Food

I suppose I'll start off this blog with a favorite pastime. 
One of the largest differences between Eastern cities and Chicago, let's say, is the sheer number of places (and variety!) that one can find something on the go, sitting down, while driving your flashy moped, etc.  Food and drink is cheap and everywhere in Taipei.  Even if you were to have no home, car, air conditioning, job, or true love - this is still at least one thing you can still buy: the baozi on the nearest street corner.  A person could live on $1 USdollar a day if they knew where to go.  And this isn't just market snacks, but actual meal stuffs.  On the other hand, those who were hit hardest during the most recent turn of the economy in America know all too well that $1 is less than pocket change - good for a snickers bar, if even that.

Even more interesting is the art of food-getting in the narrow streets, often smelling of steamed something or hairy pig.  The other day my coworkers shepherded me around some of these streets getting the day's lunch.  I expected us to choose a sit down noodle restaurant and then return to the office.  I wasn't joking when I mentioned I was being shepherded around.  We ended up going to 6 different places, picking and choosing what looked good and compiling it all.  It was like going to a Forever 21 store*** and sailing among rows of food.  This, I was okay with.  This, I could definitely live with.

As I sat down to partake in the many things in front of my face (and stomach), I wondered what exactly made getting food in Taiwan exciting.  I know that the fact that America doesn't offer certain kinds of things (like pig's feet, a green vegetable I'll call "spicy plant", taro root, etc) as a "regular" meal (but, of course, can be found....).  But it's something else.....maybe the fact that something so necessary and foundational to any place is so easily accessible.

***Forever 21: clothing store that is brimming with anything and everything.  A guy's worst nightmare.