........ of Taiwan ( 1 )

Taiwan here we come.

Yours Sincerely ( Y S ) and better half went places again. This time to the island of Formosa or Taiwan or R.O.C. (Republic of China ) Having been to Mainland China for umpteen times, it was time to see and experience some changes, and also to compare and contrast the two countries.

South China Airlines flies to Taipeh regularly from Penang and Y S' flight touched down smoothly. It is strange that the Taiwanese refer to themselves as "Taiwan People" and not Chinese. They really want to stress their difference from the Mainland Chinese or "Tar Lur" Chinese or Chinese from the " Big Road."

The four-hour plus flight from Penang landed Y S at Taipeh at dinner time. So, we made a beeline to"Shilin" night market which is a gourmets' haven as you can judge from the following pictures.

An assortment of meant to be chosen and soaked with greasy gravy.

This is fried "something' in a very greasy pan. Y S could not make out.

Taiwanese seem to like morsels of food skewed with a stick like these sausages.

This is deep fried crabs to be eaten with chilly sauce.

This is something like our "roti canai" but it is filled with onions and some other vegetables.

This is a sort of pancake with lots of fillings.


This is the notorious "smelly toufu" but wildly delicious. Y S had two, mind you, 2 pieces. You can imagine my breath after that !!!

The market can be very crowded. You have to jostle to get your order.

.... and the menu is all in Chinese. This is the time when Y S regretted going to national school.

This is only a small section of the market. There are many, many more stalls. It is easy to buy in Taiwan compared to Mainland China's stalls which love to prey on tourists by giving wrong change, giving you bigger portions that necessary, adding unnecessary ingredients and then demanding for more cost, the list is unending and Y s has had enough.

Taiwanese are more polite and cultured. At least you get back the correct change. Their mandarin is easier to understand given Y S' basic knowledge of the language. And above all, they also speak Hokkien ! " Ai chiak borrr?"

So, this was how the first evening went. Well, as they say the best way to a man's or also a woman's, I suppose, heart is through the stomach.

And that is how Y S got an extra kilo around the waist !