Illuminated temple near Shilin night market

I took a five-day break to Taiwan this March mainly because it was cheap to fly there from my home in Japan, and I desperately need to get away somewhere. To my surprise, I rather liked the place. Or at least Taipei, since I didn't get to see much outside of that metropolis.

Here are a few themed impressions illustrated with some iPhone snaps. Bear in mind that this is neither a travel guide nor an objective assessment. I live in Japan and much of what I mention will be in reference to that country.

SMELL - ok, this might come across as racist, but it is not meant as such. Anyone who has travelled a lot in Asia will know that nearly everywhere, developed or not, has a certain undefinable aroma that isn't found in Europe, and, strangely enough, in Japan. I don't know what it is - something to do with cooking? - but it is all-pervasive. And it's not a bad thing, it's just very noticeable.

POLITENESS - I have met quite a few Chinese people over the years and have found them overwhelmingly friendly and fun. However, I've also encountered obnoxious tour groups, noisy and Ill-mannered, so we can't really pigeonhole people. Not to mention that folks from Hong Kong are not the same as those from Taipei, who are again not the same as those from Shanghai or rural China. So, I was a little worried about how I would fare in Taiwan. I needn't have been - the people are great! Friendly and extremely polite. One thing that sticks out is on the metro. Everyone cues up meticulously to use the escalators and get on the trains. There's no pushing in. When people accidentally knocked into me, they always immediately said 'sorry', in English too. It has to be said that the people here are much more friendly and outgoing than the very superficial Japanese, who use politeness as a distancing tool.

ENGLISH ABILITY - in Taipei at least, this is very good, and way better than Japan. Yes yes, I'm not saying that foreigners must all submit linguistically to us arrogant English speakers, but it is very encouraging to hear such widespread and competent English spoken.

CLIMATE - At the beginning of March this is perfect. While Japan is still in the icy grip of winter, in Taiwan it's around 25C and although a bit hazy, no signs of any rain. Of course I'm aware that things get pretty unpleasant pretty soon, with 40C of humid sticky heat in summer, not to mention monsoonal rain, so spring is definitely a good time to visit.

DIVERSITY - it's obvious looking around that the Taiwanese are far more diverse in appearance than the Japanese. There's a segment that resemble the slim pale-skinned Nihon-jins, and it's often hard to tell them apart, but there are other taller types, people with rounder eyes, darker skin, different body shape, and so on.

OBESITY - Yep, there are a lot of large people waddling around here, whereas you see hardly any of these in Japan.

CONTRASTS - Taipei is an odd mixture of modern elegant shopping malls and skyscrapers existing alongside more traditional open-fronted Chinese small businesses and eateries. Amazingly, two minutes from the iconic Taipei 101 tower I found a row of crumbling old noodle shops and motorbike repair garages looking like something out of the mid-twentieth century. The whole of Taipei is like that - an air conditioned Starbucks in a row of dilapidated slums.

Part of the Chang Kai Shek Memorial complex, Taipei

SIGHTS - I stayed for five nights and wasn't bored at all. There's plenty to see and do. I didn't have high hopes, to be honest, but there are some jaw-dropping sights such as the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall and grounds, not to mention the gaudy and cheerful temples such as Longshan and Guandu. Add to that areas of old traditional streets, the ease of access to the mountains, parks and the coast, and then of course the noisy, crowded but fun night markets which spring to life all over the city after dark. One thing that I didn't much like was former tallest building in the world Taipei 101. I went up to the top, but these kind of towers just leave me cold, although at least for 101 they let you out onto an open platform at the top.

TRANSPORT - cheap and convenient, the city's metro (MRT) gets you everywhere, even up to the coast, to the hot spring areas of the north and the tea plantations of the eastern hills. A 72-hour smart card giving unlimited access costs USD $11.50, which is a bargain.

JAPANESE INFLUENCE - this is obvious if you're coming from Japan, ranging from the ubiquity of convenience stores such as Family Mart, fast food chains such as Mosburger and Mister Donut, Hello Kitty emblems all over the place, and a general youth adherence to Japanese fashion styles.

CONCLUSION - Taipei is a worthwhile and interesting destination. It's cheap, convenient and friendly, and there's plenty to keep you occupied. I'll definitely be back, perhaps venturing out of the capital to see some more of the country.

ESCAPE TO TAIWAN

DENIS DIDEROT - JACQUES THE FATALIST

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