Connecting Dots Thread #3 - Never did I imagine that a $100 crab and a 200km journey would link to the essay I'm writing.
Oct 18, 2024
When my cousin invited me to travel 100km to northern Taiwan to buy seasonal Crucifix crabs, I jumped at the chance. Having never experienced this before, my partner and I eagerly agreed.
The journey was lengthy, marked by several traffic jams. A peculiar S-shaped intersection with unusual traffic signals created a one-kilometer backup, delaying us by 30 minutes. After lunch at a famous temple restaurant, we reached the port. Due to ongoing construction of the new fish market, vendors had relocated to a cramped, temporary tin-roofed structure. There, restaurants and seafood stalls intermingled, with tank water splashing onto the ground and grilled fish aromas mixing with salty sea breeze. Despite being Taiwanese, this felt like an exotic experience.
Initially, we couldn’t find suitable Crucifix crabs - most were small (100-200g) and didn’t look fresh. Local fishermen explained that rough seas and Chinese trawlers damaging their crab nets had affected the catch. After further searching, we found a vendor selling fresh, large Crucifix crabs weighing 900-1200g, though at a premium price. Despite initial hesitation and my cousin’s husband’s concerns, we returned to make the purchase. Though risky, we felt these uniquely sized crabs were worth trying.
Our gamble paid off - it was the best crab any of us had ever tasted. The abundant white meat was tender with a distinctive sweetness, while the brown meat offered pure umami without any off-putting flavors.
“I’m grateful we took this chance,” my cousin’s husband remarked. Looking back, although it was a risky choice given the high price and our inexperience with seafood, we were motivated by two factors:
- The journey itself was an adventure, valuable regardless of the outcome, and enriched by our shared companionship
- Even failure would have provided valuable learning experience
These reasons embody what I call the “Explorer Mindset” - an approach to life I’ve adopted in this fast-paced, chaotic era. This mindset serves as a guiding principle for exploration, potentially offering even greater rewards than a delicious crab. Full article coming November 1st.