S4-35 - Formosa 100 years ago: American visitors to Japan's model colony in December 1924

Harold and Alice Focht. He was an educator, she came along
to keep him away from the geishas (well, some said). Hear how two
middle-aged Americans saw Taiwan at, arguably, the peak of the
Japanese colonial era. 


 


Lots of civilizing was on display – Asia’s longest bridge
and the aboriginal show village of Kappanzan (beautiful
modern-day Jiaobanshan).  But happily, some
local charms were also seen, including the unhealthy
but persistent habit of chewing betel nuts, some minor
disregarding of cleanliness, and local throngs gawking at
big-footed Americans.


 


As a bonus, Eryk and John give away two brilliant ideas for
modern-day tourism related to rail pushcarts.