… and second impressions!

As everything has its right side, I gave a second oportunity to our new city.

As if by magic, my second weekend in Taipei (the first one we made some emergency shopping) it was very sunny (like if it was Spring!) and we went to have a walk around the city.

The light gives another colour to the city and it allows you to look everywhere, from side to side, and to the sky, looking to all signs and panels up to the buidings, and all that without get wet beause of the rain ;(

Even if the day is more clear, the buildings continue to be ugly. But from time to time you can find some hidden temple that breaks the monotony whit its colours and its pointed and ondulate shape. Here the temples are as for European people the Catholics Churches: once you have seen one, you have seen all. For the moment, we still enjoy if we found anyone and look at all ornaments they have.

In general, the city is very chaotic!  There are cars everywhere and people drive on their own way. You have to play attention to not be knoked down by any car ot motorbike on the crosswalk!! But there are also some smalls streets, comercial or residential, that are more quiet. In some neighborhoods, these small streets are full of shops and restaurants, all together! So, you can have a look to some clothes while you are smelling the food.

It’s very common to eat outside all along the streets, or in restaurants, so you have many places to chose. There are some  “occidental bars” and sometimes we appreciate to eat there. But, I have to say, a beer or cafe can be as much expensive as a one or two dinners in some other places!!

In general, the most hard to get used to it are the smells and and the food. As there are lots of food stalls all over the streets, and they often cook with soya sauce, you can not scape from all the smells and get impregnate wih some … aromas. A speciality of the country is the “stinky tofu“, and yes, I don’t know how they do it but it really stinks! There  are some smells difficult to describe, but it would be like a mix of something sour, rancid, and sometimes with a sweet touch.

Well, so here we are! A little bit of tourism an discovering new things everyday!!