The way open air markets differ from US to Taiwan has been one of aspects of taiwan i have failed to embrace. In america I enjoy making food, going to the market, buying food, making food and best of all eating the food. In taiwan, when i end up going to open air markets vendors I already feel very out of place with the crowds of older women giving me funny looks. Regardless, to find the price of something, instead of being asked nicely if I need help I am expected to yell at the vendor about how much the price of something is, all the while josteling with fellow shoppers. In america , yelling at a vendor would be considered somewhat rude and I do it with a lot hesitation often resulting in me getting ignored. Another interesting aspect of taiwan markets is the lack of refrigeration, especially at the makeshift butcher shops. In america meat is usually prepared in a very clean room and with clean high tech instruments and then immediately refrigerated. Watching butchers in taiwan hang raw meat out for viewing is unsettling, in fact I cant bring myself to buy meat like that. Though i realize that most meat in Taiwan is probably prepared like that, it seems too unsanitary to me, and just pretend that meat isn't prepared like such.
Submitted to Wasai Taiwan by: Bobby Chang (Hsinchu)
related video:
street market in Taiwan
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