Taiwan: First Impressions

I probably walked enough miles today to burn off all the calories I gained over the summer. My favourite thing to do ever in a new place is to lose myself in the city. With a scribbled map in hand … enough to get me to the train station so I could find my way home I walked aimlessly around Dan Shui. It’s actually a cool city. And coffee drinkers have no fear … coffee shops galore including 2 Starbucks within a mile or so. And yes the coffee tastes exactly as it does at home. I also managed to find a massage place and then find an even cheaper one, many many temples, a castle and a market full of so many different foods that I’m pretty sure it’ll take me all year to try them all.


There’s something about walking though a market place that’s beautiful. I think it’s all the people, bustling about, the noise, the smells and sounds. On either side of me the crowds weave in and out while vendors announce their products. I don’t think I knew what anything was. Ok, I can pick out bubble tea and well .. that’s about it. The people here are beautiful. I walked into a store and everyone takes off their shoes before you go in. Granted it’s a shoe store but there’s something so peaceful about it. Like, take off your shoes, come in relax, stay a while. There were machines selling soft ice cream cones of every flavour for like 30 cents and obviously any kid eating it had it all over their face. Fried squid on a skewer, and don’t think calamari, think the whole squid, … like meat on a stick and you know how I love that.

On the waterfront there are people writing your name in Chinese calligraphy, portrait painters, 2 men dressed like monks singing and carnival games. It’s all pretty amazing. I wish I had a camera but there’ll be more time.

There are old temples that look like what you’re thinking when I say temple. Chinese style roofs, and gaudy deco. Red, gold, buddhas and other idols .. or are they all called buddhas? I have yet to find out. Incense burning. And then there are simple storefronts with small shines inside. What struck me though was that when you walk in a touristy church you have to buy or ‘donate’ to get a candle to burn. In every temple I walked into I could have taken a hand full of incense sticks or fake paper money for free. No I didn’t burn any but I sure wanted to. This month is ghost month and people spend much of their time trying to appease their ancestors. I need to find out more about it.

I’ve almost conquered jet lag … hooray for melatonin but I’m off to bed. Tomorrow I’m gonna go out to dinner with the SBS. They seem like a fun bunch.