Happy Sounds Make Happy People

       The garbage system in Taiwan is pretty.. interesting.  Although I didn't actually realize it at the time, we lucked out with the apartment we chose because there is a trash room in the basement.  Taiwan has gotten really into recycling, and you are only allowed to throw garbage into approved bags, which you need to buy.  That means no using left over Target bags as trash bags.. if there were Targets here anyways, tear :(  In our trash room there are a bunch of labeled bins to direct you where to dispose of such items.  So to recap, taking out the trash for us isn't difficult, we just go down to the basement, toss our shit, and we're out.
       For many other people and places, however, it can be a bit more of a challenge.  Often times you are left to run out after the truck to deliver them your trash bags.  How do you know when the truck is coming, you ask? Excellent question.  Well, rather conveniently, there is a catchy tune associated with all of the garbage trucks around here.  Most often it's Beethoven's Fur Elise or sometimes Maiden's Prayer, always classical music.  This songs plays as the truck drives around so that everyone can hear it and know when to run out to dispose of their waste! Yahoooo! But yea I don't have to deal with that, I just get to enjoy the splendid tunes all day!

Here's a picture of one of the many trucks rolling down my street!
And here you can check out an actual video to see it in action....   http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=L55JJAavSe0

     In other news, the buses also play some good stuff.  Not as they drive around to the public or anything, but to the passengers, before they leave.  No boring eeeerrrrrr to announce your departure.  Usually it's a lovely arrangement of dings and notes that play together.  I want to say it's a song of some sort... but I can't quite put my finger on it.  And generally each bus is different.  All the buttons on the side of the bus light up in unison then too to the beat of the music.  They're happy tunes and it pleases me when someone pushes the button, unless of course the bus driver is feeling owly and stops the music right away.  My bus card just makes a lame beep though, no fun there.