Why China is not about to invade Taiwan
The risk of China invading Taiwan has been widely reported. It is not as it seems.
It wouldn’t happen in Kirkbymoorside
After a lunch of dumplings and turnip cake, we pick up some kelp stock and bat-ear mushrooms for dinner. Aye. T’aint Kirkby
Geek world heaven
If like us you are a bit geeky sometimes, Taiwan is a great place to be. You can buy all the latest electronic toys as well as bigger gadgets, many of which are not sold elsewhere.
The murder that changed the world
How a murder in Taiwan led to the crackdown by Chinese authorities in Hong Kong
Redefining convenience
When we explained to a Taiwanese friend that small towns in the UK and Europe don’t have 7-11 convenience stores, she was shocked. “How do people eat?”, she asked.
Non – ce n’est pas un dish cloth
Arriving somewhere new, it’s normal to find many things that are unfamiliar. But some are totally incomprehensible. Dogs on scooters and dish driers, for example.
We had an air-raid drill today
Taiwan, for decades a pawn on the geopolitical chessboard, has become something more like a bishop or a knight, a much more strategically important piece in the game.
Swirling, soaking, shuddering and smoking
We feel an earthquake every week or so. Then there’s the typhoons, the volcanoes and the rain.
The sounds of Taiwan
After the church bells of Switzerland, the first sound we noticed in Taiwan was the pleasing and lyrical chime that announces the arrival of the garbage truck each evening.
Banishing a troublesome spirit
To mark the start of The Hungry Ghost Month, a tale about a visit to a temple to banish a troublesome ghost.
What (not) to wear in tropical weather
When I reached the client’s office all my dignity was gone. Dripping from head to bare-feet, the receptionist hurried forward saying ‘you can’t come in here!’