Soup Magazine

The West Coast

Posted on 24. Jun, 2009 by admin in Food and Drink, Places, Uncategorized

From Danshui (淡水), I made my way across to Bali (八厘) and inched my way along the west coast down to Guanyin (觀音). In stark contrast to the juicy green overflowing mountains on the east coast and the hustling technologically supercharged capital, Taiwan’s western sprawl provides us a window into the savage after effects of economic growth and rampant industrialization.

The Sublime

These areas are a shocking reminder of the price paid for growth. The west coast is ugly. An economic accident.This sad tragedy gives rise to a morbid fascination. The same sublime attraction I have for accidents and tragedies, despite my best efforts to ignore them. There is a part of me that must look, no matter the consequences.

Standing along side gigantic swinging wind turbines. Looking sadly through the smog down a beach covered in plastic. Gazing at a blood red sunset, I can’t help but feel that reluctant sublime lust. The lonely charm in a place bereft of niceties. No lies and nothing to hide. There’s a certain amount of relief and comfort in this. As ugly as this place is, no one is willing to tell me it’s anything different.

The contrast is compelling. My life is eons away, buried in the hum drum of city life. Fluffy adverts, neon signs and pretty painted pictures of bright futures litter streets and alleys. Ignorance filters across the rooftops so easily, we forget how convenient and how nice things really are. The comparisons become so minute, they usually turn into relentless complaints on topics so banal, it’s hardly worth remembering where they came from in the first place.

Here I am. Two feet on ground zero of a post apocalyptic nightmare, and…I like it. I feel guilty, and I should. This is sad. Admiring disaster at the hands of progress is not a nice thing to do, however I’m not here for political reasons.

I wanted to escape where I was, and flip my worn perceptions upside down. Taiwan is a diverse island, and although people love to trumpet the wonders of mountains, cuisine and technology. It’s easy to get washed away in the tides of everyday opinions and it’s just as important not to overlook the other end of the spectrum. I have a firm belief that beauty can be found in the strangest of places. Ultimately strange places like Guanyin (觀音) are no different.

Tags: taiwan, travel, west coast