Night Markets: A Nightly Fair

 The night markets in Taiwan are my favorite way to spend my down time, whether it is 10 minutes or several hours.

You can find everything in the night market. From food to games to toys to smoothies to clothing to jade jewelry, to incense to undergarments to bedding to fake eyelashes and beauty products--they are all shoved together in no particular order onto a street closed for this particular event every night from 6:30 to around midnight.

Pet booth: birds, rabbits, mice, hamsters, fish, ferrets and hedgehogs

Jewelry, lucky frogs, trinkets, jade and other good luck charms

smoothie stand

one of many kinds of games for the kiddies

I Live a block away from one of the Zhongli night markets--one that is considered one of the best in Taiwain--so I spend quite a bit of time there. While the shopping is cheaper than the shops and more unique, I am generally there window shopping whilst I search for dinner. You don't get any more authentic than street food, and that's just what the night market is: a collection of street food vendors. It is always an interesting experience because you will never have the same one twice. While many vendors are in the same spot almost every single night, there are others that come and go and rotate spots so there is always new things to discover.

Turtles

Fruit

Doggie clothes

Sometimes I find a rather large fresh sushi bar, and other times in that same spot is cut fruit. When I have a hankering for a Mango smoothie or sundae I go to my favorite spot, but sometimes I find that it has been replaced with baked goods.

While I enjoy exploring new stands, I do love going to some of my favorite vendors regularly. The baked clam stall has amazing clams and sauces for only 50 NT, I am in love with this stop. The ham and egg sandwiches in sweet fried dough make fantastic snacks for 35 NT.  Quail eggs on a skewer are also a delightful snack for 30 NT. There is an Indian food cart that sells authentic rotis with lamb, beef or chicken as well as chicken burgers all for around 50NT each served by a very pleasant Pakistani man who speaks fluent English and Chinese in addition to several other languages. When my sweet tooth bites I go either to the Mango stall which sells mango ice cream, smoothies, sundaes and other desserts varying from about 40 NT to 100 NT. Or I go to the Polish cake stall. This is a treasure that you won't find in any other night market. Paco moved here from Poland and married a Taiwanese woman. He then found his niche in the night market making the most unbelievable cakes that he was taught to make in Poland. They are ever changing flavors of double chocolate, peach cinnamon, apple mouse, vanilla mango and the list goes on and on. the cake is filled with fresh fruit and topped with a semi sweet frosting and more fresh fruit. Sometimes I find that he has blackberries and raspberries--rare treats on this side of the world. He sells 3 very large pieces for 180 NT. 3 is the minimum but I find it is always worth it. Or, if you are more adventurous, try the many many stalls that sell chicken feet, pig intestines, and stinky tofu--favorites of the locals.

Polish cake!

Candied fruit

Quail eggs-yum!

Fried squid!

Chicken feet, intestine, stinky tofu and more

 I still haven't figured out if the vendors have very good memories for faces or if they just happen to remember me because I look funny but they always seem pleased to see me and greet me with a "hello again." It is a great comfort to a girl from a small town. I have many Taiwanese vendor friends who are always cheery, always remember my favorite things, and enjoy cultivating my knowledge of the Chinese language. While my studies at home are the base for my language learning, speaking to the vendors is the best way of giving me confidence enough to use my new skills, and they seem just as excited to be a part of that experience.