Through the TV screen, we often follow the travel documentaries of people like master chef Anthony Bourdain or actress Joanna Lumley. As they travel the world, you will discover that whenever they visit a country they do not fail to explore its traditional markets, looking around, touching and smelling produce, and chatting. The markets are where they connect with local life.
Markets with unique local character can be said to be museums of local life. They are a window into the lives of residents and bear witness to the area’s development history.
Urban markets are like gardens where city folk can relieve stress. Shi-Dong Market in Taipei City’s Tianmu area has the friendly atmosphere of a traditional market as well as being a comfortable and energy-saving space. The Taipei Hope Plaza Farmers’ Market, originally founded to create commercial opportunities for agriculture in areas impacted by the 1999 Jiji Earthquake, enables producers and consumers to directly interact.
Taiwan is surrounded by ocean, so seafood is a must at any dining table. Fish markets throughout Taiwan are extraordinarily vibrant places.
Most traditional markets grew up around settlements. In those joyous spaces where people come and go and mutually beneficial transactions take place, you will find countless scenes of people mingling and interacting.
Prepare yourself to come with us into Taiwan’s markets, where you will rub shoulders with the crowd and make emotional connections with local people. If in the course of the journey you find an extra bunch of spring onions or a handful of hot peppers pressed upon you, or a stand owner warmly invites you to fill your mouth with a sample of food, don’t be alarmed, for this is what Taiwanese markets are all about!
