Emmanuel Sicaud, a French student in Taiwan and author of the book Tainan by foot, presented the e-book version of this first all-English walking tour and map book of the city to Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che today (March 26). The event was witnessed by Aurélie Kernaléguen, French Office in Taipei Commissioner of press and communications. The e-book version was later uploaded to the city government website to share the best of Tainan with international visitors.
The all-English book includes a practical map of the entire city and detailed, smaller maps introducing each district. There are also sections on the city's history, geography, local snacks, and tips on the local lifestyle such as how to buy made-to-order soft drinks. Both day and night versions are offered in the book, along with a lot of additional interesting information, making it very useful for international travelers when they visit Tainan and wish to explore the city on foot.
Mayor Huang admitted there are many tourist spots mentioned in the book that he himself has not been to. He pointed out that the project is very valuable as it presents Sicaud’s own unique take on Tainan: his own itinerary, ways to explore the city and sample local foods. Sicaud also listed out some personal and secret places to let foreign travelers experience the Tainan beyond popular tourist spots such as Chihkan Tower and Anping Old Fort. Spending two years on his project, Sicaud put in a lot of effort to introduce Tainan and let more people enjoy and fall in love with this city. The Mayor praised his dedication and also expressed that hopefully Sicaud can write another book titled Tainan by food, and perhaps the city government will also have opportunities to collaborate with him in the future.
Sicaud mentioned that the reason he loves Tainan is because of its alleys. To the Taiwanese, there is nothing special about alleys; but for foreigners, alleys are places to understand local culture and experience local lifestyles. Therefore “alleys” are a very important element in the design of his book. Furthermore, the book also covers what fruits to eat during different seasons, when to visit which night market, so that foreigners can learn more about Tainan's interesting local culture and lifestyle.
Sicaud also pointed out that although the book can be bought here in Taiwan, there may be people in other countries who wish to visit Tainan and find they have no information on the city. He is thankful that the government has offered a platform to make the e-book version available to the public. For Sicaud, “Tainan is worth it!”
The Tainan City government Department of Information and International Relations expressed that the city government is grateful to the French Office in Taipei for their introduction and assistance so that this Tainan guide and map book could be published and made available on the Internet. Mr. Benoit Guidée, Director of the French Office in Taipei, also recorded a video message to congratulate the event. Mr. Guidée, who recommended the book to Tainan City government originally, pointed out that Tainan is a city with much to offer. The French are especially fond of Tainan, and more and more French people are coming to the city as tourists or students. Some even choose to stay and live here. Tainan by foot is a very useful book that can help the world know Tainan better and eventually fall in love with this city. Mr. Guidée closed the video message by acting as a tourism ambassador for Tainan and saying "Tainan welcomes friends from all over the world!"
Anyone can access the fascinating content of Tainan by foot on the Tainan City government website. Mayor Huang Wei-che will also promote the book on his Facebook page with a giveaway (hardcopy version). We invite all citizens to participate in the event and share the link with your foreign friends so that everyone can explore and enjoy “Tainan by foot”!
E-version link: https://www.tainan.gov.tw/en/News_eBook.aspx?n=16912&sms=17703