First impressions of Taiwan are that it’s my kind of place!

It’s a very friendly, organised and interesting country that has evolved quite rapidly. But despite the quick development it has retained much of its culture and unique attributes.

I flew into Taipei with EVA Airlines, a carrier I had never heard of. Though it proved to be a fantastic choice. The service was great and the in-flight meal was my first introduction to the sensational Taiwanese food. Speaking of the local cuisine, the dumplings here are some of the best I’ve ever had!

Arriving in Taipei I was exhausted from the early start, but the excitement of being somewhere new was energising. It’s a massive city with a population of about 2.6 million, though it seems like the motorbikes outnumber the people. The traffic is fairly organised, much better than in countries like The Philippines and Thailand. But the scooters whiz around and takeoff from the traffic lights like it’s a racing grid.

The first day was spent getting acquainted with the city. It’s easy to get around using public transport, with colour-coded buses and a very efficient rail network. The signs are generally written in both Chinese and English, the train stations are well sign-posted with friendly and helpful staff. That’s brings me to another of my first impressions. The people of Taiwan are very welcoming of visitors. They are never short of smiles and are always happy to lend assistance, which makes you feel safe.

I visited Hsing Tian Kong Temple, one of the major tourist sites in the middle of the city. It’s a very special place where many of the locals come to pray and seek spiritual guidance. I was lucky enough to have a guide called Ivy, who explained everything to me and walked me through the prayer ritual. This particular temple embraces many religions, following a fusion of beliefs and figures from Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. It more or less sums up how tolerant and accepting the Taiwanese are.

The rest of the day was spent exploring Taipei, eating the street food and poking around the streets and alleys. I ended my evening with something a little different, an evening at the Opera! What I’m talking about isn’t your usual “Fat lady singing” kind of thing. It’s a Peking Opera called Taipei Eye, where you can enjoy a slightly westernised, traditional Chinese cultural performance. It’s a fantastic evening that includes thunderous drums, dancing, singing and the telling of an ancient tale. Plus, at intermission you can see other cultural displays and have your fortune told in the lobby.

Day two started early, with a quick trip to watch the locals doing their morning exercise. The people gather in parks and gardens around the city and play games, do Thai Chi, or their own version of aerobics. It made me feel a little guilty about my lack of attention to my health.

The next thing on the agenda was to have a look at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial. It’s in a significant part of the city where parliament sits and also where you’ll find a variety of architectural styles in the buildings. There are traditional, Chinese temples, others look like minimalist concrete low-rises, typical of Russia. Then there’s the Boroque style structures that contrast with everything that surrounds.

Leaving Taipei I caught the high speed rail south to Chiayi where I enjoyed the incredible spectacle of the Lantern Festival. It’s part of the Chinese New year celebrations and sees tens of thousands of people converge on the city. The streets are packed with smiling faces, all enjoying the festivities, which culminates in a huge fireworks spectacular and the lighting of a huge lantern that’s as big as a five storey building!

An early rise the following morning and I made my way to a place called Yenshui where I came across the most remarkable church I have ever seen. The unique thing about it was the Taiwanese influence in the style of the building. All the images of the last supper, Christ and the many scenes from the bible were vastly different to what you would find in a western church. The characters were all of Chinese appearance, including Jesus, which was a little unusual to see. Then there was the building itself. It looked like a Buddhist temple, full of colour and ornate oriental designs. The father at the church was born in Germany and since 1946 has been preaching in Taiwan. In this time he has fallen in love with the people and the magic landscapes.

The whole time I was at the church, in the background I could hear the constant hissing and explosions of fireworks. The reason for this is that on this day, this normally peaceful town is home to one of the biggest festivals in the world, one celebrated with millions of fireworks. But the Beehive Cracker Festival isn’t just about pretty lights in the sky, at this event you put on fireproof clothing, a helmet and gloves, then get in amongst the massive crowd as rockets and fireworks are exploding all around you. It’s one of the craziest and most adrenalin pumping things I’ve ever done.

Flights to Taiwan: EVA Airways. www.evaair.com

Accommodation in Taipei: Grand Formosa Regent Hotel, also known as Taipan. www.grandformosa.com.tw

Accommodation in Chiayi: Nice Prince Hotel. www.niceprince.hotel.com.tw

For more information on Taiwan visit: www.taiwan.net.tw