Traveling Taiwan: In a country that doesn't exist

It is the capital of a country that, from the point of view of most countries in the world, does not exist at all. Well, it is really there, it is real and nobody denies it. But for fear of the great China, numerous countries around the globe have avoided officially recognizing Taiwan - real name Republic of China - until today. People prefer to live in an uncertain state of limbo, use cell phones, televisions and other technical devices, all of which come from Taiwanese factories. But officially pretends that the state that is out in the Pacific doesn't exist, very small, but a constant nuisance from Beijing. But for us the chance to discover something completely unknown: a country that is not at the top of the holiday map. Nobody. Why not? We'll try to find out.

Taipei is the largest city on the island, located at the confluence of the Danshui, Xindian and Jilong Rivers. The settlement was originally built by the Spaniards who set up a base here between 1626 and 1642. Later came the Dutch, who drove the Spaniards from Formosa, as it was then called. In 1662 the Dutch were driven out by the Chinese Zheng Chenggong, whose heirs lost control of Taiwan at the end of the 17th century to the powerful Qing dynasty from mainland China, who began to settle mainland Chinese on the island.

The land was mainly indigenous until then Peoples like the Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Kavalan had been inhabited. They make up only two percent of the population today, but are particularly protected by the government and can be seen in the cityscape from time to time because they are out and about in their traditional costumes or even sing traditional songs somewhere.

Aside from these rare memories of earlier times, Taipei is an ultra-modern city, where the surviving structures of the past find themselves trapped like beetles and plants in amber drops. Between the ultra-modern high-rise facades, lavishly papered with neon advertising everywhere in Asia, there are always small, ancient buildings made of brick with the colonial past written on the facade.

About ten percent of the Taiwanese live in Taipei with almost two million inhabitants, but the metropolis is not a terrible juggernaut with chaotic traffic and annoying crowds. The streets are wide, as are the footpaths, and all the traffic lights switch so slowly that you could lace your shoes at least four times while waiting.

The only exciting thing is the huge fleets of mopeds, with which the main part of the inner-city transport is handled. Although there is a state-of-the-art subway that works as perfectly as the one in Tokyo, a lot runs on purring two-wheelers, on which - as you can see again and again - whole families can fit if they are practiced enough.

Taipei is modern and traditional, it is made up of shiny shopping temples and ancient real temples, the streets are full of life, but the traffic is regulated and orderly. Tourist who quarters in the city center do not have to fear getting caught up in a turmoil like in Time Square in New York.

The area is livelier than the suburbs on the rivers, but even those who rent a hotel room in the central Zhongzheng District, such as the Saual Keh Hotel (up from 34 euros), live quite quietly. From here, all of the inner city sights can be reached on foot, from the Chiang Kai Chek Memorial Hall to the Liberty Square Arch, the university campus, various markets, the Tamsui River and the Presidential Palace.

Don't worry if the roads, which are not always and everywhere signposted in English, lead you astray: the Taiwanese are an incredibly helpful people.They not only show the right way, but also organize the transport if you are not careful.

Transport is a big issue here. Taipei has a modern metro network with an ingenious ticket system that also includes buses and rental bikes. To get from the Chiang Kai Check Memorial Hall, a huge monument to the founder of the state, to the Bopiliao Historical Block, an old part of the city from 1799, which consists of quite ordinary brick buildings, you buy in one of the countless little Seven11 or Family Marts who have completely taken over the function of the large supermarkets here, a ticket. That is called "Easycard" and it works that way.

As a German, who is used to five public transport and ten traffic apps, one is amazed: Buy a card, add credit and then take everything that rolls. And that throughout the country! If the credit is used up, simply top up, done.

With it, you can now not only travel throughout the entire city, but also, if you want, pay for subway, bus, cab and long-distance trains anywhere in Taipei and even throughout Taiwan, as well as for purchases in countless stores and supermarkets. Contactless, of course. It couldn't be easier, because once the vacation is over and there's still money on the card, you can simply withdraw it.

But we're not there yet. After all, we've only just begun to explore the country that, from the German Foreign Ministry's point of view, doesn't even have a flag.

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