They share the sidewalks outside Taiwan's most important religious shrine. OK, things got a little Third Worldy today, but in the most unthreatening, mysterious, cutest way possible! A few moments earlier, the dog in the photo above was up to this:
The exterior of Longshang Temple is below. I can't figure this place out. It's ostensibly Buddhist, but there are non-Buddhist deities students pray to, other gods that gangsters pray to. A cafeteria approach. I think this is healthy.
Spiky, intricate eaves.
Worshippers cup two of these wonton-shaped wooden blocks in their hands and toss them on the ground. Pick them up and toss them again. And again.
To this unsophisticated tourist, the effect is hypnotically cryptic. I guess I could Google it, but I'd rather just absorb the strangeness of it all.
A few blocks away is another temple, Qingshan. I stood outside taking pictures and a couple of women waved me in. Taiwan is the friendliest place. The devoted leave offerings to their divine beings. The gods like flowers, bottles of water, and, apparently, Choco Pies.
It's the kind of neighborhood where the alleyways are barely big enough for a man. And each of these lanes has a name.
It's past lunchtime. I pause for a bite to eat here and point to a selection of buns.
"I'd like two," I say, pointing. The man and woman behind the counter smile at each other and shake their head. They want me to try something else. Their hesitancy makes me more insistent. A girl in the back cries, "Meat! Meat!" What secret are they hiding? The buns, please. They comply.
Seems all right to me. Looks good. Tastes good. Some kind of meat inside. I make my goodbyes. Like a toddler, I always say goodbye for some reason. Nobody else does.
I walk another block and realize I'm in Snake Alley. I've read about this place. You can buy snake blood here (to drink, for your health). You don't suppose I just ate two snake buns? I prefer to think I have. I
do feel healthier.
Snake Alley is below. A little slow and drowsy in midafternoon. Must be insane at night.
It's such a nice day that I grab a YouBike. I know the Tamshui River is around here somewhere, but there's a giant highway blocking my path. Gotta find a chink. Wait. That doesn't sound right.
Found one! I'm on the western edge of Taipei now. Across the river is Songchang City.
An absent-minded pedestrian knocked down this bicyclist. I saw the whole thing. They have to argue about it a bit to save face. She is
pissed but holding it together. I feel like I'm learning an important cultural lesson.
There are so many plants here I have never seen before.
Some say Taipei is ugly. I find its architectural confusion fascinating, charming.
Don't know what's being sold. A laxative? A tea with laxative properties, perhaps. Maybe she ate a snake bun.
Have I mentioned I love this place?
Three blocks from home, I run across the smallest electric bicycle I have ever seen.
My pace quickens. I want to upload these photos so you can see them. And to convince myself today wasn't a dream.
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