Notes from the Promised Land
I just got back from 台灣 (Toi4 Waan1). Traveling to Taiwan is a very Hong Kong thing to do. The way lots of Hong Kongers talk about Taiwan, it's like it's the Promised Land. The people are friendly, the food is delectable, the land is beautiful, the characters are traditional, and their brand of Mandarin sounds nice.
I can't disagree with them. This is my third trip, and I've noticed that as soon as I step off the plane, I suddenly feel relaxed. People mosey down the street as if they don't have a care in the world.
The citizenry are incredibly friendly. Maybe not as much as the Japanese (where I've had a stranger run after my friend and I to give us umbrellas because it was raining), but enough to make me almost suspicious of them. But it's true; they really are just that nice. On my last trip, I relied on Lonely Planet phrasebooks to order food, ask for directions, tell taxi-drivers where to go, you name it. The people listened patiently to my heavily Canto-accented attempts at butchering their language (I never learned the Mandarin tones so I usually default to using the Canto tones) and even helped me! I had a long conversation with a taxi driver that involved me flipping through the phrasebook to try to find the right word for each sentence. He seemed to find it amusing instead of annoying.
The food's not bad either. Night markets, 夜市 je6 si5, are crammed with fried chicken, quail eggs, octopus balls, stinky tofu, pork knuckles, you name it. And of course, wash it all down with some bubble tea. Bubble tea shops line the streets of Taichung. As I guzzled my fifth cup, I wondered how so many bubble tea shops can stay in business. 細妹 Sai3 mui2 (the younger sister) who moved to Taiwan a few months back, told me that Taiwanese people really do drink that much bubble tea. Like, cups and cups a day! I can't blame them. I had that sweet, creamy goodness almost every day of my trip. Which my be to blame for the current tightness of my pants.
The funny thing is, whenever I tell Taiwanese people that Hong Kongers love going to Taiwan because of their food, they always respond with, "No, our food isn't that great. It's Hong Kong that has great food. Barbecue pork, egg waffles, dim sum, fish balls. I want to go to Hong Kong next year to eat!" And when I tell Hong Kongers that Taiwanese people love going to Hong Kong to eat, they always say, "But our food is so boring! Taiwanese night market food and beef noodles and three-cup chicken is so goooood!" Classic case of grass is always greener. Or as my friend taught me tonight, "The food next to you smells good" 隔離飯香 gaak3 lei4 faan6 hoeng1. Makes sense that English-speakers will have an idiom about grass while Hong Kongers have idioms about food.
While I like Taiwan, but I wouldn't go overboard. It's nice to walk slowly while you're on vacation, but not every day. Heck, I think most Hong Kongers walk too slowly, so how could I handle Taiwanese speed? Not to mention the lack of sidewalks and a cars and scooters always buzzing by you.
Their taxis may be cheap and their drivers nicer, but Hong Kong's transportation system is hard to beat. The Taiwanese buses aren't bad, but we did run up against drivers who couldn't be bothered to stop at the bus stop (both when we wanted to get on and when we wanted to get off) and drivers who drive like red mini bus drivers. I typically support the way red mini bus drivers drive (so fast! so efficient!) but when passengers have to stand on a big bus, clinging to the rails to avoid being tossed into the back, I wish they'd show a bit more restraint. 細妹 Sai3 mui5 even told me that once she was on a big bus that pulled over so the driver could go buy his lunch! I've had that happen in Hong Kong with mini buses, but never with a big bus.
I had a great time, but at the end of the trip, I was ready to come home. I'll take 叉燒 caa1 siu1 over three-cup chicken. I prefer hustling to meandering. And, no matter how good Taiwan milk tea, I'll stick with the cha chaan teng milk tea that punches you in the face when you drink it.
I guess everyone has their own Promised Land.
I can't disagree with them. This is my third trip, and I've noticed that as soon as I step off the plane, I suddenly feel relaxed. People mosey down the street as if they don't have a care in the world.
The citizenry are incredibly friendly. Maybe not as much as the Japanese (where I've had a stranger run after my friend and I to give us umbrellas because it was raining), but enough to make me almost suspicious of them. But it's true; they really are just that nice. On my last trip, I relied on Lonely Planet phrasebooks to order food, ask for directions, tell taxi-drivers where to go, you name it. The people listened patiently to my heavily Canto-accented attempts at butchering their language (I never learned the Mandarin tones so I usually default to using the Canto tones) and even helped me! I had a long conversation with a taxi driver that involved me flipping through the phrasebook to try to find the right word for each sentence. He seemed to find it amusing instead of annoying.
The food's not bad either. Night markets, 夜市 je6 si5, are crammed with fried chicken, quail eggs, octopus balls, stinky tofu, pork knuckles, you name it. And of course, wash it all down with some bubble tea. Bubble tea shops line the streets of Taichung. As I guzzled my fifth cup, I wondered how so many bubble tea shops can stay in business. 細妹 Sai3 mui2 (the younger sister) who moved to Taiwan a few months back, told me that Taiwanese people really do drink that much bubble tea. Like, cups and cups a day! I can't blame them. I had that sweet, creamy goodness almost every day of my trip. Which my be to blame for the current tightness of my pants.
The funny thing is, whenever I tell Taiwanese people that Hong Kongers love going to Taiwan because of their food, they always respond with, "No, our food isn't that great. It's Hong Kong that has great food. Barbecue pork, egg waffles, dim sum, fish balls. I want to go to Hong Kong next year to eat!" And when I tell Hong Kongers that Taiwanese people love going to Hong Kong to eat, they always say, "But our food is so boring! Taiwanese night market food and beef noodles and three-cup chicken is so goooood!" Classic case of grass is always greener. Or as my friend taught me tonight, "The food next to you smells good" 隔離飯香 gaak3 lei4 faan6 hoeng1. Makes sense that English-speakers will have an idiom about grass while Hong Kongers have idioms about food.
While I like Taiwan, but I wouldn't go overboard. It's nice to walk slowly while you're on vacation, but not every day. Heck, I think most Hong Kongers walk too slowly, so how could I handle Taiwanese speed? Not to mention the lack of sidewalks and a cars and scooters always buzzing by you.
Their taxis may be cheap and their drivers nicer, but Hong Kong's transportation system is hard to beat. The Taiwanese buses aren't bad, but we did run up against drivers who couldn't be bothered to stop at the bus stop (both when we wanted to get on and when we wanted to get off) and drivers who drive like red mini bus drivers. I typically support the way red mini bus drivers drive (so fast! so efficient!) but when passengers have to stand on a big bus, clinging to the rails to avoid being tossed into the back, I wish they'd show a bit more restraint. 細妹 Sai3 mui5 even told me that once she was on a big bus that pulled over so the driver could go buy his lunch! I've had that happen in Hong Kong with mini buses, but never with a big bus.
I had a great time, but at the end of the trip, I was ready to come home. I'll take 叉燒 caa1 siu1 over three-cup chicken. I prefer hustling to meandering. And, no matter how good Taiwan milk tea, I'll stick with the cha chaan teng milk tea that punches you in the face when you drink it.
I guess everyone has their own Promised Land.
You maybe found this out by now, it's 隔離飯香, applicable only for food and I think it's very true.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work.
Matt
I didn't! Thanks for adding it. :)
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