zo in asia

hello everyone! this is where I'll post my travel blog entries in english language!

Here we goooo...

Monday, 22nd of January

Travel Blog 1

About my first two days in Taiwan

Taipei

Hello everyone! Welcome to what I hope will be the first of many travel blog posts.
I didn't think I would do it because I didn't think there would be that much to tell. I don't know how I could have thought that...
I've been coming up with more and more ideas over the last few days about things I could include here. The idea of writing a weekly travel blog gave me the motivation to do things that I would otherwise have been too lazy to do. Yes, I might be more open and courageous in my approach to moments because I hope that a story will emerge from them.

Also, the idea of writing weekly for people who are interested in me and my life has given me a reason & moreover strength to believe in this journey in the first place.
Most people who read this blog will know what it took for me to take this step. Ayşe and I said goodbye to each other on Thursday and I am now officially a solo traveler. I still prefer to talk about myself as a solo traveler rather than Solo as a person.

Being & living in the last few days was perhaps the hardest thing I have ever gone through and am still going through. I'm going to be completely honest here: it's been blatantly bad half the time and pretty cool the other half. That makes sense because half of my heart is mine and the other half, it's still with Ays.
Big hugs go out at this point to my dear dear friends and to mom, as well as to Ays, that you were and are all so there. I can internalize more and more that I am not at all alone in this strange city. Because I have you all inside me. That gives me real strength in many depressing moments. I want to write something for you every week in the hope that you can enjoy it.

So let's get going!

From the beginning.

On Thursday I set off from Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport. Ays and I said goodbye at the subway stop, thinking it might be less emotionally charged than saying goodbye at the airport. Far from it. The place makes no difference, it's us that matters and that's terrible, no matter where.

Madrid - Amsterdam - Xiamen - Taipei

The journey went by faster than expected, but time generally passed strangely in the last few days. A separation from your human paired with a flight 7 hours into the future and nothing the same, except maybe my haircut - my sense of time has been put through the blender once and served to me as soup. Sounds strange, but somehow it feels like that.

Now I've spent two full days in Taipei, Taiwan and much of what I was told before about the city and its people has come true. The people are unusually reserved, but at the same time have such a great interest in me as I have rarely experienced so sincerely. All it takes is a little hello, a small question and it bubbles out of people. They are all so interested in the kind of life I lead and the food I prepare.
For example, at least for one woman in my hostel, it seems to be the most unusual thing in the world to eat cucumber and apple "pure" and without any other seasoning. This mixture of foods is also considered a salad.
I miss a good salad.

But despite the fear of all this newness, everything is going well so far. Cash withdrawals, sim cards and Metro Card purchases. The hostel is wonderfully adequate and I have also found a friend.
I discover many customs and peculiarities of the people and culture of the country that I really like and wish European people and cities had more of. Taipei makes my life easier in many ways because it suits my energy level and personality.

For example: it's quiet here. In the hostel, people are pleasantly quiet and considerate. On the metro, no one would ever even raise their voice, let alone shout. The Taiwanese form a queue everywhere and pretty much always keep to the right on a sidewalk, so you don't have to navigate around people and there is almost never any crowding. In direct comparison to Madrid, it couldn't be more different.

The peace and order leaves me with a heap more energy to finish the day. The only things that stress me out here are my own thoughts. But finally I no longer have to tap into my reserves to get through situations that drain my energy due to the noise and hustle and bustle.

Everything here is balanced by a certain elegance and dignity, by manners and poise. People are (for the most part) attentive to their surroundings and their fellow human beings, the streets are extremely clean and where other cities are lost in the hustle and bustle of their scooters, here they stand orderly at the side of the road. It's like a vacation for my nervous system.

Last night I went to one of Taipei's countless night markets with Helia, someone I met here at the hostel.
It's relatively easy for me to meet people here, because it feels like there are only a handful of Europeans walking around the hostel and they are almost the only ones who talk at all.

The night market was completely different to what I had expected. I was greeted by a large illuminated sign marking the entrance. Many people stood in front of it and took pictures of themselves, as this is one of the biggest and most famous Taipei markets. The atmosphere was a bit like a Saturday evening at the open-air market in Bremen. And the attractions were also comparable! And completely different at the same time. Instead of fishing for ducks, the children were fishing for real small fish, instead of shooting at badges, they were shooting balloons with darts and at another stand, the children were sitting quietly and concentrated in all the hustle and bustle and creating window color pictures.
After passing through the first part of the market, we came to the food stalls. Finding out what was vegetarian and what was not proved to be a challenge at first. But then we found lots of very, very good snacks. Here are a few of them!

DISCLAIMER I didn't eat everything I took photos of. Because frog eggs, pig's blood soup and karasumi (sun-dried mullet roe) are just too much for me.

On a second tour of the market, we discovered a small jewelry store. It belonged to a woman who had handmade all the pieces and they were wonderful. We stood & stood there, enjoying the detail in which the tiny pieces of glass were crafted. The owner was very interested in where we came from and what we were doing here. And she was incredibly happy to learn that we were planning to stay here longer. She welcomed us to Taiwan countless times and invited us to have tea with her and her family at the end.

It may sound like a small thing when written down like that, but it felt like a gesture of deep warmth and openness. She presented us with small glasses of wonderful tea. Before we accepted them, she told us that she trusted us and then asked us if we did too. We answered in the affirmative, somewhat confused and at the same time happily interested, and so she handed us the tea. We clinked glasses with each of her family members. The toast involved holding the glass with both hands and a slight bow.
It was the kind of encounter I've only seen in movies and the kind I would have wished for but could never have imagined. It was so honest and warm.

On Sunday, I actually sat down to work for a few hours. For those of you who don't know, I became self-employed at the start of the new year and now work freelance. The company I work with mainly in the field of sustainability and helps companies to develop sustainability strategies. I will be getting into this field in the next few weeks, but first they (fortunately) need texts for their website. So I'm currently getting paid a lot for writing, which is incredibly great.

Today is already Monday and I've officially survived my first two days in Taipei - much better than I could ever have imagined. I think I'm starting to trust myself, and that feels really good.

So, see you next week!

Friday, 26st of January,

Travel Blog 2

Trying to put it all in words

Xincheng, Hualien

I'm experiencing so much here and I don't know how to capture it all. I have the feeling that I could create great things from my experiences, but I haven't found the way yet, the way in which I can do it best. I need something that I can connect to my thoughts so that all the thoughts come straight out of my head onto paper, like fresh off the press.

I've been here in Xincheng since Wednesday. It's a small, small a village on the east coast of Taiwan in Hualien County, just a few kilometers north of the city with the same name.
On wednesday, just like yesterday and just like when I took my first steps today, I wished I had chosen my hostel better. The transition from Taipei is tough. This town is different from everything I thought I'd knew about Taiwan. At first sight there isn't much here. It's not the kind of place where white tourists spend more than two nights and it's definitly not tailored for them. Enjoy that, no question. It's all just very new.
Here, life goes by in the way and at the pace that suits the locals. My roommate last night was suitably surprised as to how I found my way to this remotely located hostel. The Taiwanese have a nice and funny way of asking me these things. First it's quiet for a moment and then it's usually: I'm curious, what are you doing here?
But exactly here, where it seems like theres not much to discover, there is usually quite a lot. For example a whole lot of warmth & friendliness. There are endless details to indulge in and if you pay attention to them they reveal a lot about the personality and history of the place. Maybe it's also the quietness that makes it easier & quicker for me to focus on the details of what's going on. Less distraction offers more opportunity to delve deeper into small things.

Today I woke up feeling generally sluggish and tired. It's exhausting having to figure everything out, every single day, being faced with new challenges every day to achieve the very least. The only thing I can do about it is not to let it make me feel heavier than necessary.

...

It was a bright and inviting place that I entered. It looked young & modern. My first attempt to translate the menu still failed. Phonetic symbols are often just not easy to be translated into the Latin alphabet. So at times like this, the only thing that really gets you anywhere is talking to people and asking them for help.
The young man behind the counter seemed very nice and open and so I asked him via translation if they had any vegetarian meals. They had quite a few, as he ticked off various dishes on the menu. (This is a very common thing here. The menus are all laminated and you mark on them what you would like).
But I was still completely lost - what's what? So I asked him for a breakfast recommendation and was sure he would choose something good. I also ordered a coffee and was glad that I had at least pronounced it correctly.

And yes, the breakfast was great. He had put together a good combination and I enjoyed my first Taiwanese breakfast. There was some kind of pancake with egg and corn & a toast (without crust) filled with chopped cabbage & cucumber, a fried egg and cheese. Comparable to no breakfast I've ever had, although the ingredients sound very familiar at first.

Ordering food - such a simple thing, but it took me a lot of courage and rewarded me with great relief.

I felt at ease in this little diner like restaurant.
The three people who worked here were sitting next to me enjoyed a breakfast similar to mine. It was almost closing time for them. I didn't dare talk to them, but maybe I will next time. I want to feel more connected to this place and its people, and the only way to do that is through contact.

With the rest of my café in hand I moved on, walking through Xincheng Old Street, which, to my astonishment, was very busy today. The situation reminded me of my time in the Azores, where it was always crowded when a cruise ship arrived. The equivalent here are the coaches that drop off tourists (all Asian) in little Xincheng and let them wander the streets.
The hustle and bustle made me feel less out of place, as I was no longer the only stranger. Due to the rush of people, all the little food stalls scattered along the roadside were now also busy. The air was filled with curiosity & the smell of different foods, and with every smile I got back from people, I felt a little more welcome and warm at heart.
At a tiny stall, an elderly lady was preparing my beloved chēlún bǐng. The small, fluffy, round cakes that are prepared with all sorts of different fillings. We didn't understand each other, but I still got exactly the kind of chēlún bǐng I wanted. I appreciated her patience for my not speaking her language, thanked her and wandered on.

Every house, every restaurant, every stall exists just as much inside as it does outside. An old man, his hands smeared with mechanic's grease, sat amidst old electrical parts and other sundries, engrossed in working on an old bicycle. He was completely absorbed in what he was doing and radiated the deepest calm. Such a peaceful carefreeness surrounded him -

I was drawn to the sea, which lies at the end of the old road. On these days, when the land is covered in low clouds, the Pacific shines a bright blue and the waves break gray. Swallows perform their tricks around me and I stop to give them the attention they are so worthy of. They look so different from the ones at home. They fly even more elegantly, even more cheekily and yet they give me exactly the same feeling as the swallows I know from home.

The sea is making bigger waves today than on my first day in Xincheng and I climb down the stairs to be closer to them.
To my left: 3 fishing routes and 2 men. One older, one younger. I watch the old man. There's something about him that piques my interest. Just like the man I saw working at the old road, he looks as if there's nothing more important for him to do than to be here right now and devote himself to fishing. There is a cozy, contented smile on his face. I watch him pull on his line twice. He calmly takes the rod in his hand and skillfully reels in the line. Both times, nothing. So he prepares the line again, puts it in the holder and sits back down on a stone with his things.

Do you know what in-yun is? I only recently learned something about it. As far as I know, it's about the bond between people that has developed between them through past lives. So every encounter with the people you meet has already taken place in a previous life. The people you meet, you have already met in a different way. I recently met a friend who told me that 3 lifetimes ago we had tea together around a campfire. But you don't always have a sense of where you met the person "last time".

For me, since I've known about it, it's as if everything in this world is more connected. Where before I felt a magic when I carefully observed events and everyday things, the knowledge about in-yun deepens this magic by several layers.

More and more often I am filled with deep gratitude and appreciation for the life I live and the things I am allowed to do. Full of awe and amazement, I experience moments when the miracle of life itself crashes down on me.
How can all this be? I then ask myself.

This feeling is deepened by infinite layers of knowledge about in-yun.

And that's all we've ever wanted, isn't it? To experience that there is more. That there is a magic that is perhaps different than in all the movies, but it is so much better because we can now feel it ourselves.

To realize that it is everywhere. That it is available to us every day, if only we are open for it and ready to welcome it with an open heart and mind. All it takes is time and dedication.

I have found a way, perhaps my way, to really embrace the life I'm living. It's probably just the beginning, but it feels like everything. Traveling requires me to pay the highest level of attention to my surroundings. Every day I have to adjust to a new world, no two days are the same and so they all fly by so fast. If I'm not careful, they pass me by without me really noticing them. But that shouldn't happen. That's why I write it down. Discovering, paying attention and then writing about - it is my favorite thing in the world right now.

As of right now, I guess I can say that I have found a life that works for me until it doesn't anymore.

For the longest time I was stuck in realities that weren't good for me, always accompanied by the feeling that things would only get better if I went my own way. I would never have thought that this would be my own path & that it would lead me to this place. I see now that it's kind of a big thing to say. I have always enjoyed every day of travel-life before starting off solo. I guess now is just the time for something else.

...

And I walk along the old street in Xincheng, where I can literally feel how much in-yun there is in it. The history goes back so far and I am connected to it in a way I will never know or understand.

I walk down the street and wonder what connects me to this place and how it can be that I am here again. That I'm here now, that's incredible.

Wednesday, 31st of January,

Travel Blog 3

Taipei - Hualien - Taitung

Today I'm writing for you from a laundromat in Taitung. Taitung is a small town on the east coast of Taiwan, surrounded by national parks, green expanses and with the sea right on its doorstep.
Unfortunately, I chose my hostel a bit off the beaten track again. So I'm not really in Taitung, but quite a bit further north. We'll have to practise choosing a hostel again...
Note: I managed 2 weeks without doing laundry. I think that's quite remarkable.

Last week was my first full week in Taiwan. Not a day went by without challenges and not a day went by without me gaining countless new experiences and impressions.
Last Monday I was still in Taipei.
Compared to everything I've experienced since then, Taipei is pretty huge and comparatively western. It's crowded and, like any other big city, a big landscape of houses. It's just like everyone says: a completely different Taiwan to the rest of the country.
After my time there, I thought that there was no need to learn Chinese and that vegetarian food was a dime a dozen. But these assumptions did not prove true beyond the city limits of Taipei. Rather, vegetarian restaurants are as common as garbage cans on the streets: they are a rare find. But I've just learned what to say to ask for vegetarian dishes, and that makes me feel a lot more confident.
If I'm at a loss and am standing in front of a menu without a plan, Google Lens now reliably helps me out. It's the traditional form of Mandarin that I need in Taiwan, not the simplified one. Sure! I could have known that straight away.

The week started with late nights out and in bars with friends - it feels like such a long time ago.
The week continued with some work. At the moment this really mainly consists of writing about topics such as sustainability and climate change. After reading and hearing so much about how hard it is to get a job in copywriting these days that pays well, I'm even more joyful & grateful. It's actually like a little dream come true for me - I write and get paid for it.

I WRITE AND GET PAID FOR IT.

That's something really big for me.

I also realize that it gives me a lot of security to have a job and the opportunity to earn money. Nevertheless, I am often worried about whether and how long my money will last, whether I should perhaps work more and whether I should monitor my spending better. Taiwan is actually quite a bit more expensive than the countries in Southeast Asia. Still, of course, no comparison to Germany!
But it has to be enough, because: I don't want to work more than I do at the moment. That's not what I'm here for.
I don't want my life to revolve around my job and the numbers.
And I don't want to give up experiences for work.
From time to time, maybe. But work is not the focus of my life.
I still question and rethink whether I'm really living my journey the way I've set out to. And whether I'm always trying to make the most of my days.
Questioning the whole thing, all the worries and thoughts, they'll go away. I just need to have a little faith in myself and my actions.
And so with every doubt that arises, I actually just become more confident. Because every thought filled with doubt reminds me that it was really & honestly me who created and built this life. It was me who set the focus that characterizes my current life. And it is me who decides every day anew what is important & what is not and what I need & what I don't need.
Worries will always come in some form, always stay for a certain amount of time, but they will also go away at some point. Just like clouds moving across the landscape. I want to sit back, relax and enjoy what I have created. I have earned that.

I actually traveled to little Xincheng on Wednesday to be as close as possible to Taroko National Park. My plan was to spend as much time there as possible. To go on long, extended hikes. This plan didn't quite work out. And that was somehow valuable to experience.
I got on the bus to Taroko straight away on Thursday. And to be honest: I just didn't feel like it. The tranquillity that surrounds Xincheng also brought me down. So I didn't really feel like doing anything that day except lying around and watching New Girl. But I felt the pressure to make something of my day. I also thought to myself that exercise and fresh air have helped me to get out of my funk on many a day.
But that wasn't the case on this gray Thursday. I started two hikes, only to turn back, exhausted and annoyed. In the end, I walked home from the national park and was more than relieved.
It's always amazing how expectations play out and what they do to you. I realized that day that the thought of hiking alone through a national park in Taiwan made me quite nervous and didn't fill me with much joy. That's also new. It's a different country, there are other things to consider. Here, large monkeys roam through the trees above my head and I have to watch out for poisonous snakes and wasps. Here I am never completely sure whether the last bus is actually leaving and I only understand the language on the stop sign with a translator.

Friday was a better day. My last text about the magic in Xincheng was written on Friday. Concentrating on the little things probably did me some good.
But on Saturday I dared to do it again. I got on the bus to Taroko again and this time I just stayed longer. I wanted to see what came up and just take what came.
What came along were two young women, both my age, who sat down next to me on the last bench of the bus. I asked them for advice on where it would be best to get off - from then on we spent the whole day together.
They were both from the States, one of them from Chicago. Both of them are currently going to school in Taipei to learn Mandarin. We were all completely different, but our amazement at the wonders of Taroko was the same. I have never seen such an incredible marbling of rock. The rocks looked like they had been painted.
What makes Taroko National Park so special is the gorge that stretches for miles through the landscape. The road stretches endlessly between the rock face and the gorge. Deep down, a river flows with the clearest mountain water. At this time of year it does not carry much water, but this does not detract from its beauty.

Then on Sunday I drove to the nearest town, Hualien. I was longing for some hustle and bustle, or at least to see more than 5 people together.
I met the two people I had met the day before while hiking for brunch. Later in the day, I would spend time with a friend I met in Taipei. I didn't think it was possible that I would spend such a social Sunday so quickly. It made me really happy.
We walked around the city for a long time. I really wanted to try the scallion pancakes, and so we did.

They were incredibly good. I had a lemon winter melon tea with them. For anyone who has never heard of Winter Melon (including me), here's a picture:

Winter melon tea has a sweet, buttery taste. To me, the tea actually tasted like popcorn! This melon is probably not sweet in itself, but it is processed with sugar. The sugar is what brings out that unique flavor.

The day took its course and we ended up at a café called Black Whale. Here, zo finally got her long-awaited café with Oatly Milk. If only they weren't so expensive...

The café suited me wonderfully. Everything was decorated in a whale theme. Drawings of whales on the walls, whale cookies, whale stickers and countless photos.
We met a young woman there with a dog and struck up a conversation. She also had a connection to the whales, as she works on the whale watching tours that depart from Hualien in the summer. In winter, she helps scientists analyze recorded whale sounds. So in a way, she is learning another language - just not a human one!
I told her about my time in the Azores and all the encounters I had with the whales. She was very interested in my stories. Realizing that a complete stranger who grew up so far away from my home shared the same interests and love for something made me feel really good.
Every time I get into a conversation with someone about the ocean and its inhabitants (especially when it comes to whales) I am gripped by a feeling of all-encompassing, joyful excitement. It feels like I'm talking about a new love. The thought of maybe working in this field myself one day still feels just as right as it did all those years ago.
She also taught us a whole new set of words and phrases in Chinese. We made language memos for ourselves to practise the pronunciation and not to forget them again.

This week I have observed a lot, asked a lot of questions and learned more about the culture and customs. I shouldn't be surprised, but I am, that so many things are completely different here than I expected. People care about such different things than we do in Central Europe. And it's not about whether I like it or not, but simply about experiencing and perhaps learning from them.

So it was kind of a normal week. But none of it felt normal. It's nice and exhausting at the same time. Every day I have so many new experiences and so many new insights. Every day I am proud of myself and every day I enjoy being in my own presence. I feel like it's really easy for me to get to know people and I can see that it still takes a lot of effort to approach locals.
I can't even imagine what's going to happen and what's in store for me. I'm excited about everything that's coming and have no interest in changing this life in the near future. Every time I have doubts, countless new reasons open up that make this the best life I can imagine for myself at the moment.

30/01-06/02

Travelblog 3

Taitung / Tái dōng / 臺東

Taitung

Unnoticed, the sea became the link, the linchpin of my week in Taitung. Almost every day I paid it a visit or headed in its direction.
On Wednesday evening, after working all day, I drove into the city for the first time. It's finally warm here in Taitung. The cold days are definitely over and done with. Finally being able to walk around in shirts and shorts again is great on the one hand. On the other hand, of course, it's often too warm again. But every now and then it's the most pleasant and comfortable temperature for me. I live for these moments.
I got off the bus and felt miraculously at home and somehow at home.
I really wanted to get to the sea before the sun went down and set off straight away. I ran a few errands on the way to the sea, everything went quickly and easily. The fact that everyday things finally became a little easier gave me a wonderful feeling of well-being.

Taitung beach is not a sandy beach, but consists of perfectly rounded small to medium-sized stones. The kind that make great towers. Many such stone towers were already scattered along the beach. I built two more.

I don't know how and why the sea here has such a fantastic color, but really everywhere I've seen it so far it has this magnificent color. A bright, shimmering blue, sometimes completely turquoise, grayish on gray days, but never dark. It looks very tropical. Maybe it's just what the sea looks like in tropical regions. Whatever the case may be, I am particularly fascinated by these colors.

It was comparatively busy on the beach. Families were sitting on the still-warm stones, taking photos and enjoying each other's company. I took off my clothes, took off my shoes and rolled up my trousers. I finally wanted to be able to at least feel the water with my feet. I had already heard that it was supposed to be warm - and it really was! How I looked forward to going in for the first time. Unfortunately, it's too wild here in Taitung.

The feel of the water on my legs and the way it washes under my feet as the waves recede is exactly what I'm used to from anywhere. To feel that some things are just the same, no matter where you are in the world... it's hard to comprehend and beautiful at the same time.

The next wave hit higher than all the others before it. A boy standing next to me on one of the breakwaters was startled with me when we were suddenly both a lot wetter than we wanted to be. We laughed.

Only when it was almost completely dark did I return to the city. It was too nice to listen to the steady sound of the waves and feel the spray on my skin.
In the city, I met a guy I had met at my hostel in the morning. Together we strolled through Taitung's night market and swapped stories about all the places we'd been.

Sometimes I think I get tired of meeting new people and having to start all over again. But now I realize that's not really the case. I share different stories from my life with every new person I meet. And I get other stories back. With every encounter, my view expands and I get new impressions of other worlds. Of course, there are days when I find it difficult to get to know people. But it's always worth it.

I picked up a chocolate milk at FamilyMart to pass the time waiting for my bus. It made me feel so at home. It's funny how that works all over the world.
Somehow it's different everywhere and yet also the same as everywhere else. And at the same time, it's also completely different.
Somehow it makes no difference where I am. I have to be somewhere. At the same time, it makes such a huge difference that I can't imagine it until I'm there.

Friday

There was no question about it - this weekend I wanted to go cycling. Before ten o'clock in the morning I was already sitting on the saddle of a solid mountain bike and felt a hundred times more at home in this country. The first few pedals filled me with so much joy and energy. Cycling somehow has a special place in my heart. In addition, the feeling of finally not being dependent on bus times was so liberating. I could now go wherever I wanted, get on and off when and where I wanted.
I drove up the coast to the north. It was incredibly warm. I had hoped it would cloud over, but there was no sign of it, and it stayed that way. After the first hour, I was afraid I was going to get sunstroke. I didn't get sunstroke, but I did get a really burnt neck.

I stopped wherever it was nice. My first stop was at the geological park on the east coast of Taiwan. The geology in question was the coast. So more sea!
The information boards talked about the tofu rock, the mushroom rock and the big frog. And yes really, the most rustic stone and rock formations could be seen here by the sea. The ground on which they lay was also more than extraordinary. In this place, as in no other on the east coast, the movements of the tectonic plates could be seen. The rock of the coastline was pushed up like a fan. At the same time, its structure resembled that of large cobblestones. I am sure that this place is heaven for all stone enthusiasts.

I drove further north. Along the highway, the bright blue water to my right and the green, sugar loaf-shaped mountains to my left. Through palm forests and a village dotted with small cafés with names like Coconut Café or the Wave Café. Modern, chic places that magically attracted tourists (including me), while on the left were the small, authentic establishments.

I came to a sudden stop when I spotted the most colorful temple site I've seen so far. I parked my bike and walked through the high entrance arch. This, the temple itself and two smaller towers were visible. They all shone in the brightest colors and were decorated with such detail. Dragons everywhere you looked and scenic images of warriors fighting mythical creatures.

I met two wonderful people and once again the encounter felt predestined. We told each other a lot about the places we had come from and the places we were going to. They showed me their wonderful home in the forests of Québec. It's real encounters like this that remind me of the magic of life.

We parted ways, for now, and I drove to the destination of my day, labeled on Google Maps as: where the water flows upwards. And it really did. I'd only seen it like this in Madeira before.

I had already picked out a restaurant nearby where I wanted to have lunch. On Google Maps, it looked very unique and less standard. I found that somehow appealing. Marges Kitchen was the name of the place. The cuisine was Filipino, which offered me a good change.

I was surprised. Marges Kitchen was also Marge's home. A small counter outside where you could order, but the restaurant was inside, in the courtyard of her house. She invited me straight in and I took a seat. I was the only one, so it kind of felt like I was sitting in a mom's living room. Marge is Philipino and the food is accordingly, I think, as I've never been there before.

She turned on the TV for me, which played the schmaltziest love hits you can imagine. The whole thing was accompanied by a constant screensaver. Waves hitting the beach in a constant rhythm. Seagulls flying in the same circles in the sky.
After a while, another guest arrived. A young woman who I immediately liked because of her hiking outfit. She spoke to me, I can't remember exactly what with. I had already finished my meal, but I sat with her at Marge's for another hour or so and chatted to her. She comes from Taipei and is just here to escape the city. It was really interesting what we talked about. It always surprises me what kind of image people have of Germany. Here we are still on time, just like our trains. Here we are still efficient and organized.
After a while, we had to leave Marge's Kitchen because Marge wanted to have a nap. The woman spontaneously invited me over for tea. Her apartment was only a few minutes away.

Tea plays an important role in Taiwanese culture. But it was difficult to get to know this culture.
She had a special tea from Taitung with her, which she shared with me. What makes a tea ceremony here? It's about the relationship you have with the tea. You should feel how much tea it needs for you and how much water.
The tea leaves were rolled up into little balls and smelled fantastically aromatic. So I filled my mug with the amount of tea and hot water I thought was appropriate, covered the mug and waited. After a few minutes, the leaves had fully opened. I was fascinated by the devotion that people have for tea.

Then on Saturday I set off again on my bike, this time heading south. There was no sun for me today, which was good because I still didn't have any sunscreen. I enjoyed the coolness of the cloudy sky, grateful that it would be easier to ride today. I drove 30km south to a village called Taimali. Many people from one of the Taiwanese tribes live here. The streets were lined with countless statues of warriors from this tribe.

Just as I arrived, the first drops started to fall. They increased and after a short time turned into a medium-heavy rain that didn't stop until I arrived back at my hostel.
I was soaked to the bone and my shoes would still be completely soaked days later. But somehow it wasn't that bad. It rather amused me. I knew it wouldn't do any good to get upset, worried or angry about the rain. The rain was going to fall anyway. This acceptance felt good because it kept me at peace.
So I arrived home, completely soaked, with tired legs and very hungry. But it was all good. I had a great day.

Taitung is a wonderful little city, it really is. The people seem relaxed and like they have time to enjoy their lives. It is here where everything started to normalize for me. Strolling through the streets late at night with snacks from 7/11. Knowing off the top of my head which bus to take home. Working in cafés with all the female students.
What I've gained back here is the routine and the everyday things in life. It makes everything feel less and less utopian and more like a place that really exists. Beyond Google Maps and beyond my phone.

Together with my bubble tea, I stroll through the small streets of the town. My path leads me along old train tracks that still run through the city. Their time has long since passed, but the memories of what they brought remain. An old wagon, the last transfer station.
Small hot air balloons hang from ropes in the park. When I return in the evening, they are all lit up. A small river of lights. The park is now full of life, full of voices. Here and there, artists play their music. Just having the time to sit with them and listen - that's what makes me feel really grateful.

I meet my friends from Friday again. It's a wonderful encounter. Full of warmth, laughter and love. They walk me to the bus, worried that I might miss it. What a uniquely wonderful feeling to realize that you can meet people all over the world who care about you and want to make sure you get home safely. I hope to see them again soon.

I'm writing the end of today's week with my feet in the sand on Baisha beach. The water is perhaps even a little lighter here. Oh, how nice it is to be by the sea.