The rain stopped around 9 p.m. and the hunger in my stomach became so strong that I could not ignore it any more. I really had to go out and find some food. This is really no problem in lively and late sleeping Taipei, there are plenty of night markets and stores close their doors as late as 10 pm, not to mention the 24/7 convenient stores at literally every street corner.
But I decided to walk an unwalked path today, not every single time the same routes. Life needs to stay exciting, even when you are only looking for food.
Chiang Kai-Shek at night
I walked towards the largest park of Taipei the Da´an park (大安公園), which means as much as Park of great peace, I was not heading anywhere, not really searching, just walking and looking around, at the trees, the cars, the few people walking around, the couple kissing underneath their umbrella (they must have started a few minutes ago, when it was still raining, or use the umbrella to preserve some privacy). As I kept on walking I suddenly realized that I had reached the Chiang Kai-Shek memorial hall (中正紀念堂). So I had the chance to walk around the monument of the "Great Generalissimo" for yet another time. Actually the monument is worth to look at it a few times. I really like the white rocks it is made of and the Chinese style, blue roof. (Whether the person worshipped inside the hall is worth it or not? No comment here)
Later my stomach reminded my again of my main purpose: finding food. There where no decent looking restaurants around, so I cherished a special part of Taiwanese culture: Go to one of the many branches of the many chain 24/7 convenient stores. The closet one was a Family mart (全家). I just had paid for one of my favourites, the Japanese rice, with seaweed and a free Doufu drink. Then two police officers entered the store.
You cannot ask money from the cops...
Their Sherlockholmes eyes immediately spotted the situation: A white foreigner, in the middle of the night buying stuff in the store where the a really shy shopkeeper is working. The cop said: "外國人來了, 有問題嗎?" (Everything alright with the foreigner?) I turned around and said with my poor tones, but yet understandable: 到現在還沒有... (Until now there are no problems). The shopkeeper still could not say a word, but the police men became excited and asked a lot of questions, after they figured out that I am German, they wanted to learn some basic sentences. First I asked for NT 1000 (25€) per hour, but they rejected laughingly, still adding, that this is the spirit Taiwanese are made of. Another bystander, a man, about 80 years old, asked me in English about my age and smiled at me, saying that I was still really young.
After a few basic sentences I left and let the cops do their work.
Why do I tell this story? It is a typical example of an experience you can make in Taiwan, being a white or Caucasian foreigner: The shopkeeper did neither dare to look in my eyes, nor was he able to speak to me, while the cops "crabbed" me immediately in a very nice and friendly way, to get to know this weird person standing opposite of them. Adding the old man, using the best English he could find in his mind to ask me a question and then just keeps on doing his business (buying a newspaper) as if nothing relevant had happened.
But I decided to walk an unwalked path today, not every single time the same routes. Life needs to stay exciting, even when you are only looking for food.
Chiang Kai-Shek at night
I walked towards the largest park of Taipei the Da´an park (大安公園), which means as much as Park of great peace, I was not heading anywhere, not really searching, just walking and looking around, at the trees, the cars, the few people walking around, the couple kissing underneath their umbrella (they must have started a few minutes ago, when it was still raining, or use the umbrella to preserve some privacy). As I kept on walking I suddenly realized that I had reached the Chiang Kai-Shek memorial hall (中正紀念堂). So I had the chance to walk around the monument of the "Great Generalissimo" for yet another time. Actually the monument is worth to look at it a few times. I really like the white rocks it is made of and the Chinese style, blue roof. (Whether the person worshipped inside the hall is worth it or not? No comment here)
Later my stomach reminded my again of my main purpose: finding food. There where no decent looking restaurants around, so I cherished a special part of Taiwanese culture: Go to one of the many branches of the many chain 24/7 convenient stores. The closet one was a Family mart (全家). I just had paid for one of my favourites, the Japanese rice, with seaweed and a free Doufu drink. Then two police officers entered the store.
You cannot ask money from the cops...
Their Sherlockholmes eyes immediately spotted the situation: A white foreigner, in the middle of the night buying stuff in the store where the a really shy shopkeeper is working. The cop said: "外國人來了, 有問題嗎?" (Everything alright with the foreigner?) I turned around and said with my poor tones, but yet understandable: 到現在還沒有... (Until now there are no problems). The shopkeeper still could not say a word, but the police men became excited and asked a lot of questions, after they figured out that I am German, they wanted to learn some basic sentences. First I asked for NT 1000 (25€) per hour, but they rejected laughingly, still adding, that this is the spirit Taiwanese are made of. Another bystander, a man, about 80 years old, asked me in English about my age and smiled at me, saying that I was still really young.
After a few basic sentences I left and let the cops do their work.
Why do I tell this story? It is a typical example of an experience you can make in Taiwan, being a white or Caucasian foreigner: The shopkeeper did neither dare to look in my eyes, nor was he able to speak to me, while the cops "crabbed" me immediately in a very nice and friendly way, to get to know this weird person standing opposite of them. Adding the old man, using the best English he could find in his mind to ask me a question and then just keeps on doing his business (buying a newspaper) as if nothing relevant had happened.
