The great unknown

the menu for the 10-course dinner - it was excellent

"So, what do you know about Taiwan", she asked me when we were on our way from the airport to the city center. I shrugged, "not much ... Well, acutally nothing if I have to be honest." It also came to a surprise for myself that I had no clue about the country I was in at the moment. Usually I make at least the effort to catch some facts about my destination in a travel guide or so, but this time - nada.
So what is Taiwan, or rather Taipei like?
Taipei was meeting up with a friend I met on my exchange semester four years ago and haven't seen in three years but felt still so comfortable with and had a great time with.
Taipei was learning about the local culture and getting a glimpse of the expat lifestyle of foreigners/westerners living in Taiwan.
Taipei was being lucky and being able to join an interesting trip with Melissa's colleagues and discovering about the lifestyle of the Aborigines in Taiwan and at the same time enjoying a 7-course lunch followed by a 10-course dinner.

Taipei 101 - the world's highest building

Taipei was exploring the world's highest building and trying out strange food like pig blood or cow bowel (only one bite).
Taipei was getting lost in translation and desperately trying to find my way among mostly non-english speakers.
Taipei was being in a country where I looked so different as I never experienced before (to avoid confusion: I don't only mean in realation to Asians but rather based on the ratio of Asians to Non-Asian people and then in addition me looking different from the usual expat-Westerner) which on the one hand enabled me to experience the hospitaly of the Taiwanese people but on the other hand made me so uncomfortable one time that I just wanted to run away because I couldn't handle the stares (and I have a 25 years of experience in being different and being stared at).

Shilin night market

All in all my travel to Taipei was a great trip, I could enjoy the city from an insiders perspective, thanks to Melissas hosting, and it will hold a nice spot in my mind among my travel memories.


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