Night markets

I mentioned them many times, but I think I have never really talked about what it's known here as night markets. And that's what they are, on their own particular way.

In different parts of Taipei, or other cities, there are whole streets, usually narrow, where the shops are open until late. Late depends on every zone and the day: it can be until 9, 10 or 12pm. Every place is different. That's basically a night market: many shops, selling any thing, lots of places to grab something to eat or to drink, be it restaurants or stalls in the middle of the street. All full of little lights, many billboards and people, rivers of people. I was told that one of thing that taiwanese love the most is to go to a night maket. It really looks like it.


I don't know how many there are in Taipei. Some, as the one in Shilin, are very famous and can be found in all the guides. Others, as the ones in Gongguan, Shida or Jinmei, are not so well-known, but that does not mean they are empty, quite the opposite. I was also in one in Keelung. All have things in common, and things that set them apart. There you can buy, apparently, anything. They are specially places where you can try really good dishes, even if the environment does not look like it. So you can try stinky tofu, bubble tea, all kinds of dumplings, fried things, taiwanese oyster omelettes and all those things I have talked about in other posts. And also places where you choose where you want to eat and they cook it in the pot in front of you, while you are in the queue and keep out of the way of all the people coming and going, of course.


When I was in China, I saw one in Jiayuguan too, but it was small compared to the ones in Taiwan. I guess they must be very different in the big cities.

Thinking about it, it's been quite a few days since the last time we went to one, not counting going to a restaurant nearby. Oh well, I don't think it will take too long to go there again.