The Friday letter · No. 01 · Friday, September 4, 2026
Lead story
Friday, September 25 is a holiday. The interesting part is the three weeks before it: pomelos in the supermarket, a balcony invitation, and the question of what you are supposed to bring.
The Desk · 4 min read
Travel
The old street will still be there in November. This Saturday, take the train to Ruifang and keep going until the Pacific is louder than the tour groups.
4 min read · Sep 4
Living
A yellow, orange, or red from the Central Weather Administration is not a vibe. It is a set of decisions about work, schools, and whether you should still go to Costco.
5 min read · Sep 4
Culture
It is not a canceled afternoon. It is a pause. Learn to stand under the arcade like everyone else.
3 min read · Sep 3
Living
Taipei does not have a chute. It has a truck, a song, and a set of bags you can only buy at certain counters. Get this wrong once and you will not forget it.
4 min read · Sep 3
Culture
Tourists line up for the famous stall. Residents have a second map: the stall that is good on Tuesdays, the one that closed, the one that moved two streets over.
3 min read · Sep 2
Travel
The tea terraces are at their most photogenic in the mist, which is also when the trains sell out. September is the hinge.
3 min read · Sep 2
Business
Labor insurance, NHI, the pension contribution with the slightly too-long name — the deductions are less mysterious than they look in the first month.
5 min read · Sep 1
Living
Taipei has a real medical system. You do not need a medical tourist corridor. You need an NHI card, a number ticket, and a short list.
4 min read · Aug 31