Music for Haydn

Several people have commented on how our apartment block is officially called "Music for Haydn". While this may seem a strange name for an apartment block it is not as strange as some of the other English names we see on a tour through our fair city. I especially like the local English schools "Grimm Kindergarten" and "Love Baby Wonderland: Pudding Burger". However, deficient as I am in evidence that those places really exist, allow me to take you, my gentle reader, on a very short tour of Music for Haydn.

Franz Joseph Haydn was born in the village of Rohrau, Austria in 1732 and died in Vienna (I think), Austria, in 1809. He composed a lot of music and knew Mozart and Beethoven and ate a lot of Austrian beef made into cute little meatballs with a smiley face on one side and a sad face on the other. In the late 20th century he was immortalised in becoming the eponymous inspiration for the Music for Haydn apartment complex on Jyunping Road in the historic district of An-ping in Tainan, the old capital of Taiwan. May he reign supreme among famous people who have given their names to communal residences. This is a photo of the hanging outside our front door which spells out our address. Haydn was obviously the Phil Collins of his day and must surely have been able to charm his way into the silky beds of the rich and famous women of 18th century Austria.


Immortality is your face on a gold plaque outside the elevator of our tower within the apartment complex.


The large building on the left is the north side of the Music for Haydn complex. The ground floor spaces are all utilised by businesses from scooter mechanics to drycleaners to restaurants. Note the Tomato vegetarian restaurant on the far left; This is one of our favourite dinner destinations.


Inside the complex itself, one finds oneself immersed in a lush, green paradise of tropical gardens inhabited by Taiwanese monkeys who have learned how to pry snacks and valuables from unwary passers-by. Okay, there are no monkeys. But there are fish.


Being a musical sort of place the pool is suitably decorated with a keyboard mosaic that prompts one to spontaneously burst into song upon breaching the calm surface of the cool, clear water. The song usually sounds a little like "Oo, oo, oo, ah, oo, oh"; That water can be pretty cold.


What better way to relax on a hot summer day than with a dip in the Music for Haydn pool. Mmm, life could hardly be better.

Haydn's Symphony No. 101, the Clock Symphony, 2nd movement (Chamber Arrangement)