Brian Q. Webb
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That’s right, there’s only a week left until the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, which we all know will harbor the apocalypse just like October of this year [...]
I honestly don’t know why I don’t go here more often. It’s fairly close to my home, it’s got some great games for my kids to play, great food to eat, great shopping to do, and great culture to experience. Oh, and there are some great photographic opportunities, too.
So here are some pictures of Raohe Night Market in Taipei, taken during my most recent visit this past Saturday.
Today, October 10 2011, marks 100 years since the Wuchang uprising that sparked the end of the Qing Dynasty and the Imperial Era in China and the beginning of the Republic of China government. It has since survived World War II and the Maoist revolution to create the autonomous state of Taiwan and evolve there into the only example of Chinese self-governance in the totality of Chinese history.
Not bad for the first century.
Like Dasi Old Street in Taoyuan, Minquan Old Street in Sanxia was born in the early part of the 20th century. Like Daxi, it came out of being strategically located on a commercially-trafficked river. Unlike Dasi, as roads and rails replaced the rivers used to transport goods and reduced the commercial importance of such market hubs, Minquan Old Street didn’t really re-invent itself in any manner. It’s buildings and shops still appear as they would have decades ago in the time of our grand-and-great-grandparents.
One thing that I’ve discovered about Taiwan, especially outside of Taipei, is that people want you to know how they make things. Be it a food stall in a local night market, a piano factory in Taoyuan, or a bakery in the Sanxia district of New Taipei City (formerly Sanxia city).
This week’s featured street photos from Taipei are a pleasant mix of feeding hungry ghosts, umbrella, tofu, and a health dose of militarism. It’s just another typical week in the big city.
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