Place Vignette (By William)

I stare out of the window, sitting on a sleek, shiny train. The train rolls through miles of the natural landscape. The land is blanketed in rice fields as far as the eye can see. A conical straw hat, perched on an arched back, glints in the distance. Cicadas outside of the car chirp loudly, happily singing away into the fresh morning air. We pass through large, green, rolling hills. Mist hangs close to the ground, making the hilly range look like a mystical wonderland from a place far away. Trees on the hill form a dense forest, an impenetrable layer of foliage. Bamboo stalks and subtropical giants that have lived for hundreds of years stick out of the ground peacefully, emphasizing the need for nature. Due to the modern state of the train and railway, we are transported at high speeds through wispy clouds and mountain tunnels. There is nobody in sight for miles around. All of this makes for the most beautiful and tranquil scene.

Finally, for what must have taken forever, the city skyline popped out, shrouded in mist. The jagged buildings in the distance rise, looming in front of us. The metro slowly grinds to a halt, with an unpleasant “Scccrrreeeeeee!” Then, the doors to the station opened. “Tsshhhh!” My family and I stepped out of our train. Time to explore the city! I took a deep breath, only to find the warm air slick with water vapor and smog. I loved it. The bustling city in my standards is worth to explore and have a nice vacation in. Outside, cars and busses line up at traffic lights like a mob of fans trying to buy opera tickets. Sweet, aromatic smells waft around, along with shouts of street food vendors trying to sell noodles, tea, rice buns with pork sung, and fried “Churros,” also called oily sticks. We walk down to the city’s central district. A stranger calls from his red sedan, “Hello! Do you need help?” He glances down at our luggage. I glance down at the slick ground and look up at the towering skyscrapers. I chuckle and grin. Only in Taipei.