How to Beat the Pollution in Taipei - Texas Style

When I first arrived to Taipei, I was amazed at the abundance of pocket masks and face mask fashions that I saw on people walking the street everyday.  

What I didn't realized until today, is that this fashion is not so far off from my world back in Texas, where cowboys have been using bandannas for decades... centuries even.  

I have been searching high and low for the perfect pocket mask, and low and behold, it was in front of my face this whole time.  My pink bandanna has been hanging side by side with my scarves since I arrived to this city, and I intend to use it on the musty, dusty streets of Taipei!

It is not that you need to wear a mask everyday, but some days are filled with gross, stagnant and polluted air in your lungs.  Pollutants from the factories in China reach all the way the California coast, so just imagine how potent the air can be in Taiwan.   Although, Taipei has cleaned up its act since the 80's, pollution from factories and vehicles is still extremely prevalent.  Acid rain is still a huge problem here, which can be seen by the amount of rusty bikes and balding women that grace the streets.  

So, after today, I embark on a journey to beat the pollution of Taipei - Texas style.  As my family's Louisiana-Creole horse trainer used to say, "You got to do what you go to do"... 

Pass that Bandanna to the Left Hand Side.

Another modern use for the bandanna on The Playa at Burning Man in Black Rock City, Utah.  Gotta keep all that sand, dust, and smoke out of those lungs!