Contrasts

..

Taiwan is a country full of contrasts. There are the most different things, which often result in a clash to the beholder, existing next to each other, the one of which actually excluding the other. This is the case of the photo below:

..

.. ..

Here, there is a very elegant fashion shop, a real boutique, on the one hand and, in the most direct neighborhood, a rather shabby-looking street. Normally, these two don't go together. In Taiwan, however, they do. Both are there in a kind of peaceful coexistence. And both don't represent exceptions, but rather the rule.

..

..

Be it as it may, I do not want to draw a somewhat negative picture of Taiwan by showing pointing to this phenomenon. On the contrary: What is important to note here is the fact that Taiwan has already made a great leap forward. Twenty years ago, the left side of the above photo was the rule. Today, we see a mixture between the left and the right, the shabby and the elegant side of Taiwan. And in ten or fifteen years' time, we will exclusively see the right side of the photo, i.e. Taiwanese elegance at its best. So much is sure: Taiwanese people have a sense of elegance. It is only that they have not had the opportunity to really develop it roperly, yet. This, however, is just a question of time. So I guess my prediction is most likely to come true.

..