Things I learned and loved about Taiwan
-Taipei is a city built for WALKING. The public transportation here is astoundingly far-reaching, spanning north to south. It's truly innovative, but the walking distances between train and bus stops can be exhausting and back-breaking. Haha.
-Taiwanese people love kawaii stuff! There are myriads of cartoon mascots for everything - buildings, brands, train stations, safety messages, ads, you name it! Young people are also obsessed with bag charms, even men (which isn’t the norm in the Philippines).
-They are soft-spoken people. A subdued speaking voice is encouraged in public spaces, especially in public transportation. A loop of voice reminders about using hushed and low voices when speaking to others on the the train (along with wearing masks when sick) is repeated every 15 minutes. They take their quiet and consideration toward others very seriously. I noticed that people DO follow the reminders and the unspoken protocol of silence on the train. Again, not the norm in the Philippines!
-Cashiers and business owners give monetary changes lightning fast. Not to stereotype, but I guess they’re either very excellent at math or just very efficient so they can accommodate other customers FAST.
-Related to my above observation, they appear rather “serious,” at least to me, coming from a city/country where you can see people smiling everywhere. I guess a reserved temperament is encouraged in public spaces. Or, the grey and downcast weather triggers this gloom pall over the city and its people. It’s as if one can feel a certain austerity when you’re confined with the locals in train cabins. Add to that the briskness of the high-speed trains that bolt beneath the maze-like subway, arriving like clockwork at their respective stops. There’s something both mechanical and despondent about those scenes when I recall them in my mind.
-However, they are very nice and polite folks. Even the elders are so friendly and kind, even if they’re not proficient in English. The elders also walk surprisingly fast and would prefer to stand in trains despite the available seats reserved for them. Hahah.
-The milk tea drinks and boba are really that GOOD as they say. I never knew boba pearls could be so tender. The sweetness of the drinks is more subdued and toned down to acquiesce to the rich, earthly, (and heavenly) notes of tea, compared to the ones here in the Philippines.
Frankly, I never knew tea could taste this good. Compared to the milk tea drinks here in the Philippines, theirs are less sweet, and the taste of tea is more dominant and rich.
The brands and types of tea I enjoyed are Sun Moon Lake black tea, Tenren’s Oolong tea, and the Maokong Tie Guan Yin.
I also tasted several milk tea/boba chains, and if I have to rank them, it would be as follows: 50 Lan, Milksha, Starbucks (black tea latte), and Chun Shui Tang.
Right now, if a genie could grant me a wish, I would ask that Taiwanese tea drinks be made available here in Manila.
Now, let me just cry inside as I yearn and crave for Taiwanese tea drinks and finish this weird, long ode about Taiwan’s milk tea…