Written by Miss Candy Ho
To create a healthy body and mind, our “food” must be nourishing. During my one-month stay in Taiwan this summer, I had the opportunity to explore different places to enjoy scrumdiddlyumptious food and incredible books. Here are the highlights of my trip.
To create a healthy body and mind, our “food” must be nourishing. During my one-month stay in Taiwan this summer, I had the opportunity to explore different places to enjoy scrumdiddlyumptious food and incredible books. Here are the highlights of my trip.
| 1. Crime fiction has always been my favourite genre. Agatha Christie, the world's bestselling author in the Guinness Book of World Records, wrote this great mystery novel called Murder on the Orient Express. This is a classic whodunit in which the readers are challenged to guess who the criminal is. It is about a murder case that takes place on a train with 13 passengers. They all immediately become suspects. The ending demonstrates what a great plot twist should be like, however, I’d better not reveal it to you now. The book is so popular that it’s made into a movie and will be shown in the theatre soon. |  As the sign says, “with freedom, books, flowers and the bobii, who could not be happy?” |
| 2. This is a café located in a 10-floor bookstore that welcomes people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It harbours a wide range of book collections. It is my favourite place to pick up some English novels. The interiors of the café feature a relaxing atmosphere. I was there finishing this book called “The Art of Thinking Clearly”, which is about human psychology and reasoning. The writer discusses the flaws of our day-to-day thinking and uses concrete examples to show us how these errors may lead to terrible decisions. It’s not a quick read for me since the writer uses terminology that is more common in the business world. However, it’s satisfying to complete something new. |  A healthy choice to start my day with. |
| 3. This beautifully decorated coffee shop is a hidden gem in a small alley away from the busy main road. It took me a while walking in the hot weather of 38 degrees Celsius to look for it. The interiors were dominated by the warm, welcoming presence of wood. My afternoon was spent there reading The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. It is about the last meeting of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. It is absolutely intriguing to witness how two people holding such different religious beliefs can share the most genuine and warmest friendship. The way they carry a conversation is what we should learn from. We may disagree, but we should always respect. |  The green tea cake was one of the best desserts I had in Taipei.  |
 4. Mitch Albom is well-known for how he captures the hearts of his readers with every word he writes and how he writes them. The Time Keeper is a compelling tale about the beginning of time and its inventor, Father Time. This is one of my favourite parts from the book: Dor: There is a reason why God limits our days. Viktor: Why? Dor: To make each one precious. Isn’t this beautifully written? |   |
5. Miscellaneous
I have been sharing most of what I read on a social network platform since the beginning of this year. Recently, some YWPS graduates who used to be in my English class discovered it! I’m so glad that reading acts as a bridge for me to stay in touch with my students and that teaching and learning can continue outside the classroom. Let’s keep reading, exploring and sharing!
