Taiwan

March 14,  Ring of Fire, western rim, about 4 hours away from Taiwan.  I check my email before heading to lunch, see a message from Phil - he is flying into Taipei to meet us, tonight.  A welcome change in plans.  We cancel our tour and plan to meet him.  Sail into Keelung Harbor in Taiwan, hop into a cab and ride to Taipei.  Arrive at the hotel around 7:30 pm just minutes before Phil steps from his cab.   We have dinner together, find a quiet tea house, enjoy a wonderful evening catching up, comparing notes about the world.  Spend the night in the hotel and the next day seeing a bit of Taipei together before we return to the ship, and Phil returns to Hong Kong.

Taipei is a thriving city of 2.6 million people and capital of Taiwan.  It is relatively clean for a city of its size.   Walking around, we see a mix of modern highrise buildings, green public spaces, and a few pockets of third-world shacks clinging to simpler times in the shadows of new wealth.  Like much of the world, English is taught in grade school.  No problem communicating.  We ride to the observation deck in Taipei 101, the second tallest building in the world.  Was briefly the tallest building until Dubai claimed that distinction.  Great views of a prosperous city, despite the inclement weather - looks much less chaotic from above than from the back seat of a taxi.

Like many places in east Asia, Taiwan was once occupied by imperial Japan.  As a country, imperial Japan did not play well with others.  After WWII Taiwan reverted to Chinese rule, but when the communist party gained control of China, Taiwan moved toward independence, embraced capitalism as an economic system and gradually become a democratic nation.  They have enjoyed spectacular economic growth since then.  Today relations between Taiwan and China are gradually improving.

Back to the harbor in the afternoon, then back onto the ship for two more days at sea.  Next stop South Korea.