LIVING IN TAIPEILatins, Taiwanese Share Passion for the Good Things in Life

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A s part of an ongoing effort to introduce ambassadors and trade-office directors posted

to Taiwan, in this issue Discover Taipei talks to the Belgian, Catalan, French, Italian, and Spanish representatives to get their take on what makes Taipei tick as well as recommendations about where to visit in their own countries and regions.

Belgium: Changing of the Guard

A relative newcomer to Taipei, Benoit Ryelandt, director of the Belgian Office, had been in Taipei a short four weeks when interviewed. He replaces long-time representative Hugues Mignot, who served more than 20 years before retiring. Ryelandt hails from Brussels, the capital, but his family is originally from Bruges—a city whose beauty has long made it popular with tourists.

“I did not have much information about Taiwan before I came,” says Ryelandt, “but that is an advantage since I have fewer misconceptions or preconceived notions. I can discover the city and its people by myself.” His

By Brian Asmus

Latins, Taiwanese Share Passion for the Good Things in Life

LIVING IN TAIPEI Latins, Taiwanese Share Passion for the Good Things in Life

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four years in Japan and four years as ambassador in Vietnam, however, have prepared him well for life in Taiwan.

Ryelandt is happy to report that the people of Taipei are “very warm, gentle, easygoing and open-minded.” While the language remains a barrier for him, he feels “quite at home” given the city and country’s “human dimension, especially when compared with gigantic China,” and this makes Ryelandt feel “much more at home.” Like Belgium, he observes, most businesses in Taiwan tend to be small and medium-sized family-run operations. “I also have the impression that Taiwanese people put great importance on lifestyle. They enjoy good food and leisure, especially family time.”

While looking for a suitable location to live, Ryelandt could not help but notice how close the mountains and accompanying greenery are. “This is

very peculiar to Taipei; within a short drive, you can literally be up and away from the downtown concentration and into the mountains.”

For those planning a trip to Belgium, Ryelandt recommends Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp, followed by the Ardennes for relaxed country living, beautiful landscapes, and ancient castles. ''Many families in this mountainous region still make their living from farming,'' says Ryelandt.

Belgians, Ryelandt stresses, have a very unique identity. “We are not just Walloon and Flemish, though these are the two official languages. We are a mixture of many cultures and always have been, and this gives us French-speaking and Dutch-speaking Belgians a distinct character that makes us different from our counterparts in France or the Netherlands.” Belgium, he continues, picked up a lot of other influences from

Austria and Spain as well during their periods of imperial rule. “We also blend the German northern cultures with the southern Latin ones.”

French FlairJean-Claude Poimboeuf, director of

the French Institute in Taipei, has been in Taipei just over one year. “I arrived last September,” says Poimboeuf, who had been in Taipei previously--but that was 26 years ago when he was studying Chinese at Taiwan National Normal University (Shi Da;臺灣師大國語教學中

心). When he arrived last year, he noticed

immediately that there had been quite a change physically. “There is a lot more modern infrastructure like the mass-rapid-transit system, elevated freeways, and tall buildings. It is also a lot cleaner than before. Not only is the air quality

Mr. Benoit Ryelandt, director of the Belgium office in Taipei. (Photo by Wang Neng-yu)

The National Palace Museum in Taipei. (Photo by Wang Neng-yu)

Belgium city, Bruges, is one of the many places that delivers relaxed country living and beautiful landscapes. (Photo by Ginger Wu)

Mr. Jean-Claude Poimboeuf, director of the French Institute in Taipei. (Photo by Wang Neng-yu)

Check out how the mountains and buildings meld together on the observation deck on the 89th floor of the Taipei 101. (Photo by Wang Neng-yu)French country side. (Photo by Ginny Li)

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much better but there is also a lot less trash on the streets and sidewalks.”

The people, however, have not changed that much, he observes. “They are just as warm and welcoming as they were 26 years ago. What has struck me is that they are much freer. There are a lot of cultural events, which simply did not exist before, partially because of martial law (which ended in 1987). People seem much more relaxed and open. There is also a degree of sophistication. That is new. There is also a lot more attention being paid to design and beauty.”

For French stay-ing a week or so, and assuming the weather is nice, Poimboeuf suggests going to the observation deck on the 89th floor of the Taipei 101 tower to get an overview of the city and how it is laid out. “It is quite interesting to see how the buildings and mountains meld together. Sometimes, it is easy to forget just how close Taipei is to the beautiful mountains that surround it.”

Second, the French director tells them to go to the National Palace Museum, which will be “even better when the renovation is completed next year.” Third, he advises hiking in the high hills of Yangmingshan National Park on the city’s north, which is “especially pleasant when the city is hot.”

Ta iwanese and French , says Poimboeuf, are very similar in that “they both enjoy good living and good food.” The only difference in this area is that Taiwanese have less time for this than their French counterparts. “Taiwanese work longer hours, but I appreciate having shops and restaurants open longer hours and on weekends. It is very different than in Paris. That is part of the

quality of life here.”Obviously, observes Poimboeuf, the

two societies are different. “The family structure in Taiwan is much stronger. People here are much more involved in taking care of their older family members. They may still have their grandparents living in the same house. That is very rare today in France.”

The French director and his wife are big fans of the many and varied cultural events in Taipei. “I often buy tickets to

performances around town. There is a wide choice of high-quality events. Afterward, I like to go with my wife to a restaurant for Chinese snacks or Izikaya-style Japanese food. DOZO on Guangfu S. Rd.(光復南路) is one of my favorite places. It is very relaxed and it is fun to have something to eat along with a few glasses of beer.”

Italy: Cultural Powerhouse, Close-knit Families

“I was very pleasantly surprised when I first came to live in Taipei, which I find to be a very vibrant city,” says

Maria Assunta Accili, director of the Italian Trade Office in Taipei. “I did not have any impressions before I arrived. Perhaps, I thought it would look similar to other cities in Asia.” Accili, who has been in Taipei for three years, thinks that Taipei is a “great city,” not because of the architecture, but because of the “human environment.” The most important asset, she adds, is the people. “They are very warm, friendly, and make you feel at home right away. It is very easy to adjust

to life here because of that.”

I t a l i a n s a n d Taiwanese, says the Italian director, share the same love of food and getting together with families and friends to eat. “Food is central to the lives of both groups. It is not something that we do because we have to eat for sustenance; we eat for the enjoyment of fine food and spending time with friends.”

In Accili’s free t i m e , s h e v e r y much enjoys taking

advantage of Taipei’s wonderful cultural life. “I love going to the wide range of both foreign and local performances as well as out to restaurants, especially traditional Taiwanese ones. One of my favorites, which is on Yangmingshan, is Shi Yang Shan Fang (食養山房). Accili raves about the “beautiful place,” which is owned by a friend of hers, Mr. Lin. “He is an intellectual and calligrapher. He designed the restaurant in a very appealing way, and has a focus on East Asian fusion cuisine. Sometimes, when I am there, I get to meet artists and musicians. Often, there are Chinese music performances. It is a very cozy place.”

F o r I t a l i a n v i s i t o r s , A c c i l i recommends visiting the top cultural-

Taipei is close to the beautiful mountains that surround it. (Photo by Wang Neng-yu)

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production sites are very old and are worthwhile sights in themselves.”

Finally, Italians being spa lovers, she recommends checking out Italy’s many thermal resorts, particularly in Ischia—an island near Naples. “Currently, we are updating our official website (www.italy.org.tw) to put up more information about these places.”

Spain: Sharing a Love of Food and Friends

Jose Luis Lamas Carril, director general, Camara de Comercio de Espana, was born in Vigo in the northeastern part of Spain, but moved to Madrid when he was 10 years old. Before Taiwan, he worked in Singapore for five years. “My impression is that Taipei is half Singapore, half China. By this, I mean that it is very well-developed and modern like the former, but more traditional and, in some ways, less planned like the latter. In Taipei, there is a lot less zoning and planning. Stores, malls, and movie theaters are located everywhere.”

Taiwanese, unlike Singaporeans, are less able to function in an international language. “In Singapore,”says Lamas,

“everyone is at least bilingual so it is in many ways really an English-speaking country.” That said, the Taiwanese, in his view, seem very keen to learn English and there are both many schools teaching the world’s business language and lots of English and English-learning materials and books in the island’s bookstores.

Lamas is very interested in learning Chinese, one of the main reasons why he applied for the post in Taipei. “With a bit more language ability now under my belt, I have been able to get around the city much more easily. Usually, when most Taiwanese meet foreigners, they automatically trying out their English so I have been having trouble finding opportunities to use my Chinese,” he adds with a laugh.

Taiwanese, he says, are some of the friendliest people that he has ever met. “They are very helpful and never get angry. They also like to help foreigners and are very interested in and like foreign cultures. They have a good sense of humor as well.”

When Taiwanese go to Spain, says Lamas, they should keep in mind that the country gets 50 million tourists a year. “That is very different from Taiwan. This can cause people to sort of shut out tourists as a natural defense mechanism.”

education places like the National Palace Museum, National Museum of History, and Taipei Fine Arts Museum. “I am very proud of the close cooperation that we at the Italian Trade Office have with the Fine Arts Museum. I am also extremely happy with the cooperation that we get from the Taipei City Government regarding cultural activities. They have been very helpful.”

Accili encourages those interested in visiting Italy to get off the beaten track. “Naturally, first-time visitors want to go to Milan, Florence, Venice, and Rome, but Italy is a nation that is defined by its small towns and villages. Also, why not check out some of Italy’s incredible vineyards? People in Taiwan are becoming more and more familiar with the wines of Italy. Many of the

Up: Scene from Venice, Italy. (Photo by Tsai Ping-ru)

Bottom: Ms. Maria Assunta Accili, director of the Italian Trade Office in Taipei. (Photo by Wang Neng-yu)

Taipei is also surround by rivers where many old districts are beautifully melded into modern designs. (Photo by Wang Neng-yu)

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‧DozoNo.102, Guangfu S. Rd. (光復南

路), Daan District Tel:02-2778-1135http://www.dozo.com.tw/

‧Shi Yang Shan FangNo. 160, Lane 101, Qingshan Rd. (菁山路), Shilin District Tel: 02-2217-7875

‧Yangmingshan National Parkhttp://www.ymsnp.gov.tw/

‧Taipei 101and Observatoryhttp://www.taipei-101.com.tw/

Information

Up: Mr. Jose Luis Lamas Carril, director of Spanish Chamber of Commerce. (Photo by Wang Neng-yu)

Bottom: Visit the old part of town in Barcelona to find hidden treasures in the sky. (Photo by Eric Tsai)

Stores open late in taipei, something that visitors highly appreciate. (Photo by Yen Li-tai)

While the cuisine is very similar in that both countries use a lot of rice, the cooking methods are very different. “We both use a lot of vegetables, fruit, and oil,” says Lamas, while noting that, “Spanish cuisine, however, involves a lot more baking; Chinese rarely have ovens.” In addition, he believes, Spanish cooking involves using more salt, which enhances the natural flavors of the food, but “Chinese prefer soy sauce, which can cover flavors.”

Catalonian Business people Leave No Stone Unturned

“Taipei and the capital of Catalonia—Barcelona—make for a very good comparison,” notes Joanna Wu, director, Catalonia Trade Office in Taipei. “The people are very much commercially active, they are both big cities that are very prosperous and cosmopolitan, and there are a lot of cultural resources.”

Like Taiwanese, says Wu, Catalans work hard to get as much business as they can. “They are clever about finding ways to fulfill project requirements rather

than turning down potential business. If they cannot make a product themselves, they will find another way.”

Catalans are very enthusiastic and passionate, Wu states, while she finds that people in Taipei are generally more reserved. “Business for citizens of both cities is often their life, but people in Taipei live to work while those in Catalonia work to live. There is a very big difference here in philosophical outlook. I think Catalans know how to relax, take it easy, and have fun better than people in Taiwan. They live with a passion during their free time.”

Wu recommends that Taiwanese start a visit to Catalonia in Barcelona. “It is rich and beautiful with art, shopping, and gourmet food. Many people like to go to the Sagrada Familia cathedral, walk along the Ramblas or Paseo de Gracia and, of course, visit the Picasso Museum and the old part of town--Barrior Gotico. Like Taipei, it is close to the sea and there is a fondness among the people for eating outdoors, especially seafood and fish, with family and friends.” Other must-sees are Montserrat, Girona for its Roman ruins, Garrotxa province for its volcanic terrain, and Figueres for the Dali Theatre-Museum.