AMIABLE TAIPEI

I continue to write the travelling blog after I have stopped for several months. During this period, my daughter finished her kindergarten time and entered elementary school. My family got immigration nomination, but we still have lots of stuff to do and wait in patience. Everyone has to adapt to new things, and we try to do our best.

We had tourism in Taipei this May and it is an easy and cheerful journey, we enjoyed it especially in the circumstance that we do not have other travel plans anymore this year. As for the word to describe Taipei, there is an adjective pop in my head: 'amiable'. Amiable Taipei.

I have affectionate emotion for this city, meanwhile, the city gave me the cordial feeling every moment when I had been there. The reason is not about language that we speak Chinese either, the important thing is that the characteristic of Taipei and local people is amiable. People have full of kindness and politeness which makes everything adorable.

Taipei situated north of Taiwan island. We arrived in May and feel like we are already in the early summer, warm and humid air are all over us, the city is well-covered by green plants. It is typical subtropical weather. The city’s appearance is half-modern and half-outdated, there are skyscrapers, high-elevated roads and commercial centers, however, we can easily find old shops, broken and obscured signs or AD posts when we were roaming around. But all of them exist in harmony. The other city symbol is that motorcycles are everywhere. People ride motor wears the helmet and drives fast just like an enormous swarm of bees moving & buzzing from here to there. It looks like a kind of craze and danger, but everything runs in its internal order and rule.

Taiwanese usually are polite and friendly, even too much softness. When they speak Chinese in sweet and soft accent to you, no matter he or she is an attendant, a bus driver, a taxi driver, even an immigration officer at the airport, it is hardly said that you will not be touched. Their tone and tune will affect your mood, and who will be harsh with adorable and hospitable guys? And the kindness is not only expressed by words, definitely by their action. Except for their frequent warm greeting, Taipei people usually show their caring to you in tiny things. The convenience shop staff asks whether you need coins or paper money before gives your changes, the street food booth guy will give you another tissue without asking. And the most interesting and heartwarming guy we met is a bus driver, this tough, strong and bald man put a pink bear doll on the rearview mirror of his bus. He also greets every passenger in his soft even cute voice, all right, what a faint!

Taipei is a famous tourist place. It has lots of attractions and sight-seeing places, for instance, the National Museum, 101 building. Local street food and beverage is also world-famous. But we don’t give too much shot on these. After we passed quickly through the night market and try a bubble sugar tea, we spent more time on some local art workshops. The place located in the city center and it was a cigarette factory in the past, now it is rebuilt as an art shop and local market. The youth of Taipei gathered here running their own business, like bookshop, bar, creative stationery, coffee shop or boutiques. Most of the things are cheap and cheerful. It’s a great spot to spend leisure time. Oh, what an evil city life!

Amiable Taipei also has some attractions in its suburb, for instance, ‘Jiufen Village’ or ‘Houtong Cat village’. As for us, we do not feel it in a special way, typical sight-seeing event.

All in all, Taipei is a nice place. As an illustration, it’s an East Asian-society what consists of kind, calm and friendly citizens, the city and people have the same character, they are easy to talk and live with, they are hospitable or even amiable. It seems their unique wonderful character.