In 1980, I was on a year-long assignment on Taiwan for National Geographic . It was a time the island, in fact, the whole world, was in the wake of an awakening giant, China. It’s nice to be back to the island 38 years later to find it thriving, clean, sophisticated and the people, honest. (You can tell by the cab drivers).

I was also happy to find the “Queen’s Head” at Yehliu still standing. Though smaller than I remember. (4,000 years will shrink anyone.) Seeing her again made me wondered whether the island will allow erosion to take its course or will they intervene and how?  I’ve been told that her neck has shrunk to four feet in circumference. After all, her stately features only came about in 1962-63 when part of the mushroom rock broke off to expose her majesty.

With me to this cape on the north coast was my muse and adopted daughter Em Marie. She  joined her mother and me on the only day-off from her busy modeling schedule. Having never met the Queen, (named after Queen Elizabeth) I thought she was quite apropos in her presentation.