TPE-FRA

I am back in Frankfurt after a long sojourn in Taipei. My time there was rather fun, full of delicious things, and I even settled into a pleasant rhythm. There were little comforts in life that I experienced there for the first time - with facials and massages from a beautician who chided me weekly about whether I kept up a good regimen between visits, and a street stall where I ate at so religiously that I knew the life of the proprietors in rich detail.

There are three things about Taiwan which I did not fully appreciate during my childhood. The first is that Taiwan has incredible natural beauty. Part of the island is covered in rainforest, complete with giant butterflies; other wonders are deep gorges, hot springs, and of course the expansive sea views. These environs host people who are very open, friendly, and proud of their small nation - people who have in one generation become prosperous but maintain much of the friendliness of less hectic times. Finally, and most pragmatically, Taipei stays awake through the night, 7 days a week. This makes a big difference when I leave work at midnight; whether I have energy to go out or not, I am happy to know that there are people wandering around in bookstores, eating and drinking, or even doing a little shopping.