First impressions of Taipei City

When Portuguese navigators came upon the island of Taiwan in 1590, they were struck by the tremendous beauty of its green mountains, which rise steeply out of the cobalt waters of the Pacific. The Portuguese navigator named the island “Ilha Formosa,” meaning “beautiful isle,” and under this name Taiwan was introduced to the Western world. — in History – Overseas Office Republic Of China ( Taiwan ) 

This week was my first in Taipei City. When I’m feeling adventurous, I see myself as a Portuguese Quality Assurance Officer: back to the far east to check if the “beautiful isle” still deserves its name. Most of the time though, I’m just another foreigner struggling to adapt to a crowded fast-paced city; its streets filled with a thousand scooters, food stalls, unreadable colorful signs, and the in-shop cuteness of pets and toys. Angry Birds are a huge hit here, of course.

Most streets and buildings would look similar to South America if not for the flashy, colorful street signs everywhere. But with no knowledge of Mandarin, I do feel like an alien: there is nothing to hold on to, except for sign language and kindness. Fortunately the Taiwanese are indeed kind people. They generally seem happy to see westerners and don’t overcharge you. I even got spontaneous discounts and funny appraisal. Coming from a 50-year-old man, “handsome boy!” wasn’t an awkward thing to hear, just a funny and earnest social action.

What the pictures don’t tell you is how hot it is; constantly around 30 degrees celsius with high humidity. Clouds are frequent now that the summer is ending, and some days the wind throws a fit. It’s not the awesome weather of Portugal but, after 4 years in Ireland, I can’t complain!