Salt Lake City Public Library, Taichung City

Seldom have I wanted to move into a public building, but the Salt Lake City Library in the heart of the "Crossroads of the West" is a place I could live! Not only is it an architectural and engineering masterpiece, but it's the cultural center of a city that most travelers would characterize (never having been there!) as "Cheese on White Bread." Salt Lake is a vibrant, cultural gem that is moving beyond its traditional Mormon roots to be a cosmopolitan, "happening" city. Its many concert and show venues, its university and colleges, its sheer laid-back sense of healthy living and outdoor recreation (the skiing is only one revelation!) are ways to the heart of any visitor. What is best about Salt Lake is its toleration for odd characters. As a gay man moving there to be with family, I had reservations, but the gay community and the straight acceptance of diversity have made me aware that not everything we "know" about a place is real. Back to that fabulous library, it's the crown jewel of a city that is becoming a svelt, modish reincarnation of its old, horse and buggy self. And why shouldn't it be a winner? Even the Mayor's name is "Rocky!"