The Day Market

In the states, most cities will have some sort of market on the weekends during the summer months. At these markets, you can buy all sorts of crap, from fake jewelery to knock-off purses and ties, to fruit and vegetables, as well as some fish and meats.

Taipei seems to have these markets on a daily basis, and they are much more of a focal point to the day to day purchases of the city folk than they are in the US. And why not, everything is incredibly fresh. I bought a pineapple that actually made my tongue hurt because it was so acidic. Orange juice is fresh squeezed. The fish was just plucked from the waters the day before. And the chicken - well, many of the stands have crates of chickens and a wooden barrel for all to see. Use your imagination, but let's say that the live chickens are placed inside the barrel for some time and metamorphize into a perfectly roasted chicken when they are removed. Did I mention that I'm attempting to become a vegetarian for the next month?

Seriously...

The market vendors, like most stores in Taipei, don't start selling until 10-11am. BUT, stores stay open late, so I feel this is a good thing for my lifestyle (I am not a morning person at all). So I called this entry the "Day Market" because the market is opened well into the evening, but it evolves into the "Night Market". I have not yet been to the Night Market, but I hear that it involves more sweets and snacks than the Day Market. Hopefully no chickens will be harmed in the making of the Night Market.