Made In Taiwan

Despite my effort to erase everything about it from my memory, I still remember three things from my trip to Taiwan in 1987. First, the humidity. Let me tell you, sweating while showering is just not cool. Second, those toilets that simply consist of a hole in the ground. This takes much training to master, and cleaning up afterwards…well, let's just say that if you don't end up falling flat on your face, you're doing pretty well. And finally, the mosquitoes. Trust me, they make it a point to prey on Americans. After my first night in Taipei, my body seriously looked like the mummy's in The Mummy. With this trip in mind, I wasn't out buying suntan lotion and flipping through colorful travel guides with a bright smile on my face when preparing for my second trip to Taipei last summer. I was preparing for war. The socalled vacation in 1987 was a complete disaster, and when I recounted it to my friends, I diplomatically labeled it as "educational." I wasn't lying. It was very educational — they sure don't teach you how to control wild diarrhea in college. Despite my expectations, my most recent trip to Taipei was not a complete disaster. In fact, it was one of the best summer trips I've ever made. I guess after my last experience, a weekend in prehistoric prison would have been a huge step up, but still, I had a surprisingly enjoyable time and am already making plans for another stay. How could two experiences in the same place be so different? Taipei has gone through some major changes over the past few years (the latest and best: a sweet new subway system). While many of the natives will tell you that it's lost some of its uniqueness, believe me when I tell you that the changes are good for tourists. I noticed two things right away: Taipei was much cleaner (okay, my observations aren't exactly scientifically exact, but believe me, the city seemed a bit neater) and much more Westernized. Sure, the abundance of American fast food chains and Leonardo DiCaprio posters doesn't signify the highest exchange of cultural ideas, but it made for a more comfortable trip. Trust me, there's nothing like taking refuge in a gaudy McDonald's and wolfing down a Big Mac after a few days of the hard culture shock that hits you. Because for all its apparent changes, Taipei still presents its challenges (I was, again, eaten alive by mosquitoes my first night there, and the summer humidity is oftentimes truly unbearable). But should you successfully endure them, you'll find that Taipei, Taiwan's capital and largest city, is a gem. The revitalized down town area now resembles New York's Times Square somewhat, but it's still unique. The exhilaration you get from walking the streets at night is unbeatable. There is an unexplainable buzz in the downtown streets of Taiwan. The wide array of delicious food (grab a pastry and a large dessert drink, and you've got a highly satisfying and dirtcheap meal) that's passed around for pennies on the streets by vendors would easily pass for gourmet in the United States. The food in Taipei is great in general. Whether or not you're an early bird, make it a point to wake up early one day to hit some of the cafes that are around nearly every street corner. Some of my favorite Taipei memories include early morning trips to nearby cafés and the incredible breakfast foods that they serve. The only thing I can compare it to is dim sum from Chinatown, but it's much better and it's truly unlike anything you can get here. Taipei comes alive at night. I missed out on such festivities since I was no more than ten the first time I went to Taipei. Taipei thrives as the hour gets later, which is when the night markets get going. The streets get crowded, and the bargaining begins. Even if you choose to just be an innocent bystander, it's still quite an experience. Three places you should definitely hit: the National Museum (I'm not a big fan of museums in general, but with its impressive and exhaustive collections from China, this one, hailed by many as the best in Asia, was awesome), The Chiang KaiShek Memorial (huge and overwhelming, this memorial is more effective than any in Washington, D.C.), and the nearby Yangminshan National Park (you'll want to take a breather from the city, and this beautiful landscape will take your breath away). I've had terrible experiences with the cab drivers in Taipei. The buses are cheap, but unreliable and old. With the new subway system, though, you've got no reason to complain about transportation in Taipei. The system, which has really opened up in the past year, is one that would beat any here in the United States. That might not be saying much, but this mode of transportation is pretty cushy. It's not as cheap as a bus, but cheaper than a taxi. The most important change that I saw in Taipei was critical in making my second trip such a success: More Westernized toilets. An abundance of them, thankfully. So even though Taiwan's summer climate may not be ideal and the mosquitoes suck, at least you don't have to pee in a hole in the ground. Albert Chen thinks Big Macs taste better in Taipei than anywhere else in the world.