As promised, photos from the Green Relaxing Zone, an “oasis” in the Taipei Airport.
The zone is a bit of gimmick. It’s offered as a place to chill out and center oneself after a long flight (Taipei is one of the major hubs for EVA Air and China Air, so many passengers are in the middle of 17 – 24 hour transits). And there are free massage chairs which offer a truly amazing ten minute massage. It’s literally the case that I might not have made it through my flight if not for these massage chairs.
And yet, it’s also the case that the Green Relaxing Zone is a large scale advertisement for Taiwan. All of the flora and fauna is native to the island, and as you wind your way through the museum-like displays, you are really looking at sweeping images of beaches, mountains, oceans and other natural jewels of Taiwan, all of which say (figuratively) “Come to Taiwain”. It’s a soft sell, but it’s a sell. (And did it work? Well, I sort of want to go to Taiwan now…)
But the chairs! Glorious body saving, back enriching, blood flow improving, relaxation ensuring massage chairs. And for free, when gladly I would have paid ten or fifteen dollars (money, like time, means very little when you are in the middle of a day long air trip) for the luxury of such a service.
But instead, you stop in at the Duty Free shop, ask for a token – the token says Taiwan! on it – put the token into the slot, and….
Aaaah.
