Living in Taiwan: A Stop at the Afternoon Outdoor Market

I ride by this afternoon market pretty much every day. They open at 4:00 p.m., rain or shine, and I have stopped on the outer parts of the market to buy fruit, veggies and that half chicken I got weeks ago. I haven't ventured too far into the market because, frankly, it's a bit overwhelming. Initially it was overwhelming because of the language and not knowing how to communicate. I don't worry so much about that anymore because I somehow make myself understood, although I'm sure that's quite a humorous sight at times. Today I decided to go for it and went deep into the mysteries of the market. Insert organ music here.

First, I tell myself I'm getting used to being stared at but that's a lie. I'm just better at ignoring it. When I'm deep in the local resident's territory it's amazing how much I am outright stared at. I freakin' stop traffic. I'm not exaggerating. People will literally stop dead in their tracks and stare at me as I stroll by. I just smile, say hello, give a little bow and keep on walking. I'm taking pictures of the market while they take pictures of me. Such a strange experience and honestly, I wish I had just a little of that attention in the states.

Entering the market...

The market runs down an entire block from major avenue to major avenue. Unlike the states where they have markets on blocked off streets on quaint village greens, this is open to all bicycles and scooters so it's incredibly crowded, noisy and dangerous. It's sensory overload. Scooters fly by, and there are hundreds of people and scooters mind you, and stop in front of the stalls to purchase everything you could imagine.