Arriving in Asia - The Smells Always Get Me

My dad always said that of all our senses, the sense of smell is the strongest - with the ability to bring back long lost memories enveloping us like fuzzy blankets, stirring the soul and enlivening the intellect.

I wait for it. The doors of the plane open and travel-weary passengers stream into the modern Taipei airport, complete with modern ventilation systems. The air is fresh. No memory streaming just yet. 

Our mission president and his wife greet us enthusiastically.

We head outdoors into the sultry night air. I anticipate the moment. 

Ah -  there it is! The warm cloud hitting the nose and mind with seeming simultaneous precision, then gently enveloping us like a heavy, pungent perfume-laden quilt. 

Memories flood my soul. Childhood playing on the back alleys of Saigon, exploring the beaches in Thailand, riding the ferry to Kowloon in Hong Kong. Then the adult-born memories of hubby-accompanied humanitarian trips to Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, China and Timor-Leste, with previous missions taking us back to Hong Kong and Vietnam. Yep - the smell is still there. 

Saying goodbye to MTC companion and long friend
who traveled with us on the same plane to Taiwan.
 She and her husband are serving in the
Taiwan Taichung mission, to the south.

The thing is - it smells so good! Like an old friend never forgotten- a warm embrace, a soft touch, mingled with a touch of salt air from the China Strait, flowing between China and Taiwan.

We are taken to our apartment, resting behind a rusting metal gate and up one set of stairs. While the blue gate doesn't exactly look like much, and the inside courtyard and dimly lit peeling staircase look like something out of National Geographic, the three bedroom apartment is nevertheless spacious and comfortable. We live like the locals. We relish in it! 

Our apartment is literally a 1.5 minute walk from the door of the church building, which is right next to the temple, which is across the street from the Mission Office. We are pretty spoiled! 

We see the temple as soon as we step outside our apartment gate. The beauty and grandeur of the Taiwan Taipei temple gleams, with tropical palms and fragrant flowers perfuming the humid night air.

The mission president and his wife treat us to shou zhua bing (Taiwanese pancakes) and bao bing (shaved ice - ours with fresh mango and a scoop of mango ice cream on top). 

Making shou zhua bing - thick pancake type breads with delicious fillings

Bao bing - big enough to share the tangy
 sweet Taiwan-famous dessert

Each evening, Fur Elise or other pleasant tunes comes floating through the air up and down the streets.

A bright yellow truck blocks the crowded intersection. Music cascades down its sides and floats melodiously through the neighborhood. The local residents have been gathering, waiting patiently.

An ice cream truck at 8:30 at night? It’s worthy of an investigation, peering through our balcony window to the street below.

No ice cream here – it’s the local garbage truck! 

Imagine if everywhere in the world garbage was soothed with music from the great composers of all time. It's a change of perspective worthy of much contemplation.

So we are welcomed to Taipei through our senses, both physical and spiritual. Our mission has begun!