From 2015 to 2018, this is my third trip to Taipei alone.

That time in early summer three years ago happened to be my first overseas trip alone in my life.

Facts have proved that there is no preset that you can encounter surprises and touches beyond your expectations only when you just leave.

In 9 days and 10 nights, I traveled from Taipei to Kenting alone along the entire east coast. While measuring with my feet, "The most beautiful thing about Taiwan is not the scenery but the people", I gradually fell into the curse of "traveling alone can be addictive".

Extricate yourself.

Eight months later, I was itching to buy a plane ticket again and completed the round-the-island counterclockwise direction from west to east in 15 minutes.

Different from the first time I traveled purely as a tourist, this time I consciously chose various experiential itineraries in order to naturally integrate into the life of the locals ("local people") on a deeper level.

Realize interaction and communication with local culture.

If the first trip is like an appetizer, a low-key way to open up your hidden taste bud cells inadvertently, then the second trip is like a gorgeous main banquet, satisfying almost all your sensory experiences.

This gorgeousness is not a sudden attack on the taste, but a backnote that lingers between the tongue and throat, like the refreshingness of soda, the richness of milk, and the mellowness of coffee. Even if it no longer lingers, it is enough to linger for a long time.

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Because I miss this unique taste and smell of Taiwan so much, I recently planned a third trip.

But seriously, there really was no “plan” on this trip.

In a short 7-day trip to Taipei and Tainan, I spent half time in the artistic city and the nostalgic ancient city.

Apart from booking two super nice hosts on Airbnb, I didn’t make any preparations.

Because I just want to "waste" seven days of lazy, leisurely and comfortable time luxuriously, meeting old friends, walking on the street, chatting with interesting people, or just being alone in a daze.

The most profound memories of Taipei are often not in the map guides you have studied with great concentration, but in those random walks in the streets and alleys.

Walking on the streets of Taipei, there are lyrics you have heard and place names you have read everywhere. It is like the names of old friends, and it is effortless to pronounce them.

You don’t need to rush or have a clear destination. There are coffee shops, bookstores and cultural and creative shops hidden everywhere here.

Because I am too nostalgic for the scenery along the way, I often sit by the window of the bus and accidentally stop.

So, what kind of hidden niche list did I discover during this spontaneous and self-liberating journey?

Here are some recommendations from my private collection: night markets, scenic spots, bars, bookstores, music spaces, and of course my host. They are all interesting places and interesting people that I explore with my friends.

When talking about Taiwan, we cannot fail to mention night markets.

The first time I went to the night market, it was just for a feast; the second time, I began to understand that "food is a witness to history and the best entrance to understanding a city. The beauty of snacks reveals the character of the city."

Later, I gradually discovered that the existence of night markets is not just a gastronomic phenomenon, but is actually a type of public space spontaneously formed in the community, which condenses phenomena such as spatial planning, economic behavior, interpersonal interaction and even ethnic differences.

It is the best window to observe local life and culture.

I have always believed that if you want to understand a city, you must understand what, where and how the locals eat.

Looking back now, the symbolic meaning of the night market seems to have just verified my unwritten idea.

Therefore, if you want to observe local life by visiting the night market, you must go to a night market that is relatively local and traditional - here I recommend you the South Airport Night Market.

"South Airport" is located at the intersection of Wanda Road, Section 2, Zhonghua Road. It is not really an airport, but an old place name left over from the Japanese colonial era. It was a training ground and military airport for the Japanese army. Compared with Songshan Airport in the north, it is called "South Airport".

Airport".

After 1949, this area became the place with the highest density of military dependents’ villages in Taipei. Today, the appearance of the old military dependents’ villages in the early days has disappeared.

After years of rising prices, the many delicious snacks at South Airport Night Market are still affordable and affordable, maintaining the traditional taste.

My good friend Zhihao who took me there jokingly called it a “slum” in Taipei.

But the reality is not what you imagine a slum to look like, but it is now the most disadvantaged community in Taipei City.