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Published: July 18th 2008
Pork noodles
This soup is soaked in the bones and meat until the soup turns white... quite delicious!If there is one thing I can say about Taipei is that I have eaten well. Food takes an important role in the Taiwanese culture and Travis has made sure I discover it all. What sticks out in my mind the most was the hot pot we ate last night. You sit in front of your own personal boiling pot of water, which is filled with vegetables, fish and meat to add flavor to the water. You are served slices of raw meet to cook at your own pace. After your cooked meat cools it's good to dip it in your own personalized sauce, add a little rice onto your chopstick to compliment the meat (challenge!) and eat. Num. Second best was this soup with pork noodles. The soup is cooked in the pork bone for hours to give it flavor, so much that the soup turns white. Noodles are secondary to the soup here. In general, restaurants and food stands on the street break all cleanliness laws in the US. We once stopped in a restaurant for a late breakfast and the lady serving us was dying her hair. But it's OK cause the unofficial rule here is that if
7-Eleven
The 7-Eleven has everything... even tea soaked hard broiled eggs. the restaurant looks dirty and ugly, the food is fabulous. If the restaurant spends time making their interior look nice, it's making up for the bad food!
In Taiwan 7-Eleven's are everywhere. You can stand in one and see another down the block. You can buy anything there, including tea-cooked hard broiled eggs which smell really awful. Travis says they're good but I don't believe him. They look like they're sitting there all day. There's no public consumption law here, so you can buy a beer at the 7-Eleven and walk with it down the street with no problems, or drink it in a park, or wherever you please. People behave themselves here when it comes to alcohol. Most countries in the world behave themselves when it comes to alcohol. Or they just enjoy it responsibly. Whenever I travel I realize the huge problem America has with drinking. It stems from the drinking age being 21, which is way too late. I hate to be cliche, but if you can go to fight for your country in war, please let him or her have a beer before they go!! Our country will allow you to sign a lease, live
No Public Consumption Laws
At 7-Eleven you can buy a beer and drink it while you walk. on your own, own a car, fight for your country, amount credit card debt, take out loans or do anything you damn please... but a cocktail? No way mister, not til you've reached the appropriate and mature age of 21! It also comes from the taboo of drinking before the age of 21 and the strictness of it. People always want what they can't have, such as extreme amounts of alcohol when it's illegal. When I travel and am asked about drinking culture in the US, I tell them that a number of college-aged students have died in MN in the last year from over-drinking. In most countries they can't believe that's even possible.
The one night we went to the Shilin Night Market, where there was more food, lots of clothes, an arcade, everything you could imagine. It's common to have your food cooked in front of you, like you can see in this picture.
We took a day trip out to this tiny town Jiou-Fen. It started out in the 1600's but didn't get "big" until the 1800's or so. It was a big power during the Japanese occupation and is now a cute little tourist
destination not too far from Taipei. We took a hike up Fa Mountain, stairs all the way up. The upper half was in the clouds so by the time we got to the top we were covered in sweat and water from the clouds. On the way down our legs almost gave out.
Today a small typhoon is passing over us. This morning I woke up thinking it was hailing... but it was just the intense rain beating on the windows.
Just a couple days left in Taiwan and then I'm off to Tokyo!
Besotes,
Molly
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Andrew
non-member comment
Hey Molly. I love reading your blogs. I love the layout and the pictures on it. I can't wait to hear more stories and see more pics. I am sure you are enjoying your time over there, but when you get back I will have to come down and visit you or you will have to come up and visit me. Plus, the wedding...if that's still the plan. Be safe and buy me something ;)