on garbage collection

the garbage trucks here play a pretty little waltz, very close to sounding like an ice-cream truck soundtrack from the states, and drive slowly through the streets to pick up people's garbage. when the sound gets close, people run out of their homes, garbage bags in hand, and throw them in the truck. last week, we had the pleasure of witnessing the ensuing chaos as the garbage truck came around the corner of the street we were on while walking through tainan. kids were running down the street like the truck WAS selling ice cream, only they had big bags in hand and were presumably doing their chores.

the song played over the truck loudspeakers is so ever-present that you swear you can hear it playing faintly on some far-off street even when it really isn't. and it's so catchy that it can easily get stuck in your head, and there you are, humming the garbage theme song while riding the subway, or taking a shower.