Trove

“Beautiful things grow to a certain height and then they fail and fade off, breathing out memories as they decay. And just as any period decays in our minds, the things of that period should decay too, and in that way they're preserved for a while in the few hearts like mine that react to them.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald On a recent trip to Taiwan, where I used to live for seven years, I was struck by how things have changed since I moved back to South Africa about a decade ago. Hsinchu is now a modern and high-tech city with an easy, international feel. Most would say it has improved, cleaned up its act. However, you don't have to go far to find reminders of the old city. Memories are preserved in scattered and obscure remains. And in the inevitable decay and transformation of these remnants, and of my memories, new treasures are to be discovered.