. Beer was to be brought in from outside so a mix of the local brews was arranged. A request was made for "liquor" - the potent local rum called Tanduay - which I initially hesitated at as I had concerns that it would lead to "binge drinking", which would then lead to things getting somewhat out of hand but nevertheless I agreed to it. My reasoning being that it was their party and you have to give people responsibilities for them to act responsibly.

A harder decision by far was the request to have a karaoke machine at the event. To say I'm not a fan of karaoke is an understatement but again I capitulated as it's what the locals like. In fact it's not what they like, it's what they love. And it is everywhere. Karaoke in this part of the world isn't anything like karaoke is in the west: the whole ethos is completely different and it is acceptable as drinking warm beer in an English pub.

This can be best explained by something that I witnessed in Taiwan a few years ago. I was walking through a small park in the centre of large city. The park was right in the city centre and so was used as a short cut by workers to offices and shops. As I was passing through I saw a small van pull up with a fold-down side that resembled a hot-dog or burger van that you see in the UK. Intrigued, I stopped to see what was going on and watched as the driver jumped out and proceeded to drop the flap on the side of the van, revealing a large TV screen. Two microphones were produced and plugged in and a large book with laminated pages was plonked on the counter. No sooner had the setting up been completed a passerby in business clothes and a brief case changed direction and headed to the van. There was a brief conversation, a flick through the laminated book and some cash was handed over to the van's owner in exchange for a mic. The guy then proceeded to sing his heart out. In broad daylight. In the middle of a public park in the middle of the city. And not one person batted an eyelid. Once the guy had finished his song he picked up his bag and went to work.

I stayed and watched this for a bit longer and it wasn't a one off. Individuals would come and go and sing a song in the park. No one stopped to laugh and mock and in fact a few people stopped to watch appreciatively.

When I asked about this I was told that the Chinese believe that singing is relaxing; therapeutic; good for the soul. And it's the same here. Every bar, every restaurant has a karaoke machine and it doesn't matter how bad a singer you are (even as bad as me), no one complains, no one criticises and at the end of your performance, assuming there is a crowd, everyone gets a polite round of applause.

Fun For All

The party was set for Sunday afternoon at 3:00pm. Of course, I was bang on time but our buyer who was organising the beer didn't organise it until it was too late and it arrived at around 4:00pm and warm. To me this was a disaster. What were we all going to do whilst the beer was being chilled? Make polite conversation? Small talk? Luckily, the karaoke machine turned up on time and that saved the day. No sooner was it set up than the workers were warbling away at full volume making any conversation, polite or otherwise, impossible. In fact, no one seemed to be bothered or interested in the booze except me and my Irish colleague.

The roast pigs then turned up, the beer was nicely chilled and the buffet was served following prayers and an opening speech from yours truly, and I have to say what a fine spread of food it was. There then followed a drinking competition whereby 5 nominees had to drink a litre bottle of San Miguel as fast as possible. The competition was won by one of our Thai workers, which was amazing as he seemed to spend the first minute sizing up the bottle and the competition before actually starting to drink. Unlike the others, who ploughed into the beer as fast as possible, the Thai worker went at it methodically, like he was having a Sunday lunchtime pint with his mates. This is very typical of the character and approach of the Thai workers. They are never going to tear into a job, guns blazing, but do so quietly and methodically and get on with the task in hand and produce results.

The next competition was a singing one (what else?) and despite the sudden high winds and torrential rain everyone stayed with it until the rain had stopped and we had decided upon a winner.

By around 8:00pm all the food and beer was gone and so I called it a night and left our workers singing away into the night.

Inequities

In the restaurant where I sometimes eat there are several waitresses who generally outnumber the customers. The reason for this excess of staff is probably related to the affordability of the salary they are paid. For a 12 hour shift the wage is Php60. That's not per hour, that's per 12 hour shift.

At today's exchange rates that is the equivalent of 76p. Per 12 hour shift.

When asked why they bother to work for so little, the answer is they have nothing else to do, except sit in the house and do chores. Besides, there is no dole or social security or any other state handouts here.

But here's what I find not so much surprising but revealing is you'd think that working for that amount of money and living in such abject poverty, with very, very little prospects they would be feeling somewhat wretched and miserable. But they're not. They are some of the happiest, cheerful people I have ever met.

One of the girls left home when she was 15. Not because she wanted to but because her father could not longer support her and the rest of her family, so with her younger sister they left home to find a way for themselves without being a burden on the rest of her family. And yet every time I see her she is laughing, joking and smiling. We've a great deal to learn in the West about contentment.

And consider this: the daily rate for our general workers on site is Php250. That's £3.18 for an 8 hour shift. But a pizza from Pizza Hut costs Php650. How can it be that a pizza can cost the equivalent of over two and half times an worker's daily wage? How can that be right?