My return to Taiwan, my island in the sun

In 1594 a Portuguese ship sighted the main island of Taiwan and dubbed it “Ilha Formosa,” which means “beautiful island.” Although Taiwan (formerly Formosa) has been part of the Chinese empire for a very long time, the aboriginal inhabitants are not even related to the Chinese, but came from the islands of the Pacific.

The Chinese only arrived in large numbers after 1600, when the Dutch East India Company established trading posts and forts on the island. After they defeated the Dutch in 1662, they gained control over the island and stayed until the end of the 19th century when the Japanese took over. They also left their mark on the island, remaining in control until after World War 2, when they were succeeded by Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang.

How can I begin to write about my trip to Taiwan except to use the Portuguese word “Saudade”? “Saudade” is a word that envelopes so many emotions: nostalgia, longing, yearning, love, friendship, desire, etc. No other language has a word like it. Taiwan was once called “Formosa”, another Portuguese word which means “beautiful.”

I was last in Taiwan when my husband, Richard, served in Vietnam between 1968-1970. Our family was not allowed to go to Vietnam, so I went to Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, with my two young children. We were 180 wives with no husbands.

Since then Taiwan has changed so much that I did not know the place, but all for the better. It is a wealthy and vibrant island with hard working, polite people. They especially stress the importance of a good education for its youth.

I wanted to see my older sister, Amy, because her third son Michael had written to tell me she had been ill. It had been many years since I last saw her, as well as her three sons and their families. I did not want to linger over my decision for fear I might change my mind. I booked my ticket and left four days later. None of my family members could go with me, so I was quite nervous about flying half-way around the world alone. I had never gone anywhere without Dick, even on short trips. I closed my mind and refused to think negative thoughts, especially about the typhoon that was pounding the southern part of the island causing devastation and death.

I finally arrived in Taipei on China Air Lines around 9 PM. I was on the road for over twenty hours and was so tired that I did not even remember when my nephew Michael picked up my luggage, or the drive to my sister’s apartment.

Amy had surgery last year. She was fine, although she still had some breathing problems and coughed constantly. It was wonderful to see her again, and we made up for lost time. It was especially exciting to be speaking Chinese. Amy had thought of everything to make me comfortable. She even gave me a cell phone to make overseas calls and pocket money to spend. She also had a full-time maid and a chauffeur.

The next night a French banquet was given in my honor so that I could meet the family and Amy’s close friends. I had forgotten about all the protocol – the exchanging of gifts and the toasting that was exchanged back and forth before the meal was served. The liquors of choice were mostly “Johnny Walker Blue” and “Chivas Royal Salute.” I sipped on my half glass of white wine while I noticed with admiration and total awe the amount of liquor being consumed. It brought back memories of when I was a child in Beijing, and the many banquets my parents hosted with their Mahjong games. My mother was considered the perfect hostess and could drink to and toast each guest throughout the long meal – but I never remember seeing her drunk. My sister certainly was as perfect a hostess as my mother.

While I was there, my oldest nephew Ricky, along with his wife and family, were vacationing in Massachusetts. Their three daughters have all graduated from the best schools in the United States and Europe. They were returning the day after I left Taiwan, so I was sorry to miss them. Amy took me to see their home located in Yangmingshan, a very exclusive area of Taipei. The houses and land there were amazing. The kitchens were equipped for either western or Chinese cuisines.

I took a tour of the manicured grounds and petted the three horses in their stables. Their youngest daughter currently lives in Amsterdam and competes in horse shows in Europe. I was very impressed with everything.

My second nephew, Andy, is the CEO of several companies. He and his wife, Bonnie, have two children. Tiffany, who is 22, has a perfect figure, creamy white skin, and is very beautiful. I thought of Scarlett Johansson when I met her. She was leaving in two days to go to Hongkong and Shanghai to look for a job. She took me to the night market – a very popular tourist attraction. The market sold everything from shoes to trinkets and served every kind of food one could desire. Their son, Ian, is twelve. He told me he has too much homework, but it’s necessary because the education system is very competitive. Andy takes time on weekends to play tennis and be with his family, because during the week many of his evenings are spent hosting overseas business guests. The whole family has luncheon and dinner together every Sunday.

Bonnie, my niece, and I had a delightful day together. She is very pretty and full of life. She speaks perfect English, and worked as an airline hostess for China Air Lines for seven years. She took me to a famous Chinese restaurant for lunch, where I ordered many dishes that I remembered from my childhood: drunken chicken, red-braised pork with skin that melts in your mouth, little steamed buns filled with pockets of succulent meat and juice, and specialty dishes from many different provinces. These are called “Shia Fan” dishes, which means dishes that make the rice go down; they were so delicious, so well seasoned, so amazing that I wanted to remember the flavors forever. For desert, I ordered rice flour balls stuffed with black sesame paste.

She then took me to a massage parlor where I had an hour-long massage. I was totally satisfied with my day, but Bonnie had one more surprise for me. She was taking me to her favorite hair dresser to get my hair done. Before the girl washed my hair, I had another 15 or 20 minute massage of my head and shoulders. Bonnie was finally satisfied and I was ready to go home and take a long nap before the big dinner that night.

Michael, the youngest son, is an attorney-at-law for Baker and McKenzie. He is not married and lives close to Amy, so he came over every morning to have breakfast with us. What a charmer! I felt fortunate to see him so often. He is a gourmand and usually ordered the dishes and wines for the banquets and luncheons.

Michael and his friend, Gogi, who is a very well known fashion designer in Taipei, picked me up one Saturday morning and took me to the flower and jade market. I have never imagined so many variety of flowers, especially orchids. Then we went to the jade market, where I admired the great variety of jade, rings, pendants, and statues. These two markets are several blocks long and are only open on Saturdays and Sundays – during the week they are transformed into parking lots.

We also visited “Taipei 101,” the tallest building in the world. Visitors can watch the multimedia show before riding the world’s fastest elevator to the 89th floor. The elevator has a high pressurized speed of over a thousand meters per minute. The observatory is equipped with high power binoculars, drink bars, image services, and prerecorded multimedia guides in eight languages. Visitors can observe the detailed structure and the heaviest wind damper which weighs 660 metric tons. Looking out the window one can see all of Taipei and its famous landscape. To reach the 91st floor one must take the steps from the 89th floor. You will feel the strong winds and see up close the spire to the building’s 508 meters high sphere. You can watch a theater film that shows the building’s construction and last New Year’s celebration with a fireworks display which eminated from all parts of the towering structure.

I also took a day-long tour of Taipei and surroundings with six other passengers - two from America, two from Australia, and one from Japan. We visited some of the must-see historical sights. The first was the Chiang Kai Shek memorial park. Around the park, a 1200 meter corridor is built. A Chinese window taking the form of a lantern is seen on the wall every 4.5 meters. There are two ponds that take up 3000 square meters. It is surrounded by stones and landscaped with artificial hills, stone-paved paths, and arched bridges. In the ponds a great number of bright-colored carp swim back and forth. With an area of 250,000 square meters, the Memorial Park is a paradise for animals, plants, and birds. One can see the butterflies flying among the flowers and bees busily collecting honey.

We then moved on to Chih Fu Temple. The main god of this Temple is the God of the Land, Taiwan’s most popular god. This god has evolved into human form and understands all the hardships of the human being. He has the power to influence people and is always ready to help when needed. He has a healthy face, silver hair, kind eyes and laughing lips. The day to worship the “God of Land” is called “Ya,” which means to “welcome fortune.” It is held on the second and the sixteenth days of the lunar month.

The best visit was saved for last – the National Palace Museum. It has a permanent collection of over 650,000 Chinese artifacts and other pieces of art – the largest collection in the world. In 2008 it was the world’s 15th most visited museum. In 2001 the museum underwent a major overhaul that cost $21 million, making it more spacious and modern. The displays are rotated once every three months. If you were to see all 650,000 pieces, it would take you more than twelve years.

Finally, my trip came to a close. I’m now back in Tucson with my loving family. I am again enjoying the glorious sunsets, the majestic mountains, and the quaint cacti. I will be playing tennis and duplicate bridge, cooking and baking, and enjoying the friends I love.

This simple life is good for my soul. I can truly say I would be satisfied if all my worldly goods consisted of a good tennis racket, a bridge table, an efficient stove, and a comfortable bed on which to lay my head.

I will always treasure my memories of Taipei and keep them stored in my heart to relive and savor: the distinctive food specialties of each province, the toasting before the banquets, the red envelopes with money for tipping, the gifts that are exchanged, and the protocol for each event.

I will also remember the kindness of my family and friends, the polite waitresses and service people in their neat uniforms, and the emphasis on education. I have fulfilled all of my senses – from the exotic fruits and vegetables, the variety of sea food, fowl and meat (especially the exceedingly tender and flavorful kobe beef),  the beauty of orchids and other strange flowers, and the exquisite art and paintings.

I was also very impressed that everyone spoke Mandarin, which has unified all the Chinese people.

What a journey! What a vacation! What memories!

Thank you, Taiwan.