Taiwan 24/7
One of the cool things about all of the walking videos we've shared thus far is you get to see how things are really like when roaming the streets of any given location. But that's just a snapshot in time. Any video from 2019 is going to be returning to a world before the pandemic. But what is a place like right now?
Today, we travel over to Taiwan across a few different YouTube channels, all which offer 24/7 camera feeds from various locations on the island.
I think its interesting to see what things are like on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean right this second. Is the weather over Taipei nice and sunny with picturesque views? Or is the skyline hidden behind layers of fog with only blurry lights visible? All of that, of course, depends on when you're tuning in. Here's a quick reference notice so you know when to catch feeds during the daytime.
Noon EDT = Midnight CST
Noon PDT = 3 AM CST
Noon CEST = 6 PM CST
Part of the joy here, at least for me, is seeing the country transition out of night and into day as the sun rises and more things come into view. This is doubly true for our next camera feed located at Daxi Old Street in Taoyuan City, near Taipei. As the morning comes, people start leave their homes, bikes go up and down the street, and lots of morning walks begin.
Sometimes I stop and think about the fact that all of these people almost 7,000 miles away have no clue that I can see them in that moment. Then I can't help but wonder of all the times that's happened to me. That I'm just some bystander in the background of someone's video or in a livestream.
It's both unsettling and comforting. The former, because I don't need people perceiving me. The latter, for me, because maybe there was someone out there who was having the same moment, the same thoughts, but this time I'm on camera. Is it not a little bit moving that someone 7,000 miles away might be thinking about you?
I still think about this Korean granny and her Tteokbokki stand that we frequented when visiting. She obviously doesn't know it. Though we could never really talk due to the language barrier, she left her mark. I wonder how many times we have too?
Moving on! If you want to skip to more active parts of the day or specifically want to see sunrise or sunset, YouTube keeps the last 12 or so hours of these feeds so you can rewind and start watching from there. This tip is particularly useful for some of the other feeds located in more rural areas with zero lighting. Unless you like staring at completely empty screens for hours on end.
My recommendation? Wake up, flip to one of the feeds, set the video back to just before sunrise and let it play during the course of your workday!
I'm not sure the last time you've looked at the island of Taiwan, but do so and you'll see that most of the population lives on the West side. Getting people, especially tourists, to check out the East side of the island is apparently something the government is trying to encourage. These following live cameras are all provided by the East Coast National Scenic Area (ECNSA). The website which you should absolutely check out includes details for planning your trips and a history of that side of the island.
I particularly enjoy these last two as they highlight the beautiful coastlines (at least when they're not super zoomed in).
Obviously any of these feeds could be periodically down. But they've largely been up for weeks. If they go down, check out some other feeds on the respective channels.
Have a good week!
