We’ve been moving around Tainan at a pretty active pace, so today we decided to move a bit slower. It’s hot and humid so we’re finding that we need to do laundry often. It’s a good off-day activity. Larry is a whizz at using Google Maps to find laundromat locations but reading maps in Chinese was a challenge. It took us over an hour to find the location but once there, a helpful attendant told us all we needed to know. The machine (made by a Japanese company) did the washing and drying in the same machine for about $5.00 U.S. The entire wash/dry cycle took an hour and we were able to leave to have lunch while we waited.
The Christmas Market just opened here! Recordings of Jingle Bells and other American favorite holiday tunes are playing non-stop.
This evening, we went to a Night Market in search of some good food. We took a bus part of the way so that we could walk from there to the market. We took a wrong turn and ended up in a dark alley. A young man on a motor scooter stopped and asked where we were trying to go. He said that it would be best for us to take a taxi. He then diverted from his route and rode his motorcycle to the main street, hailed a cab for us, and told the driver where to take us. It was such a kind gesture . Nowhere else in the world have we encountered people as gracious and kind as the Taiwanese.
The market was fun with dozens of food stalls to choose from…selling colorful balls of gelatin, stinky tofu, chicken fingers, and chocolate banana pancakes to name a few. These night markets have a carnival vibe, sort of like a miniature state fair.
The sunset this evening was pink – an interesting background for this blue creature lurking on the other side of the street.
We have a two more days here before we move back to Taipei for the last days of our trip.