上班族必備軟實力

[Richard has logged 18 years in Taiwan, but he rarely goes to these markets. He’s not a shopper.]

You can still find these in the big city. They may not be as numerous as they once were, but on a weekday morning in Taipei, you can watch as homemakers pull small, 2-wheeled shopping carts to one of the city’s traditional markets to collect a few days worth of food for large and busy households. The markets are stocked with fresh vegetables, fruits, and fish. It is tasty, healthy, and inexpensive produce.

Coming Back from Market

There used to be many of these small markets in Taipei. They could be found in most neighborhoods. You just had to know where they were, because there were no signs to point the way. Some places had a permanent setup with booths and stalls, and others were makeshift with vendors staking out spots on the ground with blankets or newspapers to display their goods on. In these modern times the traditional markets are being replaced with convenience stores and grocery chains.

If you want seafood, it is important to get to the market early. If you are too late, all the good stuff will be gone. Fish are caught at night and brought to the docks in the early morning. Buyers go to the docks to search for the best deals on the prettiest fish and bring their purchases to the city to be sold in the traditional markets.

There are a lot of vegetables. You can get the freshest lettuce. There are orange carrots that had been in the ground just hours before. I’m not even going to mention the rhubarb. Don’t get me started on the rhubarb. Lettuce, spinach, and onions are plentiful as well.

And then there’s the fruit. The fruit in Taiwan is one of the best features of the island. There is variety, taste, and beauty. The markets offer the best and the freshest. Starfruit, grapefruit, oranges, apples, and bananas are just a small sample of the wonderful tasty experience that is waiting in Taiwan. Thank you for reading.