Places on (an interactive) Map

2/21/16

Finally, I managed to produce a google map of the cities I went to for this trip. Let’s see if this works. Now you can see all the places  visited!

 

Found Footage

2/18/16

 

So, I upgraded to the “better” version of WordPress, and I can now upload videos. Here are some that are quite a while back.

(Oh, and I found weird “artistic” shots taken by Simon…)

Another quick update

2/18/16

  
   
  
Hi! As I am busying trying to settle down again (you know, find a JOB, a place to stay, all while nervously watching my bank account balance), I will also be using the spare time to edit the blog (I know, the spelling and grammar is atrocious). In between job search, I have updated the menu, and will make the blog easier to read. 

Once again, thanks for reading! I am Definitely planning another trip, but that won’t occur until much later this year or mid next year. 

The Adjustment

2/14/16
  
  
  
  
  
 Happy Valentine’s Day (or as I usually say: Happy VD)!

Have you ever had that dream where you are in a crowd, but feel totally alone? You seem to know everyone around you, but when you try to talk to them, you realize that there is no one you actually know. I think a psychologist (a psychiatrist is probably better: drugs!) may say this kind of dream reflects a certain feeling of isolation from your surroundings. I usually think it is more because I ate too much for dinner and was having indigestion.

I have been back on Seattle for a few days now, and I have to admit: adjusting back to “normal” life is a little tougher than I expected. My sleeping pattern is a mess, I felt disoriented in a city that feel familiar yet different (hey, an oxymoron!), and everything feels…normal. Gone are the days when I wake up not knowing where I was (actually, that still happens), or being excited to be in a new city with crazy exciting activities to do and amazing sights to see. Life somehow feels flatter, duller and more black and white (ok, not literally. I’d need an optometrist if that was the case). It is a weird sensation of being deflated: I have gone from being a region traveler to just another person living in a city. Also, the mundane stuff starts to catch up. Instead of wanting to know what exciting things you did or planned, they all want to know what kind of work you will be looking for, if you are going to get an apartment, or how long you will still be lazing around without a job. At the same time, there is also the pressure of finding a job; replenish your sanguinated bank account(s); get a place to live. There is also a total disconnect: there are tv shows that started and ended, news that came and gone, gossips and rumors that began and terminated, all while you were gone. Sometimes, it feels like I am in an alternate universe: I know things, but not everything. Fear start building up and bubbled to the surface: did I miss important things? What are all these “quotes” and “news” I never even heard of? Did I throw away my career, everyone seemed to be doing so well, with raises and bonus and new babies and relationships. On top of all that, the consumption of “American” food also does funny things to my digestion. Portions here are much bigger than other countries, and I often feel really full right after a meal, but extremely hungry within an hour or two. So, in summary, these few days consisted of a very panicky me, with little sleep and a stomach that will not settle down.

Actually, I have been warned by a few fellow travelers about this re-entry syndrome. I mean, after 10 months of being away, I fully expect things to change. What does catch me off guard is how everything feels so familiar but yet alien (the feeling, not the creature) at the same time. It is almost like an alternative universe: everything is the same, but just slightly different. Hopefully, I will soon catch up to speed, and be ready to enter the work force once again (while secretly pining for another trip).

Farewell, my blog

2/8/16

   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
   
   
    
    
 When you were younger, you probably had many dreams and goals (I used to dream I would travel across the world, be a travel writer and impress all my friends with life threatening adventures). However, as you mature, the reality of life also probably slapped your face a few times and told you to be realistic: work a job that may grow into a career if you are lucky, and save up as much as possible for retirement and medical emergencies. This is especially true for Asians born in Asia, whose parents drill all these “values” into their kids constantly (I know mine did. They also did slap my head quite a few times…). Being the middle child, I did what I was told most of the time, but also developed a rebellious streak along the way. Sadly, it was not until mid-30s when this rebellious phrase kicked into full gear. Instead of trying to climb the corporate ladder for money and recognition, I decided to give that all up, tapped into my meager savings (civil engineers are really not paid that well…), and ran away to South America for 6 months, and then to South East Asia for an additional 2 months. To fulfil my dream of being a travel writer, I also started this blog, and made a promise to write as often as I can. (Ok, all these sounds rather depressing: I just spent a lot of time and money on an ego booster for a semi-mid-life-crisis.) Of course, part of me dreamt that my blog would get famous, allowing me to generate enough income to sponsor my future travels, and I would be a nomad forever. Unfortunately for me and possibly fortunately for the world, the blog did generate some readers, but not at a scale where I can live off it. This means I have to go back to making a living in the real world, and end my trip.

On the last day I was in Taipei, I did the number one tourist activity: visit the National Palace Museum. Rated as one of the top museums in the world, it housed a massive amount of Chinese artifacts. The museum also has a very complex history. These items were originally housed in the Forbidden Cty Museum in Beijing. During the Civil War, the museum decided to send most of the items to Taiwan for safekeeping. Of course, China now demands these items to be sent back, a request Taiwan has steadily ignored (To be honest, if those items were left back in China after the communist takeover, they would have never survived the Cultural Revolution). It is also worth noting that only 22% of the artifacts reached their new home: the rest were lost, stolen or destroyed during the war (I am sure some very rich collectors have them in their home somewhere). That being said, the museum is pretty awesome (if you like museums, that is). There are numerous exhibits across all historical periods of China, with some really impressive works of art. I could have easily spent a whole day there, except one issue: the museum was extremely busy, and the visitors were not quite well-behaved. It maybe the first museum I visited that has staff walking holding signs telling visitors to be quiet. However, that was not enough: the noise level was definitely above and beyond normal, with loud chatting and screaming kids everywhere. After 2 hours, I had to get some fresh air, only to realize I had to wait in a line to re-enter: the building had reached its capacity. I decided not to wait, and just left to get to my second destination: a hike up Elephant Mountain. The hike was great, and I got to take lots of photos of Taipei 101.

It was during dinner that I finally had the reality check moment. After running around (or some may say: running away) for 10 months, my trip had finally ended. To tell the truth, I am not quite sure how I feel. On one hand, I really like traveling: the planning, budgeting, execution of plans, adventures and mishaps, and even the problems with hostels and roommates. On the other hand, I often felt like I am missing out on advancing my career, making money and saving for my retirement (if I live that long). Without a steady income, it is just not possible to keep vagabonding for an extended period of time (unless you have some nice inheritance or very understanding parents). Since my blog never hit it big (judging by the number of likes and re-blogs I received), I have to admit: I am not going to last as a travel writer (or at least, not one that can make a living off writing about travels). Who knows, maybe this is for the best: ending before I get too tired of backpacking, so I have the motivation to plan for another adventure down the road.

Finally (and if you managed to read this far on such a boring post), let me also say: thank you for reading and following my blog. I know the posts are not always good, and my humor tend to go down to the gutter most of the time. It is always great to see someone liking my post, and/or follow my blog (wordpress does a good job of notifying me about those). I hope you had a good time reading all my weird ideas and musings. I also promise: when I travel again (just maybe not as long), I will return to this blog and start again. Who knows, I may even pick up worse third grade jokes along the way and share it with everyone once again.

Another New Year

2/7/16

   

  

  

  

  

  

  

   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
 
For the past decade or so, I have not been observing one of the more important festival of being a Chinese: the Chinese New Year. After being away from Asia got so long, I have long forgotten how important this time of the year is for Chinese everywhere. Ever since I arrived in Taiwan, I have seen lots and lots of people preparing or the approaching year of the monkey. Everyone on the streets seemed to be rushing from one place to another, trying to buy and collect the necessary items. There are also new year night markets that, apart from selling the usual food and goods, also sold many new year items: peanuts, dehydrated vegetables, mandarin oranges, new year cakes and many items I have long forgotten their existence. It was fun going along with the crowd, getting jostled (while keeping a hand on my wallet), being squeezed and groped accidentally (well…at least I think it was accidental). At the same time, it also forced me to face the reality: my trip, this extended one, will be ending in 2 days. I know, it is a little less than 2.5 months, but schedule and money (mostly money) is forcing me to go home earlier and face the music. 

Since today is the last day in the Chinese calendar, most places were closed, or closed earlier Han normal. With that in mind, I decided to do things that would not be affected by closing hours: architecture and temples. Following the mapped out route in Lonely Planet, I walked to Zhong San place, a performance and gathering hall named after sun Yat Sen. Along the way, I found a relatively cheap barber and decided to get a haircut: because the Chinese believe that we must not touch sharp objects for the first few days of the new year (yeah…bet that made cooking and eating a lot more challenging). After meeting a few elders sunning themselves in the park, I moved into the zhengwang temple: a place where they worship the administrators of hell. Per the custom, the monks were offering good, fruits and many other delicacies to the god, and a few people were also aroun praying for good fortune for the upcoming year. 

From there, I wandered past the famous post office, the eastern gate, and then finally to the 228 memorial park. In 1947, there was a huge protest against the government. There are a lot of very complicated reasons and bavkgrounds to this event, but the end result was a massacre of citizens by the army. It was a big event in the recent history of Taiwan, and this park was built to commemorate the victims and the incident. There are also 2 very important museums in the park: the national history museum, and the 228 incident museum. With both closed for the new year eve, I walked through he park before heading to the newer area: the Huashan 1914 creative park. It is a very nice area with cafes, creative workshop areas, exhibitions and many other arts development. However, this being the last day of the year, almost every store was closed. I finally decided to call it quits and went back to the hostel. 

After eating a very filling dinner consisted solely of street food, I went back to the hostel for some company. Lots of tourists and traveler did not realize there is a Chinese New Year, or how everything sort of closes during this period. The hostel prepared some instant dumplings and noodles, and everyone around had a bite. It was a pretty good atmosphere and I junk everyone had a good time. This forced down town also gave me a chance to reflect on the year: i never expect to “find” myself during traveling, as proclaimed by many travelers. I Nor did I get any enlightenment, a brush with fame, etc. It does, however, make me a little more focus on myself, on things I still want to accomplish and matters I should do. At the same tineX it also gave me the comfort that I can still backpack, and don’t mind the constant moving around. So, this has been a relatively good year, and hope the upcoming one will be as good or even better. Happy 

new year! 

Reading Fortune

2/6/16

     
    
    
    
   
   
    
    
   
I am not going to lie: I am a huge bookworm. Ok, not literally, since that would mean I am a very smart worm that can type without fingers. I like reading books, all sorts of books and in as many languages and genres as possible. When I started traveling, I bought a kindle, knowing that I would be attempting to read in places without lighting. That might have been one of the smarter decisions: I have been using the kindle daily. It fits in my backpack, I can read it almost anywhere and it can also double as a flying weapon if needed. However, I still love the feeling of having a book in my hand (unless it is a super heavy one). The texture, the smell, the notes you can make, the highlights and the multiple folds you make as you read the book and have to remember that page. In this portion of the trip, I actually started to carry an actual book just so I can read it on the beaches. I guess being a nerd is a lifelong identity.

I woke up a little later this morning, braved the cold and went out for a run. It was a cold morning, but being a weekend, thr park was filled with cyclists, joggers and walkers (people walking, not the walking aide). Receiving a lot of weird looks since I was wearing a short sleeve tshirt and running shorts while everyone else was all covered up, I enjoyed the attention until it was too cold. I ran back to eat breakfast at the hostel, and decided to visit 3 places: es lite book store, Sun yat Sen museum, and the famous temple: Xing Tian. 

I think every Chinese who likes to read have heard of eslite bookstore. Famous for a large collection of books and opening hours of 24, the store is a well known spot for book lovers. Since I was young, I wanted to see Eslite and read a book there. That dream was partially fulfilled when eslite opened a store in Hong Kong. When I first arrived at my hostel, I was really excited that there is an eslite store nearby. However, the locals told me the brand has been changing its image: it is now a lifestyle store, filled with fashion and household items instead of books. I took the MRT to the actually bookstore, feeling like a pilgrim on his way to a holy site, the place did not disappoint. It is a one level bookstore, with every kind of books you can find. The best thing? It allows people to read in the store. I saw many people enjoying the peace and quiet while browsing their selection. Beside books, there are also fashion, cafes, food court and stationary in other levels. I spent a good hour and a half just reading and browsing the place. 

After the relaxing hour, I went to the Sub Yat Sen museum. Known as the father of China revolution, Mr Sun was a highly educated doctor who wanted equality for his people. He led 11 attempts of revolutions against the Qing dynasty, and wandered around the world seeking donations and support from all Chinese. His effort paid off in 1912, and a democratic republic was formed. It was one of the few brighter chapters in the Chinese history, and definitely worth the time for a visit. I read his life stories, his ideals, and about his passing. The memorial hall also contains calligraphy exhibits, a library, many souvenir stores, and a large garden. Many locals can be seen practicing dance moves along the balconies, and others were just playing and relaxing in the park. 

Xing Tian temple, the next site, was one of the most important place of worship in Taiwan. It is a temple for the god Guan Yu, a general in the period of 3 kingdoms. After his passing, the people started to worship him due to his heroics during the war. Known for his loyalty and righteousness, the Taiwan people pray to him for protection against evil spirits. One interesting things they perform in this temple: they bless you and “collect” parts of soul you might have lost due to encounters with every spirits and/or shocks. They also hand out blessed cards for personal protection and property protection. In addition, they also provide advices on warding off bad luck, praying for houses and many other spiritual protections. Since I was already there, I decided to get a blessing, and lined up with the others. It was a strange feeling: there are as many as 200 people in line, but most were quiet and patiently waiting for their turn. Volunteers were around to help with proper praying techniques, and it was fun learning from them. When my turn came, they asked my name, hovered the incense around me quite a few times. Feeling relieved (I had to use the bathroom) after, I also obtained a blessing card before going back to the hostel. 

I had dinner with my new found Australian friends in a hotpot place. Afterwards, as I laid in bed reflecting on my day, I realized this: this land is seeped in culture. The art of reading a book, the act of waiting to be blessed, the adherence to customs: it is a plac where science and custom meet and mingle. Somehow, Taiwan has managed to fit tradition with techonogical advancement. It is quite an impressive feat: I have seen places where the younger generation abandoned their ancestors’ believes, and thus losing their identity. It is good to know that there is a country that does this blending well. 

Hot and Cold

2/5/16

   
    
    
    
   
   
    
    
    
   

  

  

  

  
When I left for south east Asia, I knew I would be in the hot and humid zone for a while. While I complained a lot about sweating (well, I do sweat a lot) and the mosquito (and I do get bitten a lot), it was pretty great not to see cloudy sky and rain everyday. I had a great time running on beaches in Vietnam, getting tanned and gaining weight due to inactivity at the same time. However, I know that I will be returning to the winter Seattle, and thought that Taiwan would be a good in between city to buffer the sudden change of temperature (then again, the air conditioning in Singapore was so strong, it felt like winter indoors). The winters in Taiwan are usually not too cold, and I thought I could also enjoy cooler weather runs. At the same time, I could warm myself up with the unending number of snacks, Taiwanese food, snacks and hot pots. 

I woke up a little early: my one and only roomate in the 4 persons form decided to switch on the light at 7am and pack his bags. I managed to snooze a little while longer before giving up the pretense and going downstairs for breakfast. Since it was drizzling, I decided against a run (afterall I can always get a wet run in Seattle). Running into will and Ellie again, we decided to visit the famous Long San Temple and the old town Manga. We headed out for some quick breakfast of congee and vegetables, and found out way to Long San temple. The famous landmark is one of the more important worship site in Taiwan. Built in late 1800s, it is impressive in size and height. It is also still an active worship site where many pray for good fortune in the new year, or a mate in the near future. We took many photographs, and headed off to see the old town, eating the famous Gua Bao along the way. 

Finishing the old town tour, with rain once again on the horizon, we decided to do what seemed the best activity during rain: visit the local hot spring. We took the MRT to Beitou, and went off j s earth of the public hot Spring. The place was easy enough to locate, but we faced one (smallish) problem: the guys must wear tight swimwears into the pools, as they are afraid our body hair may fall into the pool. On hearing that strange reason, we debated if it is worth the money to get more form fitting swim trunks. Of course, we also wondered what this rule means: what if people have chest hair? Or of they are completely shaved err..everywhere? Can you go in without a form fitting swim wear if you are waxed? How do you show that you are waxed? More importantly: if our leg hairs fall off, do we have to pick them up? After discussion, we decided to buy swim suits, and go for the more expensive hot spring in a hotel roof top. It turned out to be really nice and relaxing. I sat in the hot water, admiring the mountain view while thinking about hot pot, steamboat, shabu shabu, and cup noodles. After the nice bath in surfur infused water, we went off to the SongShan area for its night market. As usual, it was lots of eating, mostly unhealthy food items. I could literally feel my stomach expanding and my fat cells gloating. We finished off with a bear at a local bar that sells a sanehich call eggslut.

As I sat in the bed after failing to wash that surfur smell off, I had time to think about what I did today. While I am no longer in the tropics, it was interesting that I went through a lot f temperature change today: from the cold winter air to hot spring to nightmarket hot food and then cold beer. While there are a lot of variations, it was actually fun to move between the changes. It is a little like moving around the citizens of Taiwan: some are warm and inviting, while some are colder and more distant. However, it is the cold rhaf shows what the warmth can do, and it is the warmth that offset the cold. Afterall, if everyone is super friendly, I might just get too use to it and not appreciate the difference. Maybe a contrasting set of greeting is the way to appreciate this country. 

Rainy City

2/4/16

   
    
    
    
   
   
    
    
   
   
   
I have a tendency to hype things or people up in my mind. This usually creates a dilemma: I like the person or place, but it is also a little let down when I reflect upon it. Yet, it is not because the experience was bad, but because I wanted more (hmm…that sounds needy). While this may not happen often, it happened enough to make me wonder: am I just way too cynical? Then again, I am cynical, so isn’t that just normal? And if I do not expect anyone to answer me, why am I writing all these down?! 

I woke up a little groggy: I had no idea where I was again and had to think before realizing that I am in Taiwan. Wanting to be a healthy person (especially after gorging all day yesterday on various fried and spiced up food), I headed out for a quick run along the river front. Walking across a bridge, then a highway used by motorcycles only, and a bike lane, I ended up in a sewage treatment park. It is also one of the nicer park I have seen on Asia so far: wide sidewalks for walking and running, bike lanes, and beautiful scenery along the river. The sun even showed up and I ran in sunshine while not sweating profusely: it was almost a perfect run (except I did not run long enough: I had to return for my free breakfast). I ran back to hostel for my free toast and oatmeal, and ran into a couple I talked to last night. They are from Australia and we decided to travel together to JiuFen. JiuFen, an old gold mining town that became famous after the movie “A City of Sadness”, is now a pretty famous tourist spot. Surrounded by mountains and known for its windy streets full of eateries, it is highly recommended by many travelers. Having seen many photographs and shows based in this location, I had pretty high expectations. We decided to take a train from the Taipei Main Terminal, and then switched to a bus. Everything well more of less according to plan, and we landed in the old street of JiuFen just after noon (yes, after noon. Not afternoon). 

The town is, in deed, a beautiful place. High up on a mountain and filled with twisty roads and great vistas, it is a fairly romantic place. I was once again the third wheel and we went around tasting everything (food wise): taro balls, fish balls, shark balls (hmm…I wonder why they like balls so much). My taste buds did a flip when I tried a warp filled with peanut, ice cream and spring onion. It was definitely a weird combination, and I could not tell if it tastes good or bad. I think all I know is that I tasted all these ingredients, but they just did not combined together. After about 30 minutes, it started pouring cats and dogs (not literally, but I really would like to see that happen one day). We randomly ran into my old roomate, and ate lunch (mixed fish balls sou, century eggs and tofu), and decided to run back to the city. That was when things started to go sideways. We waited in the heavy rain for a bus, and was running to it when a Taiwanese guy yelled at us, saying that there was a line and we needed some manners. I immediately felt quite ashamed: not because we did not know there is a line, but that someone actually yelled at a few soaking tourists running towards a bus. Things got a little worse when the driver yelled at me later on about not sitting down: apparently everyone must be seated when the bus get to the highway. He actually shouted why did I board the bus if there is no seat: even though he was the one that allowed the bus to be overcrowded in the beginning. I told him I had no idea about this law, and found a seat at the back.

As I was eating dinner, I pondered about the day’s events. It was a weird day: I got to see this famous place that I have always heard of, and it did not disappoint even when it started pouring rain. Yet, the whole experience was spoiled by some locals who treated tourists quite rudely. Before I came to Taiwan, I thought it would be a great experience, and it would renew my faith in my fellow race. After seeing so many China tourists misbehaving, I wanted to go to a place where I can experience some Chinese politeness. Sadly, that wish was gone by the second day I am in Taiwan. At the same time, maybe I should just be realistic: there will always be rude people everywhere, and I should just relax and enjoy my time left (on earth and in this trip). But the again, I really wanted to say to my friends at the end of my trip: I had been to an Asian country and the citizens are nice, friendly and helpful to travelers. Come to think of it, throughout this Asia portion, I really wanted it to be better than South America’s: because I am Asian and want to be able to say I had a better experience in Asia. I guess the truth is this: all counties have nice and ride citizens. It is not a matter of wanting them to be better, but just accepting the fact that they are just; like you and me, people. Everyone has good and bad days. That does not define a person, nor does it define a journey or an experience. 

The Ultimate

2/3/16

   
    
    
    
   
   
    
    
   
It is inevitable: I have reached my last country for this trip. As someone famous once said: all good things come to an end (hopefully not a tragic end). It is a weird mixed (like all the shaved ice I have been consuming in Singapore) feeling. For my last stop, I chose the “country” of Taiwan. A simple island with a pretty convoluted history, Taiwan is a country boy recognized by China and many other counties in the world. During the revolution in  China, which occurred right after the Japanese invasion, the communist party managed to push the nationalist party out of the mainland. This exiled party fled to the island of Formosa, and changed the name to Taiwan. Taiwan now exist in a weird spot of global politics: China refused to recognize its independence, claiming it belong to China. Taiwanese’s support for reunification see-saw regularly, with the majority now prefer independence. The world, of course, bowed to China’s whimp and did nothing: neither support independence, but also refuted the idea of a hostile takeover. Under such weird circumstances, Taiwan actually flourished as a modern country, with great food, strange animations for news, and some very entertaining drama. 

I had a great time in Singapore: friendly host family, lots of good food, many great meetings with old friends. The short 4 days visit was actually a perfect length (hehe): it gave me time to do most of what I wanted to do, and yet not long enough for me to dislike the humid weather or become a snack for mosquito. My friend’s father was kind enough to send me to Changi Airport at the horrific hour of 4am, so I could catch the 7am flight. I managed to check in without any issue (well, except I had to pay for my bag: budget airlines like jet star do not include free checked luggage, even if you are flying international). I converted my leftover Singapore dollars to New Taiwan dollars, and spent the leftover on food. At 5am, my breakfast consisted of a plate of chicken rice, curry noodle soup, and a cup of tea. Needless to say, I was stuffed (in a good way…hmm…sounds weird), and managed to get onto the plane. The flight was ok, and we arrived in Taipei taoyuan airport 15 minutes ahead of schedule. Being a Hong Kong citizen, I had to apply for entry permit for Taiwan. The process was short and simple, and I was given a piece of paper: they cannot stamp on my passport, and instead, they just stamped this paper instead. It reminded me a lot of Cuba immigration and how they deal with tourists from US. 

I arrived in my hostel at noon, and since check in is at 3pm, I dropped my bag and wandered outside. Being much further north than Singapore, it is actually winter in Taiwan. Unfortunately, this also meant I was thrown into the cold wind, and I immediately felt tired. I walked around the places, sightsee a little (especially the night market and the 7-11s: they serve whole meals and you can probably live off this convenient store. I may actually have to do that for the day if Chinese New Year). I took a brief quick nap (wait, aren’t naps always quick? Longer naps are called sleep, right?), and then headed out in the evening for one famous sight: the night market.

If you ever visit Taiwan, the night market is a must. There are lots of local food items, mostly delicious and extremely unhealthy. I had sausage wrapped in a sausage, duck tongues, fried meatballs and squid balls, pig and chicken blood (yeah, that is a thing), and many more. I had so much unhealthy food that it made me Lon for vegetables and fruits. While fruit juices are readily available, none of the store actually sell fresh vegetables, but they do seek dehydrated (dried) ones. Feeling a little uncomfortable and a pressing need to find a bathroom, I eventually walked back to the hostel after visiting 2night markets. As I was sitting at the table in the hostel drinking a mango beer (yeah…not good), I actually thought about my trip. Taiwan seems to be a fitting destination: I am actually here but it will not leave a mark on my passport (but it will definitely leave a dent in my saving…). With so much global politics at play, it is interesting to finally visit Taiwan, a place of taboo for China. Actually, Taiwan looks like any other city, and I bet it has more in common with other cities in China than Europe. It is a strange thing: we love to prosecute our own race, but gave so much away to aggressors who invaded the country (I mean, China and Japan are probably on better terms than Taiwan and China). To quote a saying: can’t we all just get along?