Anyone been to Taipei?

[JackWilson]

Thoughts on the city? If you've been, what was the highlight? What's the stuff I shouldn't miss out on.

P.S. The food sucks. My delicate Western palate is not appreciating it. Actually I'm just fussy about eating snake and eel and duck's heart and such.

[Slider]

I have - it's nice. My Dad had a factory there like 10 years ago. It's somewhat similar to the Philippines. If you search around enough, there are plenty of places to eat. However, the food is apt to make you do the "Hoo-Chi Minh Two Step." (I know that's a reference to Vietnam.. whatever).

BUT, there are pills you can take if you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I've been [censored] liquid for the past month in the Philippines due to the food but I started taking the pills and it helps a lot.

[AncientPC]

[censored] if you don't like the food there then there's no point in visiting Taipei. I'd be surprised if you found [censored] like snake / eel / duck's heart unless you were actively looking for it. Hit up the stand / hole in the wall restaurants and pig out. Try lots of different stuff, most of it really isn't that exotic.

Make sure to get your hepatitis shots and bring diarrhea medicine. Even something as simple as beef noodle soup is done infinitely better in Asia than US. If you're going in the winter go for the spicy hot pot. If you're going in the summer go for the mango shaved ice (if you can find a stand that substitutes shaved condensed milk it's even better).

[balkii]

i went to kaoshiung (sp?) which is 2nd largest city in taiwan last year. i'm with you the food blew.

i heard rumors of a place in taipei called "snake alley" where apparently they fight animals of different breeds, ie king cobra vs ostrich, chimpanzee vs man, etc

it would definitely be worth trying to find that place!

[BreakfastBurrito]

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i heard rumors of a place in taipei called "snake alley" where apparently they fight animals of different breeds, ie king cobra vs ostrich, chimpanzee vs man, etc

it would definitely be worth trying to find that place!

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I'm 99% sure those type stories are massively exaggerated. I spent six years of my childhood in Taipei, have been to snake alley and never saw or heard of anything close to this. Sounds like something someone might make up though.

[Zak]

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I heard rumors of a place in Taipei called "snake alley" where apparently they fight animals of different breeds, ie king cobra vs ostrich, chimpanzee vs man, etc

it would definitely be worth trying to find that place!

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I'm 99% sure those type stories are massively exaggerated. I spent six years of my childhood in Taipei, have been to snake alley and never saw or heard of anything close to this. Sounds like something someone might make up though.

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Hey yeah I'm Living in Taipei right now. As to the above Snake Alley isn't a rumor it really exists, just go to the Long Shan MRT exit its right in the area. You can drink snake blood, but I'm also pretty sure those kind of stories about ostrage v. chimp v. man are an exaggeration though I've never even heard them, and it sounds like a joke anyway. Mostly they used to have legal prostitution there, though now it’s been outlawed. You can drink snake blood mixed with alchol for all its noexistant health benefits.

As for what to see, It's city law that all foreigners have to go to at least one night market, but I don’t find them that impressive. I wouldn’t worry too much about the food, there’s lots of western food to be found everywhere, if all else fails you can just eat at Fridays or something of the like. The Chinese food here is really good, the cheaper the better usually. But real Chinese food is much different than the sweet western version. The same goes for real Japanese food. One of the great things about the city is that you can just wander on endlessly for hours and find very interesting things. Many foreigners like to go to the bars that cater to such people but the atmosphere in the Chinese bars is much better, and if you’re white, people might just buy you drinks!

The Taiwanese people are very embracing of foreigners so expect alot of attention, but its good attention. There English is pretty good depending on who you’re dealing with. Educated people have had a mandatory ten years of English, however most Taiwanese will not speak to you in English, but they understand everything you say.

Try the little green beetle nuts people chew on the side of the road for a little speed like rush. Might screw up your stomach though, oh and they give you cancer but a little wont hurt. Also for alcohols try Kaoliang it’s an alcohol unique to Taiwan it’s very strong and colorless like moonshine. It’s made from some roots and what not. For more information on an Internet forum you can go to www.forumosa.com or you can PM me. Have Fun!

[ktec]

I have been to Taipei twice. I cant really remember much about the city, just that I did go to some market where there were cobras and different other snakes presented. They were showing how they get the snake blood and snake poison.
It was quite funny, because me and my two friends (all 18-20) were very shy and the little girls (like 10 or so) were excited and went really close up to the people presenting the stuff.