To You, Tainan-Ii

the Yuguang Island is quiet and peaceful the sunset tower made from the washed up woodwork and string along the coast of Tainan elicits a sense of awe and beauty the colorful sky, the waves on the shore and the rhythmic sounds of ocean remind me of a song whose words I have long forgotten, but still remember its tune as the sun sets and i head back towards my home, i feel pain as if an indifferent and careless doctor is repeatedly piercing my skin in search of veins but the smell of sausage from vendors on the streets makes me forget all of it, i feel hungry Tainan never rests; it always has something to catch up with the natural beauty of Tainan captivates your heart take a boat to the Qigu Lagoon_____ the stunning beauty of the sheltered tidal lagoon and ecosystem, hundreds of species of birds, crabs, fish, and shellfish the pine trees and vines on the sandbar on the far side, the taste of fresh oysters makes your day the mango trees on the hillside of Yujing are wreathed with white pockets there are yellow fruits inside the white pockets as if secrets locked away from people’s eyes; in July the mango kingdom breathes joy and happiness mango festivals are seasons for juicy, fleshy mangoes sweet and sour blend of flavors in mango ice is such a delicious feast to your taste buds. I have come to realise Tainan city is a painting of dreams, aspirations and of feelings of a meticulous artist the city is lit with passion and fluttering of their hearts as lovers and dreamers walk the streets____ they walk, they whisper, they hold each other’s hands, they kiss; they do not care the eyes of the strangers. Tainan is a dream city for nightwalkers and food lovers ba wan, douhua, zongzi, xiao long bao, boba milk tea, oyster omelet____ so many of them; stinky tofu is my favorite the smell of which I hated at first. but here i’m madly in love with stinky tofu; they are quite right, then, to say love comes dropping slow to me Tainan is not a place anymore, it is many things_____ Tainan is the people, the vendors, the commuters during office hours, the unknown faces opposite me on the trains, the traffic and the neon lights in the evening; Tainan is music and silence in my heart. it is a beautiful fragrance that i shall never be able to get over with; i feel joyful to think that i shall always smell a bit of Tainan wherever i go from here