Day 1 in Taiwan

"If someone comes to visit you on a rainy day, then they are truly your friend."

 

These were the words of Harrison Lee, our very friendly and wise tour guide at the Confucius Temple in Taipei, Taiwan. "You must be good friends to the temple and to Taiwan for coming on such a rainy day!" It had been raining all morning, and it would continue raining the rest of the day. Yet this did not damper the fun and excitement of our first day in Taipei whatsoever. Since the airplane landed in Taiwan, after about 18 hours of flying on 3 different flights, life has been awesome. The sights have been astonishing, the people are very friendly, and I've already learned a lot of things.

I can't stop taking pictures. The Confucius Temple was one of the major spots I was looking forward to, so imagine my excitement when I found out that it's really a series of temples, beautiful architecture that was crafted with carvings and statues of dragons, phoenixes, and Confucius, the philosopher who lived 2,500 years ago whom the temple is named for. As we entered the "Gate of Di" (or the "Gate of Rite", in English), we could hear peaceful music coming from within the temple grounds. As we got deeper into this landmark, we discovered that it was traditional Chinese music being played live by locals. It was truly a transcendental experience.

Our energetic tour guide made the experience all the more fulfilling. He told us everything we would want to know, emphasizing that the temples (and Asia in general) are influenced by the teachings of Confucius, as well as Taoism and Buddhism. He spoke of reciprocity and respect, showing us the proper way to do a traditional Chinese bow. He warned us all to become dragons and not "dragon-fish", fish that try to turn into dragons but only transform halfway.

Our next stop, after eating my first delicious meal at a busy food court, was the Republic of China presidential building. Visiting this palace in Taiwan is the equivalent of visiting the White House back in the United States. After going through security, and observing guards that remain completely still like the Buckingham Palace guards in Britain, we were welcomed into the elegant entrance of the building. Soon, we walked into a room where college students were performing music. After a girl with a beautiful voice performed, she walked right up to me! Her and her friends gave our group soap, saying "Welcome" and "Happy Mother's day". I told her what I had been thinking while she was singing in Mandarin - that no one had to understand the words to feel the beauty of the song.

The folks at the ROC presidential building were very hospitable and made us feel very welcome in their country. A tour guide showed us through the elaborate building, with many floors and many beautiful gardens. We learned about the complex history of Taiwan and the wars and politics that have led up to the modern age. After this, we went to a museum in downtown Taipei. I was extremely excited to find out that there were fossils on display.

At the end of the day, we took the subway to a very busy and modern part of Taipei, the Red House Market. Thousands of people crowded the streets, some of them playing instruments, some of them waving flags, and everyone enjoying themselves despite having to hold umbrellas. It was a big city experience I don't think I've ever had before. We were given free time to explore and find a place to eat dinner. Me and a few new friends from U of M walked through an art market, in which dozens of vendors were selling their own creations, as well as other cool souvenirs. As much as I wanted to buy something, I restrained myself, in an attempt to save money for the rest of the trip. Our group found a good place to eat in a back alley lit with black lights and other cool lighting.

Tomorrow we will visit the Wang Tea Company, the National Palace Museum, and learn more about the culture and language of Taiwan. If the rest of the trip is anything like today, then it will be incredible. Some sights and sounds were so captivating they were very difficult to put into words, but as the trip and this blog continue, I will do my best.