The End, My Friend(s), This is The End

In the eve of astronomical autumn, I will move from these Oriental skies to the Occidental ones.

Last weeks here were with less travels than I would like, well, two factors worked for that: a) I have to work sometimes, also :-); b) my company in most of the travels went abroad.

But I think I presented Taiwan in best colors for you all who visited these pages. It became one of 'my' places; this half year here I feel as opening the door of Asia (finally) for me. Thanks to the Taiwanese friends, I will come back here in future as to one of my homes. Xie-Xie to all of you, indeed!

Why to come here? a) food. b)food. c) food.
a0) magnificent people
d) nature
e) hectic, high-tech society
f) live religious practices, not museal examples
g) chance to see (and learn) about CHANGES, they are here naked in front of your eyes, NOW.

If Taiwan shows what Mainland China (not to use its rather ideologic name) is to become, then I am not afraid of it. No reason. We, occidentals, are Past Tense already. Europe is museum, nice one, but museum. In meantime when I am here few of my friends came here to earn their bowl of rice. Do not be afraid, you Europeans, yellow ants will not come to you. YOU will come to them! In fact... we are already here. With bowl out :-). But here in Taiwan in bowl are shrimps, noodles and dumplings of various (and taste) kinds, fish and vegetables, pork, beef and chicken in endless combinations, sea-shells and seaweed and... I could continue like that for long time. Only exercise your chopstick skills :-).

Do not expect here sterile world of Japan: it is not. Do not expect order and obeying the rules in the street, or clean air in the cities: it is definitely NOT.

But expect nice people. They ARE.

I will finish this in poetical spirit, with my beloved Cavafy (from http://users.hol.gr/~barbanis/cavafy/ ):

****** Ithaca ******

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

***********************************************
******* Constantine P. Cavafy (1911) ********