Happy, Happy Taipei!

Rachel Newton
Jan 17, 2014
2 min read

After careful observation, it’s become clear to me that Taipei is a very happy place.

The drinks are happy.

The breakfast is happy.

The cafes are happy.

Even the trashcans are happy!

And so are Molly and I!

It’s hard not to be with such delicious meals at your fingertips (and in your belly):

Noodle soup is definitely a staple dish in the Taiwanese diet.

Steamed pork buns are popular too.

Although it’s technically Korean, we couldn’t resist the do-it-yourself BBQ.

Or…the giant, pink, berry ice cream sundae!

Yep, like real adults, we had afternoon tea at the Barbie Cafe!

So. Much. Pink.

Although Barbie is obviously important, the Lungshan Temple also bears Taiwanese significance.

This extravagant and intricately decorated temple exemplifies the beauty of Buddhist tradition.

Worshipers purchase incense and small offerings, then proceed through the temple halls to pray to their ancestors and various Buddhist deities.

After each prayer, you must bow 3 times, then leave a burning incense stick in the appropriate censer, depending on what you are praying for. There are censers placed around the temple for good health, courage, conceiving and birthing children, the safe return of ships at sea, career success, and bountiful harvests.

Truly eye-opening.

After the beauty and peace of the temple, it only seemed appropriate to check out…

the nearby night market!

In many ways, this market resembles an outdoor Chuck E. Cheese…

Well, except for the vibrator stand and the old Taiwanese dudes flipping through rows of porn.

Yet, we can only view this as an example of the varying goods this market has to offer!

Good stuff.

Now, if they just had a vendor who sold cold, craft beer…

So far, I’ve been SOL.

Unlike Portland, which has a watering hole on virtually every street, bars are not easy to find in Taipei. Apparently, they aren’t big drinkers.

Luckily, there are clubs.

I’m not generally a club person, but lasers are always cool, right?

Taipei’s clubs are open basically all night, so when you’re worn out from dancing and coughing on 2nd-hand cigarette smoke, it’s time for an early breakfast at one of Taipei’s 24-hour food joints!