SHILIN NIGHT MARKET

THE Taipei night market par excellence! Built in 1899, the Shilin market is more than just a market hall. Sprawling, it now covers Datun, Danan, Wenli streets... These extensions have become a shopping paradise: ready-to-wear, leather goods, gadgets, jewellery? Just be aware that there is a certain uniformity in the prices charged by the different stands, so there is no need to haggle over prices. A haven for fashion victims, Shilin offers the latest fashion items: from trendy sneakers to the latest Hello Kitty collections, Shilin satisfies small budgets. Many shoe shops line the aisles, offering models at unbeatable prices. A resurgence of the important "made in Taiwan" phenomenon, they are made of imitation leather and plastic but are very resistant, especially when it rains. Fortune tellers, toy stores, CD stores complete the picture. In the oldest part of the market, the restaurants multiply infinitely as much as the culinary discoveries: grilled meats, pearl tea, Chinese noodles, sugar-coated fruits, oyster omelettes, sausages, fried tofu? Another delicacy is Taiwanese ice cream, which has nothing to do with what you can eat in France. Less caloric, they exist in all fragrances. On weekend evenings, the night market is invaded by a dense and compact crowd: agoraphobes will therefore go there during the week.