The Night Market

The Night Market

You turn the corner and in the distance you see an explosion of bright lights and countless signs jutting from the sides of buildings in the alley ahead. Ranging from clothing stores to your favorite restaurant, what you are viewing is one of Taiwan’s many night markets occupying multiple alleys and lanes that mirror that of boat docks in a marina. They range from tiny to gigantic, the smaller ones encompassing more food-oriented things, the selling of snacks, fruit and common Taiwanese dishes. The larger ones have tons of restaurants, retail stores, clothing stores, little “I really don’t need this, but it looks cool” stores, street vendors, food vendors, candy vendors and of course, people. Some night markets are so densely populated it’s like leaving a football stadium after the game ends. And if you don’t go with a patient mindset, then you’re leaving the stadium after your team has just lost. For Redskin fans, this is a common feeling. On a side note the fact they lost to the Cowboys this past weekend is ridiculous.

To further give you an idea of the walking speed that you will achieve while in a popular night market, imagine grabbing a tired 2 year olds hand and letting him/her lead the way (and keep in mind the length of their steps-I think a 2 year olds legs are maybe 1.5 feet long). It’s painfully slow sometimes so if you’re in a rush, steer clear.

I would describe night markets as “all-inclusive” and its like going to an outside mall. You go there when you’re hungry, if you’re bored, if you just want to hang out with friends, if you need clothes or shoes, if you want to buy jewelry, etc. etc. Many of my students go to night markets just to hang out and window shop. I go primarily to eat. I probably eat at a night market twice a day, 5 or 6 days a week. The diversity of restaurants, teashops, and food vendors will ensure that you satisfy any craving you may have. The food is good, you get your moneys worth and there are lots of choices.

I did recently have an awkward exchange at an ice cream shop in the night market that I frequent. Behind the counter there was a white guy, probably in his 50’s that could speak perfect English. I probably shouldn’t have, but I went into the transaction of ice cream for cash with the expectation of a seamless exchange. I first asked the Taiwan native for two scoops of ice cream. My request was returned with the perplexing question of “In separate cones?” Surprised, I said, “uh….no, one cone.” I was soon passed off to the white guy who filled my cone and awkwardly handed it to me like he was confused by two scoops on top of each other as well.“Here…you go….” he said uneasily as he handed me my ice cream. I guess our common background being from America didn’t break any ice. Needless to say, I haven’t been back, nor have any plan to go back.

Other more novel things or vendors you might see in a night market include lots of carnival like games, such as throwing rings around a bottle, or shooting basketball. One night market that I went to in Jinshan, a city north of Taipei had a table where a man was blowing glass. Items that he made included swans, unicorns, fish, dogs, flowers, any many other things, some of which were made of different colored glass. His skill of quickly making these glass figures was impressive, and far cheaper than an equivalent purchase at a department store.

Night markets are present everywhere in Taiwan so if you need some clothes, something good to eat, useless crap, or just want to practice your negotiation skills, head to the nearest one, which is likely just around the corner.

Monday night around 9pm. On the weekend its crazy

Lots of lights

The main street

Taipei City – Transitioning, International, Unspoiled

Taipei, the largest city in Taiwan is home to 2.5 million people, 7 million if you count all of Taipei County, which dominates the northern part of Taiwan in a bowl of densely vegetated mountains and lush-green countryside.

If asked to describe Taipei using 3 words, I would use transitioning, international, and unspoiled. The City is at a cultural crossroads, bearing witness to the collision of traditional and modern ideas, where east meets west and familiar meets unfamiliar. Viewing Taipei from Elephant Mountain, the silhouette of the Taipei 101 World Trade Center broadcasts Taiwan’s economic and sustaining position on the global playing field, complementing, supplementing and competing in world commerce to the highest degree. At 508 meters tall, Taipei 101 dominates the skyline, and while the buildings, companies and shops surrounding this visual anchor are ultra modern, sleek and international, they are far from overshadowing to the rest of the City’s cultural underpinnings and plethora of experiences one can have, where things might be far less modern.

Along any major road you will see old buildings maintaining the architecture of Taipei’s past. Their tile visage dirtied by the streaks of rust running from the platforms that hold the countless air conditioners that were later added far into the life of the building. However, just next to it you will commonly see a building, merely 4 or 5 years old with solid lines and smooth surfaces, glossy and architecturally advanced by global standards. While the older buildings are still plentiful in Taipei, it is easy to see that they will slowly, but surely be shadowed by the newer buildings that are continuously being built, propelling the City further into a more visually pleasing future.

Among the great variety of food and things to buy in night markets you will also find variety in the types of establishments that line the street. One corner you will see a new restaurant, complete with a hostess, cured wood floors, shiny tables and plush seats. Next to it or across the street you might see a-hole-in-the-wall restaurant, the apron-wearing owner pointing to a series of backless stools solely used for their most basic utility of something to sit on, suggesting at their current inoccupation. All the while, the area is comfortably lit with an energy saving light bulb.

Retail stores take on a dual identity as well, some locations mimicking western style malls with bright department stores, blasting the air conditioning. Products sparkle in glass cases, often adjacent to a well-dressed sales man or woman ready to politely answer any questions you may have. However, this is in direct contrast to the vendor on the street, unkempt with a deep tan from the often-intense Taiwan sun, selling products that are sometimes haunted with unreliability. Other retail stores, occupied by a single individual or family sell products without the “flash,” and are often watching TV or playing cards in the back.

Taipei’s internationality rings true through having met people from all over the world. Countries include South Africa, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Germany, England, Indonesia, Australia, Canada, United States, Japan, Spain, Russia, Norway, Ecuador, Italy, Vietnam, The Solomon Islands, and the list continues to grow. The lane I live on boasts cuisine from India, America, Germany, Korea, Tibet, Japan and of course, Taiwan. First arriving in Taipei and seeing someone whom was not Asian walking toward me, I would immediately think that they could speak English. This perception was quickly squashed as I heard a different mother tongue of Latin roots being spoken as we passed each other. Also, it is not uncommon to see familiar restaurants and coffee shops, from McDonald’s to Starbucks. I even saw a Sizzler down the street from where I live, complete with salad bar and all. Walk into these American-born establishments and it’s easy to warp back home.

For example, the defined atmosphere of Starbucks in Taiwan is identical to that of my go-to Starbucks in Clarendon 7,000 miles away that I frequented before coming. From the décor to the flavor of the “Coffee of the Day,” to the music that they play, to the sandwiches and desserts in the display case, you’re surrounded by familiarity, save for the obvious language difference and the heavily emphasized syllables of common coffee names such as “Americano” and “Cappuccino.” This feel of connectedness no matter where you are in the world further drives another idea: the meticulous language (or formula) that businesses create as they try to maintain their own brand image when their franchises go global.

While Taipei is transitioning and international, it also remains “unspoiled” because of the authentic experience you can still have despite it being a global city. You can still go to a night market or any store and not hear a word of English. Negotiating with storeowners is still common, the smell of stinky tofu still lingers in the air, and the numerous temples with their elaborate designs throughout the city are a constant reminder that you are in the Far East.

Taipei is an interesting place, a must see for any visitor coming to Asia. With the unending variety of familiar and unfamiliar, old and new, and where east meets west, it is easy to have a cultured experience while still feeling connected to the outside world, a sensation that is sure to not disappoint.

Note: The cable that connects my camera to the computer is currently missing...I will put pictures up as soon as I find it.

Stinky Tofu

No night market is complete without it and its presence is equivalent to that of small “purse-like” dogs in Taiwan (future post). I was exposed to such odors in the Shilin Night Market, one of the largest and most popular in Taipei City. We were in the process of walking past a foot massage parlor when my nose was invaded by the offensive vapors. The timing of walking past the foot massage parlor and smelling stinky tofu for the first time was purely coincidental, but unfortunately the foot massage parlor received the entirety of the blame as I directed my eyes at the people inside, gracing them with the disgusted look on my face. Convinced I would never get a foot massage in Taiwan, I realized about 20 minutes later that the scent was actually that of Stinky Tofu as my nose was violated again with no parlor in site.

The smell is unmistakable and initially I could only equate the smell to that of dog shit. But since I haven’t smelled dog shit in a while, the smell itself now retains the title of “Stinky Tofu.” The smell has a radius of approximately 10-15 feet. Depending on how sensitive your nose is it could be bigger, but you know when you’re approaching. Overpowering and unpleasant (to me anyway) I couldn’t imagine what it tasted like. One should know that there are different grades of Stinky Tofu and some are more potent smelling than others. For the month of August when I was living just SW of Taipei 101 I passed a restaurant that made Stinky Tofu daily. It was like a punch in the face as I walked past it everyday on my way to the metro station and I considered it to be one of the stronger brews.

It wasn’t long before I made a trip to Shengkeng, a town SE of Taipei, which is famous for its Stinky Tofu and the entire street dedicated to it. Mustering up the courage, I decided now was the time to try it. Granted, I opted for a milder version that was BBQ in a sad attempt to combine familiar and unfamiliar. I took a bite and it honestly wasn’t that bad. While the underlying taste is that of the smell, its about 1/10 as strong and maintains the taste of the toppings or glaze that coat it. Mine was BBQ and had kimchi (spicy cabbage) as a topping.While I do not seek out Stinky Tofu to ease any hunger pains, I could see myself trying it again in the future; possibly a stronger option next time.

Commonly how you see it walking down the street

BBQ Version

Ilha Formosa – Part II of II

The high peaks that surround the city of Hualian foreshadowed the next few day’s adventures. Hualien, a city along the east coast of Taiwan is bordered by mountains on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other, offering boundless scenery to locals and tourists alike.

The first day we went river tracing, which is essentially hiking and bouldering along a rivers banks, crossing fast moving streams and swimming in blue-green water holes. River tracing in a nutshell was amazing. Descending deeper into the mountains, two identical 80-degree peaks stretching to heights of 2500 meters flank the wide river and its rocky banks. The steep mountain grade is layered with a lush green coat of thick vegetation and palm trees, lacking any visible trail into the forest.

Some of the wildlife that we saw included small crabs, fish and indigenous birds that would gracefully glide through the natural marble canyon ecosystem. The water itself, literally clean enough to drink, so pure looking that you didn’t want to spit in it, maintained a light shade of transparent blue. Amongst enormous boulders and rocks, the water flowed with authority through, over, under and around the obstacles unheeded, creating fast moving channels as it continued its journey to the ocean. The canyon itself is composed of an assortment of colored marble. Of reds, blues, greens, browns, whites and creams, the dense rocks, polished smooth through centuries of flowing water each hold their own unique fingerprint of swirling white as they litter the river bed in abundance.

Hiking along the slick banks, we frequently came across pools of water deep enough to jump into from adjacent boulders which was extremely refreshing in the Taiwan heat and humidity. After a decently long trek we eventually arrived at a small waterfall overshadowed by an immense boulder the size of a small house to which we drank from. Navigating through the crevice behind it and climbing the rocks we reached a deep emerald pool of water, being re-filled by a waterfall at the opposite end. Lacking any dry avenue in getting to the other side we waded through the pool and climbed up the waterfall, resisting the heavy falling water as we ascended to find yet another emerald pool and an even bigger waterfall at its opposite end. Wading through the water we were essentially in a bowl of overhanging marble walls artistically covered with swirling designs and formations that you’d be more apt to find in a cave through eons of water erosion. The sides of the canyon dripped with trickling water and overhanging plant life as sunlight from above strained to creep over the marble edge above. Climbing three separate water falls and wading through three separate pools, we eventually reached the end where a 70-100 foot waterfall was draining from above into the marble sleeve we had just hiked through. Being there, it just felt clean and pure, refreshing and alive, seemingly untouched. It was amazing and I had never seen or experienced anything like it. The pictures in their truest sense don’t do it justice.

Drinkable water

Swimming in the pools

Clean, refreshing

The last waterfall

The next day we went to Taroko Gorge, which is also entirely made of marble and quite close to where we were river tracing. Taroko was equally incredible, with sheer white marble walls and tall peaks. One location along the wall had holes throughout to which sparrows had made their homes and were living. Using the funneled wind we saw one sparrow literally do about 20 figure eights. Around and around it went and I couldn’t figure out what it was doing, but it seemed to be having a good enough time. Pulling out the BB gun I purchased in Hualien I picked him off pretty quick, watching him plummet to his death in the rushing water below. That was the last figure eight he would ever do….jk. Throughout the park there were temples we explored, each offering fantastic scenery of the surrounding mountains, bridges, and river.

Swallows homes in the marble wall

Trailhead

One trail in the park we walked along, called the Tunnel of Nine Turns, which has since been closed to motorized traffic thankfully, is essentially a carved tunnel through the mountain. At the trail head they handed out hard hats because rocks from above fall onto the trail.Fortunately no incidents occurred while we were there. Along the trail the high peak on the opposite side of the ravine had numerous waterfalls cascading down the side. Uniquely enough, the water was actually flowing upward in some locations due to the way the air is channeled between the two marble walls. I looked for any lingering sparrows, but didn’t see any. Lucky them.

Tunnel of Nine Turns

Waterfalls adjacent to Nine Turns

Taroko Gorge’s originality mirrors that of such parks as Yosemite in California. You really have to see it to believe it. After Taroko, we boarded a train and headed back to Taipei. Our weeklong trip had come to a close leaving a sense of fulfillment and giving true meaning to the Portuguese coined term “Ilha Formosa.”

Thanks to Farmer for coordinating a flawless trip that allowed us to see the true beauty of Taiwan.