19 March 2014
Tea
Tonight I went to what might be the worlds biggest night market, Fengjia, had a huge multicourse tea flavoured dinner, and took some boring photos.
Bigger news though, is that the Taiwan parliament has been overtaken by students, who are upset that the KMT (the same people that fled China to start Taiwan), have become too close with the mainland and have passed legislation to allow mainland investors to own more of Taiwan.
At least I think thats whats going on, Taiwan is doing a Ukraine / Syria / Egypt.
The vast majority of people voted in the KMT and prefer the status quo situation where they are formerly part of China but China leaves them alone.
The students want the constituion changed to declare full independence.
So I will be in Taipei soon, and will join the anti protestor protest! Just like what happened in the Ukraine.
Taiwans parliament has a history of 200 person kung fu fights, including men roundhousing women to the face and vice versa (check on youtube), but this is the first time its been occupied.
Earlier today before knowing about this news, I made a joke about the city hall leaving room for tanks to drive in to end a student uprising!
The Taiwan situation isnt newsworthy in any Australian news source I saw, at least not on the front page.
Let me remind you, the origial Ukraine protestors were concerned the president was too friendly with Russia. So they threw him the hell out, no election, no nothing.
Then the majority of people in whats now being called Crimea got nervous, really nervous, so they protested too.
Eventually they just decided to start their own country and rejoin Russia.
But remember, the Crimeans didnt start the protests or throw out the democratically elected president!
The same thing is happening in Thailand for many years, red vs blue.
Democracy working well.
Enough of my world political views, onto the boring photos.
Heading to find the bus, I couldnt resist a coconut Obun. Crispier outside than the ones in Adelaide, perhaps because they use some kind of oil spray that causes cancer.
If you want an LED tree, heres where you can get it. Classy.
One of many open drains in Taichung. They try and disguise them as parks, but they smell! I see random pipes of mystery liquid running into them.
Fengjia night market. I had read a website written by a German who was worried he would be trampled to death here. He was genuinely scared. Its not so busy tonight.
This puppy hates round eyes. I had to flee in terror.
The new taste sensation is, a block of frozen beef, part burnt with a blow torch, served in a paper bag.
More random streets around the night market. It was a cool place, it borders the biggest university, and caters for that crowd. However there were also lots of sit down restaurants on the streets nearby.
You can also buy strawberries.
Or shop for the latest fashions. So fashion.
Or, as always seems to happen to me, get attacked by the pedobear.
This place stuck out like a sore thumb, Tibetan cuisine.
I selected a place for dinner called Cha for Tea, for those that dont know, Cha means Tea in Chinese.
Anyway, I ordered 2 things, and was told no. I have to pick from a, b, c, and d, and then get a matching tea with each course.
I suggested this was too much money, I just want the 300NT ($10) thing I pointed at.
It was then explained to me that the deal described was $10.
So first up, and the pictures dont do it justice, some shredded celery and other things with a sesame and pureh tea sauce, and a wonton and green tea soup thing. Served with honey tea in a shot glass.
Next up is my entree and main, tofu in some kind of tea which was perhaps the highlight, so flavoursome! And stewed beef in some kind of tea soup.
I ate my dessert before photo, but it was a slice of cake with tea flavoured icing. The tea here though, in the little pot, was really delicious.
I think its brewed in the pot with the milk, but it tasted somehow different, a kind of malty flavour.
Thats enough about my awesome dinner. Taiwan cuisine > everything.
Walking back to the main bus road, and I found some new residential buildings. They are quite dark and mysterious.
Last one features me.
What you cant see is below me. I thought it was a hole for a building site as I walked past the other side.
Turns out its a big park with multiple levels of boardwalks, cafes and bizzarre LED lights suspended from trees. There were lots of people down there drinking bubble tea.