Finally I am in Taiwan for the Chinese New Year Holidays.

When I arrived there last Sunday 18th of February, I was quite happy with the weather: 20 to 25°C and not humid.
Just fine for me to wear Tee Shirt and France summer clothes.

But even if this weather may look like a good spring in France or North of Italy, in Taiwan it is a kind of winter.
Then everybody kept asking me: "are you cold..?".
And frankly I was not cold.....

But all Taiwanese I met probably were thinking that i will just get what i deserve.....
And I got it ...... a fucking Taiwanese flue with feaver .....


Something I did not get in Europe for more than 10 years.

And during 2 days it destroyed me.

Actually it is strange but really the Taiwanese flue is different than Europe both by symptoms and results point of view.

Now I feel better but tomorrow evening I have to take plane to go back Europe.
Maybe someone will catch me in airport due to chicken flue symptoms....
.... but if so, I will explain that I got this flue the second day of the year.


Then it must be a pig flue.....


For the one who do not know, this new year is "l'annee du cochon"......
And the more I go to Taiwan, the more i look like a pig, then everything is clear now.

What is Taiwan ...?

 

Maybe it was what I was wondering in April 1996 when I went there.

So, my first trip to Taiwan was then more than 10 years ago..... already .... 

Actually I known what is Taiwan but not how it could look.

When I was in Senoir High school, I learnt about Chiang Kai-Shek's story who escaped from Main Land China to go to Formosa island.

This story impressed me very much because at that time i really wondered how it can be possible that one man and his army could escape like that and find safe place in one Island with the China treasures.

And then, by chance and, mainly due to job, I went to Taiwan in April 1996.

 

Picture took in one train station of Taoyuan (1996).

 

This trip was only 3 days. And, unfortunatly,  after these 3 days, I did not go to Taiwan during 7 years.

My second visit was only in February 2003 and since that time, many events changed my life drastically.

I will not write all details, but just say that at first I went to Taiwan for job, without so much excitment because, for European, Taiwan is not the paradise island that we are dreaming.

But after this second trip my image of Taiwan changed drastically.

Then I continued to go there because i appreciated this country with all its good and bad points.

During these trips, I met a girl who is now my wife (we married in Taiwan) and she is living with me in Italy.

So now I still go to Taiwan, once or twice a year for job and twice for private (August holidays and Chinese new year).

I like this country and people there even if I can not explain clearly the reasons.

 

Recently, I found the blog of one french guy living in Taiwan:

 

http://lautrerive.hautetfort.com/

 

Usually blogs are just related to the daily life of the writers. But this one is different and propose a higher "culture level" than usual.

Especially, in this blog, there is a novel: "Paris - Taipei, Open ticket" which is about  the life of a french guy living in Taipei.

 

http://lautrerive.hautetfort.com/paris_-_taipei_open_ticket/

 

By reading this novel, I really found out the particular atmosphere of Taipei and some reasons I feel good there.

I recommand it to all the persons (especially Vincent ....).

 

I am sure that for the people who never went there, with this novel they will be able to catch something about this country and change the usual industrial image of Taiwan.

 

Milan - Taipei Open ticket ........  I do not have it ..... yet ..... but I have still time and chance to get it ....