September 23, 2010
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Missing Taiwan.
Having read various news on the damages Taiwan received from typhoon attacks stunned me with a disbelieve that I could very well be one of the victims had I not returned from my trip as early as I did. Many people lost their homes, some even lost their loved ones. It makes me wonder whether a statement I made just a week or so ago “I could see myself living in Taiwan” would still be uttered from my mouth if I had seen the disasters beforehand.
Taiwan is no stranger to natural disasters, judging from the news on Taiwan for the past 2 years. My feelings for Taiwan is a mixture of sadness for their lost, gratefulness for what I experienced, and affection for what they have to offer to my memory and palate. This by no means my last visit to such beautiful country.
Sitting comfortably at home while eating Taiwanese rice and drinking Taiwanese green tea that I have purchased during my trip there just last week, I couldn’t help but remembering the many great scenic locations I visited in Taiwan that may have looked quite differently by now due to the typhoon attack. And all of the smiling food vendors, whom may have lost their means of earning their daily bread, may have to endure a substantial amount of absent time before they can once again serve their hand-made delicious food to locals and eager travelers like myself.
I hope the days of disasters would soon leave and allow the people to once again experience happiness and contentment. I wish this with all my heart especially with blood related relatives living there, whom are Taiwanese in spirit and would remain true to Taiwan in heart and residency for the rest of their lives.
Comments (8)
Glad you and everyone I know their is OK so far!
Aw...can't wait to go back in November.
BTW, do you have any recommendations on where I should go this time?
I think I am so used to eating the street food around my place that I don't know where to go for restaurants.
Definitely glad that you're ok. I always wonder how people live in places that are regularly affected by natural disasters. I think it would terrify me...although saying that, I have also contemplated moving there.
@brooklyn2028 - @CareyGLY - thanks guys. i got lucky.
@Wangium - i do. many places, but don't know how to tell you since i don't know their chinese street names or shop names. the street foods i ventured to try mostly in YONGHE area, where i stayed, NOT downtown Taipei. from bubble tea to icy dessert to pork legs to noodles to coffee to bakeries to flat breads to soy milk with fried dough to steamed pork dumplings to stinky tofu to goose meat to japanese food, all i found in Yonghe. the rest were at various scenic places outside the province of Taipei. all food in and around taiwan tasted good to me, especially their rice.
Well, nice photos. I hope to visit Taiwan in the next year or so. Just wish I won't encounter a typhoon or earth quake during the trip!
@CurryPuffy - typhoon season in taiwan starts from may/june 'till september. similar to HK and japan.
that is a cool little joint up on the mountain.
@vsan79 - i know. a little shop, a restaurant, and a small hotel. unfortunately the hotel beds got bed bugs. i got bite marks to prove it