Taiwan Update #10 - July 14, 2006 - Return to Civilization
Taiwan Update #10 - July 14, 2006 - Return to Civilization
by Justin Lin
(if you are seeing this note from facebook, please look at the original post)
So I mapped out my entire summer 2006 trip. One month in Taiwan can take you a bunch of places. Today's update corresponds to "5"
A preview of today's update:
So we finally left this blasted place. I really dislike the Taoyuan Vocational Facility. It's in the middle of nowhere, feels like a boot camp jail, has black moldy stalls called showers, beds that feel like you're sleeping on wood, and everything is hot in every room because of the humidity and temperature. I slept in drenching sweat on the top bunk. Stuffy. My foot got cut up here when the corner of a metal door with a blade slammed into it. And really, I only have bad memories of this place. I'm so glad we left.
We got on the bus and headed back to Taipei -- back to civilization.
Our first stop was the botanical gardens owned by someone famous. The details really elude me.
I was struck by at least 10 mosquitos this day in those swampy gardens.
view from the gardens...
After all the mosquito bites, we left.
Our next location was Danshui. This was a suburb area of Taipei County.
It had it's mini markets, and stores. Not sure if there were night markets there at night, but I'd assume there were.
I guess I should explain what night markets are. Taiwan is famous for night markets -->
Here's an explanation from wikipedia...
from wikipedia:
Night markets in Taiwan today
Night markets in Taiwan are known for their specialty xiaochi food items. Xiaochi translates roughly as "small eats" or substantial snacks along the lines of Spanish tapas. Such foods are either served as carry-out or sometimes at small tables with stools for seating. Specific foods will often change from year to year with passing fads but staples such as oyster omelettes (蚵仔煎 ô-á-chian), chicken shawarma (沙威馬 shāwēimǎ), and stinky tofu (臭豆腐 chhàu tāu-hū) persist. In some cases, one city’s night markets or even one particular market can become famous for a particular type of food. For example, Tainan is known for its noodles (擔仔麵 tàⁿ-á-mī) and "coffin cakes" (棺材板 guāncáibǎn), bread in the shape of a coffin which has been hollowed out and stuffed.
Not only is food served in night markets, but also a lot of other products are sold. There are lots of items sold there; for example, clothes, bags, shoes, trinkets, ironware, etc. There are also some games; customers can play the games by paying a few coins.
A hawker making oyster omelettes in Shilin Night Market, Shilin, Taipei, Taiwan.
Some of Taiwan’s more famous night markets include Shilin Night Market and Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market in Taipei, Fongchia Night Market in Taichung, Siaobei Night Market in Tainan, Liouho Night Market in Kaohsiung, and Miaokou (Temple Gate) Night Market in Keelung.
---------------------------------->
Anyways, lets continue. We'll see plenty of night markets in the coming posts because I go to many of the major ones in Taiwan.
So we arrived at Danshui -- located on the "3" of the map above.
We were given some free time to go shopping and eat.
There were a number of interesting stores...
like this one...
Talk about 31 flavors.
The inside of a store in this danshui shopping district...
We left after two hours for a new location in Taipei.
Our next destination was a famous bridge area of taipei. Man...my memory is so fuzzy, I can't remember the name of the place.
Bathrooms...
Well that's it for today's update.
The next update will be another take on Taipei, Taiwan.
See ya.
by Justin Lin
(if you are seeing this note from facebook, please look at the original post)
So I mapped out my entire summer 2006 trip. One month in Taiwan can take you a bunch of places. Today's update corresponds to "5"
A preview of today's update:
So we finally left this blasted place. I really dislike the Taoyuan Vocational Facility. It's in the middle of nowhere, feels like a boot camp jail, has black moldy stalls called showers, beds that feel like you're sleeping on wood, and everything is hot in every room because of the humidity and temperature. I slept in drenching sweat on the top bunk. Stuffy. My foot got cut up here when the corner of a metal door with a blade slammed into it. And really, I only have bad memories of this place. I'm so glad we left.
We got on the bus and headed back to Taipei -- back to civilization.
Our first stop was the botanical gardens owned by someone famous. The details really elude me.
I was struck by at least 10 mosquitos this day in those swampy gardens.
view from the gardens...
After all the mosquito bites, we left.
Our next location was Danshui. This was a suburb area of Taipei County.
It had it's mini markets, and stores. Not sure if there were night markets there at night, but I'd assume there were.
I guess I should explain what night markets are. Taiwan is famous for night markets -->
Here's an explanation from wikipedia...
from wikipedia:
Night markets in Taiwan today
Night markets in Taiwan are known for their specialty xiaochi food items. Xiaochi translates roughly as "small eats" or substantial snacks along the lines of Spanish tapas. Such foods are either served as carry-out or sometimes at small tables with stools for seating. Specific foods will often change from year to year with passing fads but staples such as oyster omelettes (蚵仔煎 ô-á-chian), chicken shawarma (沙威馬 shāwēimǎ), and stinky tofu (臭豆腐 chhàu tāu-hū) persist. In some cases, one city’s night markets or even one particular market can become famous for a particular type of food. For example, Tainan is known for its noodles (擔仔麵 tàⁿ-á-mī) and "coffin cakes" (棺材板 guāncáibǎn), bread in the shape of a coffin which has been hollowed out and stuffed.
Not only is food served in night markets, but also a lot of other products are sold. There are lots of items sold there; for example, clothes, bags, shoes, trinkets, ironware, etc. There are also some games; customers can play the games by paying a few coins.
A hawker making oyster omelettes in Shilin Night Market, Shilin, Taipei, Taiwan.
Some of Taiwan’s more famous night markets include Shilin Night Market and Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market in Taipei, Fongchia Night Market in Taichung, Siaobei Night Market in Tainan, Liouho Night Market in Kaohsiung, and Miaokou (Temple Gate) Night Market in Keelung.
---------------------------------->
Anyways, lets continue. We'll see plenty of night markets in the coming posts because I go to many of the major ones in Taiwan.
So we arrived at Danshui -- located on the "3" of the map above.
We were given some free time to go shopping and eat.
There were a number of interesting stores...
like this one...
Talk about 31 flavors.
The inside of a store in this danshui shopping district...
We left after two hours for a new location in Taipei.
Our next destination was a famous bridge area of taipei. Man...my memory is so fuzzy, I can't remember the name of the place.
Bathrooms...
Well that's it for today's update.
The next update will be another take on Taipei, Taiwan.
See ya.