Every so often I take a trip down south from Taipei with my wife to visit my in-laws who live in a small town, and although I have been making this trip for a while now it still leaves me breathing hard with exasperation at the unrelenting, barren ugliness that stretches as far as the eye can see. It is unimaginable really.

I try to explain it to my sister over the phone: Concrete and corrugated-iron blocks of buildings that open right onto the street which in turn smells of raw sewage, diseased and maimed dogs everywhere, sad looking trees that pop up like weeds in odd spaces, a greasy layer of dirt that covers everything, the sickening subtropical heat, the filthy air, the smoke and noise. Beetle nut chewing men with red mouths and rotten teeth speaking Taiwanese and spitting on the burning tarmac. Noisy kids. People everywhere, even in so called rural towns, walking right in the streets behind belching busses because there are simply no sidewalks.

When I get back to my part of Taipei, it does not seem that bad. At least there is some visible attempt to make a place that is fit for human habitation, like the many parks and the cycle path that runs along the river. There are no skanky beetle nut shanties along the streets and people actually wear shoes on their feet.

I am happy in my little bubble on a mountain overlooking the city and if it was not out of love for my wife and in-laws I would never venture out into the wasteland that is the rest of Taiwan. If there is any beauty to be found on this ravaged island it is that part which is exempt from any significant Taiwanese population.

You foreigners just don't understand Chinese culture.







(Ok, credit to Comrade Stalin for that line.)

These two sentences are simply bigotry on your part.

Yes, many parts of Taiwan (especially down in the industrial south) are pretty grim. Things are a mess because of bad laws , weak institutions, class prejudice, unfair budgets, and rampant over-development. Now many Taiwanese, especially local leaders, bear some responsibility for this state of affairs although most of the responsibility lies squarely on the shoulders of the KMT and its horrible government for most of the last 50 years.

Perhaps your wife and her family have not travelled overseas extensively. Perhaps they know all this and don't need to hear you complaining about it all the time. Perhaps they care more about people and relationships and don't see the things you see.

The countryside around Meinong is reasonably pretty, and the rift valley in the east isn't bad either. A lot of what you ar describing is thankfully concentrated in Taiwan's truly awful towns. Rent a scooter or bring a bicycle and ride away from them. Maybe you'll find something nicer.

Damn, MT, just beat me to it!!!

Just think of how you'll feel after the charm wears off.

You think too much, big nose!

how did that get in there? surely you did not mean to include this as a symptom of ugliness on the level of bing long spit, smoke and grime? I'm trying to be charitable here.

I don't think it's bigotry on the OP's part. Maybe conceit. Actually when I lived in Kaoshiung (Gaoxiong) and took weekend road trips on my bike, I found it a HELL of lot better in the country side than in the city. I believe the real beauty of Taiwan is outside the city. Contempary Taiwan wasn't built with astheics(sp) in mind. Seems like the sudden ablity to build at a fast rate took precedence over apperiences(sp)

You

Sorry, I meant to write Taiwanese does NOT contribute to the degradation of the country.