What are yous doing this year? We ran out of the last thread, so let's get going again.Picrel - saw a definite channer in Frank a while ago, what do you fellers do on your days off?
>>2832780>What are yous doing this year?sitting at home saving money
>>2832780Going back in February for a few months, really want to do a multiday hike. Taroko looks cool, not sure if anons have any advice
>>2832780do they have minimum spend at that bar? i always found the minimum spend a weird thing in taiwan.
>>2832780Which bar is this? Would look ideal to visit with my gf. I considered going to Taiwan but my friend said it was quite boring. However it looks quite nice at a glance.
>>2832844Dunno if there's any multi-day hikes in Taroko, though the many day hikes there are all great.Xueshan is a good 2-dayer, or you can make it part of a 3-4 day loop you can do.
>>2832780Cleaning.
>>2832875And crying.
>>2832878And smoking.
Demolishing URANUS Building after the quake left it leaning took two weeks. All highways into and out of Hualien were closed, yet life in the city continued as normal. How? The railroads were open.
My bad, that was a building that collapsed in Keelung, where I was staying when the quake hit. My hotel rumbled very loudly, and plaster popped out of the walls in multiple places. I stayed in bed and wondered if the whole thing would come crashing down. But it didn't.Picrel is UR ANUS building
Nine people got trapped in a cave following this earthquake. Sounds funThe workers at my hotel resumed drilling concrete about 30 seconds after the quake subsided. I could hear a quiet hubbub from the street below where many people had left their buildings to congregate. But normal commerce resumed after less than ten minutes.
>>2832854no idea>>2832855bar is called Frank. the view is nice, but everything is super expensive. check the reviews, not especially highly rated
Ive been to Japan a couple times and want to go to Taiwan this winterWhat would you say is different and better/worse about Taiwan?Is the hostel culture mostly late 20s/early 30s like japan seems to be?
I went in late August/early September. Got an absolutely horrific sun/sweat rash and had to spend my last two days in the hotel applying various ointments because even stepping into sunlight aggravated it. I had a lot of fun before that, though. Beautiful country. >>2832938I live in Japan. Taiwan has better food, especially street food, and a greater variety as well. Japan has bidets - might not seem like a big deal at first but to me they're an integral part of life at this point. In many other respects Taiwan is basically Japan with Chinese people, at least insofar as Taipei is concerned. There were probably a dozen times I caught myself thinking "oh, this neighborhood looks like that one place in Tokyo" or "this reminds me of when I was walking in Osaka." IMO Taiwan has better English support if you need that kind of thing. Taiwanese people were more or less just as shy as Japanese people in Japan, but the Japanese tourists I met in Taiwan were nothing like they are back home, very chill, chatty, and friendly. Might just be a vacation mentality. Taiwanese McDonald's was better, too.
>>2832981>no bidetsDamn, are the seats heated at least? My body does real well in Japan and actually i start to have a lot of no wipe shits unlike here in the US . I have hot grease shitsWere the locals chill and quiete like Japaanese or loud and annoying like Chinese?How much did the hotel rooms that you rubbed lotion on your skin cost?
>>2833058>Damn, are the seats heated at leastMy hotel's were not, but it was only a 3 star. I've heard the really nice hotels do have bidets but can't confirm. I remember the only bidet I saw was airside at the airport on my way back to Japan. >Were the locals chill and quiete like Japaanese or loud and annoying like Chinese?When I was just out and about they were very quiet and polite, and basically kept to themselves. The metro was also very much like in Japan, minimal talking and noise. No gaijin bubble like in Japan, though. At restaurants, however - especially the more hole in the wall type places and night market food courts - there was a lot of chatter. I can't speak Chinese so any time I would hear people ordering it would sound like they were arguing with the cashier. >How much did the hotel rooms that you rubbed lotion on your skin cost?IIRC it was just a touch over 250 USD for 5 days and 5 nights. Wasn't a bad hotel by any means, like I said it was 3 stars, basically the Taiwanese equivalent of a standard Japanese business hotel like APA or Dormy Inn. Location was smack dab in the middle of Ximindeng.Also something I remembered as I was writing this review, apparently a lot of businesses there offer incentives or rewards for their customers to glaze them on social media, so you'll find the most random restaurants, museums, hotels, bars, etc. with thousands if not tens of thousands of 5* reviews on Google Maps and other travel sites. Be aware of that and do your due diligence when planning.
>>2832981I live in Taiwan and everywhere I have been to has a bidet. Can't comment on Japan because I haven't been there but I think the general feeling here is that Taiwanese are more friendly than Japanese but Japan is a cleaner and less chaotic place. Taiwanese cities are not pretty to look at and they can be a bit dangerous with the scooters and lack of sidewalks on some streets.
>>2832935Thanks brother. Shame really, Taiwan seems cool though and I'd love to see the night together with the gf. Might divert to HK.
>>2833065Thx for the intel Anything else worth mentioning for a solo traveler that likes to fuck off into some small towns and experience some weird shit?
>>2833058In Taiwan I had an old street bum try to steal my bag at an open-air laundromat while I was sitting inside, and a drunk youth sped his motorcycle onto the sidewalk at me, parked and then half fell off his motorbike and flung his helmet into the ground as I was walking by. I admonished him in Spanish (for the lulz) and some other old people walking nearby gave him stern looks but didn't say anything.
>>2832938My anecdote>3 years in Taipei, lived in Guting/Dongmen areaBeen to every corner of the country including surrounding islands except for Kinmen. Didn't learn the language, local girlfriend was my full time tour guide.>4 years in Japan, lived in Tokyo/Minato/Shinagawa area for 2, countryside for 2Been to every corner as well except for Hokkaido. Speak the language, have/had multiple full time local tour guides.I don't know what kind of person you are and what you want to do when visiting a foreign country, but here's how I would compare Taipei vs Tokyo.>foodTaipei no contest. Obviously subjective, you might like raw fish more but I'm not a fan.>womenTaipei no contest, also subjective. Tokyo has more variety but fuck me if the women around City Hall/Xiangshan/Zhongshan aren't all the mean looking hot chick with sharp eye liner type. Per capita they're more open to gyms and fitness in general.>cyclingTaipei. Bike paths and actual bike lanes. Rental bikes in almost every train/bus stop with a single tap of your transit card.>hikesTaipei is surrounded by mountains. Easy access to trailheads. Open/public/natural hot springs and other watering holes. Japan is famous for hot springs but it's a very sterilized experience inside some kind of establishment. Good luck jumping in a lake/river/waterfall, fun patrol will be on your ass shortly. Meanwhile all I had to do was drive up Yangmingshan, go to any trailhead with some water feature and guaranteed I will find other people having fun and getting wet.>weatherDog shit in Taipei. Overcast/rainy winter. The entirety of January can go by without the sun every showing up.>hostelsNo clue.Overall, I like Japan more but I'm living life like a hermit in the woods, but if I had to stay in a city and choose between Taipei or Tokyo, then it's Taipei all the way.If there's one thing I can suggest, I would suggest not visiting Taipei during winter. A few hours south and you'll find yourself in a sunny place.
>>2833255Nice man.Any smaller towns to reccomend in the middle or southern part of the island worth chilling in for a couple weeks this winters?Do coomers visit taiwan? No soaplands?
>>2833386I like outdoorsy stuff so that's what I can recommend. I've never been to these places during winter so things might be different.Central would be Nantou, Sun Moon Lake area.Southern has to be Kenting. The main road turns into a night market at night.How long will you be in Taiwan for? If you have a few extra days, stop by Taichung and go to DIVECUBE HOTEL 台中潛立方. Hotel with an indoor pool, 20 or 30 meters deep I can't remember. Take a scuba or freediving course, get a basic license in a day or two, maybe on your next trip you'll find yourself with some diving opportunities.These are all easily accessible places with public transport.
>>2832780>yous Stupid yankee detected
>>2833255>Didn't learn the language, local girlfriend was my full time tour guide.I honestly never understood people who are happy living their life like this.
>>2833524Not even close. I thought it would give me away instantly.
>>2833255>Overall, I like Japan morethere's almost nothing positive about Japan in your post, why do you like it?
>>2833542I compared Taipei and Tokyo, not the entire country. Just the fact that I can snowboard in Japan throws the balance off completely. Language is also a lot easier to learn.>>2833538That's why I left.
hitting maji square and the bars next weekend any anons up for a drink?
>>2833255>fuck me if the women around City Hall/Xiangshan/Zhongshan aren't all the mean looking hot chick with sharp eye liner typecompletely unapproachable though in my experiencebut yes that specific part of Taipei has some tip top pussy
>>2833553>Language is also a lot easier to learn.japanese is easier than chinese?really?tones vs complex morphology... i think id say tones are easierplease tell me why japanese is easier - i want to believe
>>2833742You don't have to believe and I'm not here to convince you either.If you think Chinese is easier, then I'm happy for you. Personally speaking from my own experience, I find Japanese much easier just based on the fact that I can absorb new things on a daily basis by being able to listen to conversations, read Kana, know how to ask questions and describe things if I don't know the right word. Would things have been different if I reached this level in Chinese? Maybe, not that it matters to me anymore.
>>2832854>minimum spendThe max I've ever seen is a few hundred which is weird because it's like 2 beers in fancy places but then I saw locals turn up and order literally the bare minimum with 5 people and sit there for half the night so think it's probably fair. Drinks are completely overpriced when going out compared to just buying them in familymart and drinking there on their admittedly more comfortable stools
>>2833586>ZhongshanFeel like I missed out never visiting here. Many people seem to speak highly of it.Anywhere place in particular there worth going to for food/nightlife?
>>2833795>compared to just buying them in familymartDo you understand how lucky you are to live in a place where you can buy a dollar beer at a 7/11 and drink it right then and there, or sit on the front stoop and people-watch. This is the peak of human happiness; think of us, all of us, who suffer for the want of this simple, yet immeasurable joy. Take it for granted and I'll kill you.
>>2832780whats the hoe situation here, able to get over here in the next few weeks >price>red lights?>ladyboys>street walkers?>strippers?
>>2834579It's really not as fun as you think it is. Taiwan is such a buttoned-up and aging society; you drink silently and get a lame, depressive buzz. Everyone ignores you, the weird white guy. Good luck finding a rubbish bin for that can.
>>2834637or you could drink with friends if you want to. there are garbage bins inside family marts at 711also i like being ignoredhit me with something bad
>>2834019I'm >>2833586 I was responding mostly about City Hall/Xiangshan, I don't think I've ever even been to Zhongshan. ask >>2833255
>>2832938Been to both countries a handful of times You've made the right decision to go at winter, Taiwan's a tropical island and summer is torture. In general the people are more laid-back and chill, food quality is comparable to Japan if not better, and cheaper. The infrastructure and general visual appeal is poorer. The place is safe from a crime perspective, but they really haven't designed the roads and walks to be friendly to pedestrians. Also pretty much every building has this grimy, smudgy look on the walls thanks to the humid climate. If you like that cyberpunk aesthetics then Taipei's for you - rainy, cramped, small pockets of organic charm among a vast sea of brutal man-made structures, advanced digital technology side-by-side with an apparent disregard for organised planning. >>2833386You come across signs and billboards advertising those type of services - using enthusiastic language to extol their diverse staff hailing from Vietnam, Phillipines, etc.
>>2833386all east asians are coomers, there are cooming industries available in every east asian city of any decent sizefear not, dear coomer, if you are in asia you can buy pussy easily and quickly so stop worrying about it already
Will someone please turn off this rain?
>>2833553>That's why I left.do those 3 years feel like a waste of time now?
>>2835633No, I look at that period now as an extended vacation with an extended summer fling.
>>2834632Its not thailand little bro. Taipei imports young prostitutes or gives you very old ones, and you boutta pay 100 bucks per hour. Ladyboys arent a thing here. Youve got your run off the mill trans chinese and what they entail but no "ladyboys". Honestly, if you're getting any premium tier sub for a dating app you should have a guaranteed fuck provided you are not hideous. More bang for your buck, literally.
>>2835624NoYou're gonna get wet, and you're gonna stay wet because nothing dries in your stuffy little room with a RH of 80%. I hated Taiwanese rain.
>"The room has a desk"Meanwhile in reality
Their most cultured streets are not too special
>>2834708>If you like that cyberpunk aesthetics then Taipei's for you - rainy, cramped, small pockets of organic charm among a vast sea of brutal man-made structures, advanced digital technology side-by-side with an apparent disregard for organised planning.it is a poor city with some expensive apartment complexes. it is the 1990s.
>>2833795i went to restaurants with a minimum spend and once you looked at the prices it was really just saying that everyone in the party had to order and pay for something. which is weird in practice. is it common for people to go to a italian restaurant and have people not eat?
>>2837122sounds bleak thanks m8i'll try grinder i guess when i land thanks
>>2832780Just booked a couple of weeks in Wanhua District Taiwan.As a monger/coomer what am I in for?
>>2837439when u going? jan 2026?
>>283282980 more years and you can live your real life
>>2837836>when u going? jan 2026?Last week of november/1st week of december.
>>2838005got any monger info i cant find shit
>>2838103Apparantly Wanhua and Keelung are the places for those activities. I'll report back once I've been.
>lowering the standard of classy Taiwan generals like it's some filthy seamonkey thread>>2837439>>2838103Alright just one post: >Longshan Temple>Linsen North rdLiterally impossible to avoid at night> Czech ForumGirls all over the place renting short term rooms2000-3000 is reasonable for a honey, under that and she'll likely not match the pic or be way older than in the pic. Over that means prob gweilo tax, though I'm sure there's some stunners around if you want to pay up. Safe and easyhttps://www.jkforum.net/p/forum-1128-1.html>Openly advertised glowing lights massage placesNever worth it>Single small sign out front upper floor massage placesome good some not, it's very independent, usually just 1 or 2 staff >SaunasNever been to one but looks worth it one time, lot of other things to doApparently not seedy at all, ho's kept away from the main place upstairs Caesars is the most famous >>2837122>>2837248>Ladyboys arent a thing herewut, I get hounded by Pinoy lb's in Ximen all the time, they're fucking annoying, be soliciting me while flying past on a linkbike lol. Definitely a thing, but it's not visible outside of there
>>2837137That street is actually quite special because look, they actually have organised parking spots for scooters. In Taipei, an average street is everybody for himself when it comes to parking
>>2838506Taiwan feels more orderly compared to Southeast Asia, but the mere presence of so many scooters and motorbikes makes it not quite First World tier.
This night market under an overpass in Yilan city was as chaotic as anything you'll find in mainland Asia, with motorcycles going through heavy pedestrian traffic and the air full of cooking fumes.
>>2838541That's the funny thing, if you were to take about a 30min ride from central, the newer suburbs are much cleaner, organised, and spacious. Ironically the heart of the city looks third world, but the suburbs resemble the first world
Did anyone else just get woken up at 7am by an alarm and a lady screaming or was that just my specific hotel playing a funny joke.
>>2838803No, the whole country has 7 am alarms and screaming women, first time traveler.
I can't handle the heat and high humidity. When is the best time for me to visit Taipei?
>>2838848depth of winter
>>2838834Man... must have been the hotels fire alarm. I was thinking maybe it was a city wide thing like an earthquake alarm but i suppose you get them on your phone not hotel PA system. Nothing like waking up to an ear piercing alarm and a voice yelling instructions in a language you don't understand. Gave me a fucking heart attack. Loved my first day here despite the rude awakening though. Night markets are amazing.
>>2838349where exactly in Ximen friend did these Lbs show up>i need this info to finish a quest
>>2839014anybody
>>2838803Didn't notice the daily ice cream trucks either?
>>2840391I stayed in a fun Airbnb in Xindian in Taipei this time last year, the only problem was the room faced the top of a valley. You could hear those god damn trucks for hours every day.
I was in Taiwan recently for a few weeks around the end of September. It feels like early 2000s aesthetic of Japan but filled with Chinese people with the clash of Western influence. Certainly unique. Both places have some similarities-- quiet, polite, reserved people, no trash cans but very little litter, 7/11s on every other corner (Taiwan also has Family Marts), good public transit, generally prompt and organized and clean, and very safe Some ways Taiwan felt a little behind the times, some spaces felt cluttered, like people hang on to too much junk. Many places still cash only. But a pretty relaxed place overall. Anons here seem to like Taiwan food better than Japan, but for me it was the opposite. There also seems to be no health code of any kind in Taiwan. I had a hard time finding bidets in Taiwan and outside of Tapei would still find squat toilets and many without toilet paper (in Keelung for example)Alcohol rules are non existent, it can be sold 24/7 but there isn't much of a bar culture. The closet place I could find were "rechao" restaurants and the night markets were fun too. Another plus, Taiwan is less expensive than Japan.Coomers could easily find a better desto, but it's def a unique holiday due to the influence of cultures.
>>2840624Sorry for the boomer crop I'm retarded and gay
>>2839014NTA but I would assume anywhere around the Red House you'll find plenty of LBs at given times of day or night. When I was checking in to my hotel across the street there was a Thai LB in front of me in line, I tried to make conversation with her and she walked away kek.
>>2840624thanks m8
>>2838542I got my best-ever scallion pancake there.Don't remember it being that chaotic though.
>>2840624>There also seems to be no health code of any kind in Taiwan.As much as people love to meme about gutter oil in China, the reality is it's mostly a Taiwan thing.
So guys,I am off to Taiwan next week, will be in Taipei.Anything I absolutely must see/do?
>>2840924One of these thingies? I wasn't too impressed with the flavor of the one I got. Couldn't read the Chinese menu, so I pointed to a random item and that's what I got.
>>2841948that's danbing 蛋餅
Been in Taipei for 3 days. It's a fucking boring shopping mall hole. Like Singapore but way uglier and dirtier. I'm gonna hop to China like I should have in the first place.
>>2841957What are the main tourist attractions there? I want to travel to Taiwan in 5 years and I don't know if I should stay entirely in Taipei or travel to Kaohsiung as well?
>>2841957Funny that my impression of Taipei is that it's a vibrant place with a lot of authenticity, and lots of green space. If you dropped me in China I'd leave the plastic cities to look for a vibe similar to Taipei.
>>2842083>>2842083wth does "authenticity" mean to a bug like you? lmfao
>>2841663Beitou hotsprings is niceDon't do Juifen on a weekend unless you can put up with large Chinese crowds
>>2841957>t. Stayed in some shit districtI'll continue to enjoy Da'an thanks
>>2841663In Taipei city itself? I'd say the National Palace Museum being a must-go, there are artifacts there you won't find in China, brought over by the KMT after the civil war. Or you can probably check out Taipei 101 (tallest building in the world for a brief time in history). If you're a tech geek, then the Guanghua tech mallOtherwise my best advise it not to spend all your time in Taipei city. Take a ride to Tamsui, or Gaosiung, etc, and check out the sea side. If you're ready to rent a car, you can plan your seaside drive
>>2840985Why would it be a thing in Taiwan when they have a higher GDP per capita than South Korea and Japan? You're just making shit up
>>2840624That's a comfy pic, albeit sideways.What's a rechao? Google isn't helping. > It feels like early 2000s aesthetic of Japan but filled with Chinese people with the clash of Western influence. Certainly unique. Honestly the main draw for me, you're not going to find anything like it elsewhere> like people hang on to too much junkI stayed in a townhouse rental that you could only get to by a walking path up through these tiny moss and vines covered alleyways and all the old people who lived there horded so much shit it was unreal, like a half a hardware store out the front of their house
>>2833476>divecube hotelWhy does America have to be so... undesirable compared to east Asia.
>>2842603rechao is 熱炒, you should be able to search for this on google maps. They're a bit like a Taiwanese izakaya, serving stir frys and beer. They're better to go with friends desu so you can share more dishes
>>2840624>there isn't much of a bar culturethe areas around Taipei 101 have some of the coolest bars I've been to, plus people drinking on the streets like crazy. really fucking fun place
>>2842567I'm not arguing with your point since the anon you replied to is clearly a retard, but at the same time GDP is probably the most useless metric for Taiwan. It's a poor shithole that survives economically and politically because of TSMC, the GDP is not reflected in people's wealth at all
>>2842083>If you dropped me in China I'd leave the plastic cities to look for a vibe similar to Taipei.the similar vibe is found in all the tier 2 cities. just replace the 101 building with a China Telecom 40 story tower and taipei is a small provincial capital.
>go to louisa>order a coffee>see a dude (late teens? early 20s?) inside diligently tracing a picture of an anime girl off twitter>”cool picture dude, looks great”>he looks up with pure fear in his eyes, says nothing>sit down outside to enjoy my coffee>2 minutes later a taiwanese woman with a ~10 year old black kid in tow sits down at the table next to mine>i leaveSo I guess I’ll try Beitou tomorrow.
>>2843394KEK the lad went to a public place to work and was spooked when contacted by someone. How will he ever transcend his isolated world and meet great adventurers? Cute of you bothNo papa with the Taiwanese mommy?
I'm excited and nervous for my trip, bros. I speak pretty decent mandarin. I hope the locals don't mind if I chat with them. The the aunties there friendly?
>>2843394>>”cool picture dude, looks great”I hate Americans so much. Just shut the fuck up
>>2843423angsty and neurotic european hands typed this post
>>2843394Think I've seen maybe a dozen black people in Taiwan after half a year of being there And that's only ever in Ximending where my office is, they all seemed very obviously American too.>>2843410Plenty will just talk to you in Mandarin, outside the main tourist areas they assume you might just live there and speak the language. I stay 15min out of the city and everyone starts off in Mandarin rather than English
>>2843506Hot fucking damn, maybe I don't need to subject myself to the extra financial, logistical, border services, language barrier, and safety burdens in mainland China if I can speak Mandarin and GAWK at creatures like THISHonestly, I view China as another dimension that requires determination and courage to enter AND exit because it's appears to difficult, rare and exotic
>>2843533Unless you are horrendously retarded China isn't really that difficult to travel in, even tier 3 cities where you're the only white personProblem is most tourists are retarded and think the world revolves around them rather than putting in the effort required.I wouldn't consider Taiwan that much easier apart from many speaking English and no visa issues. Monthly rentals are a massive pain compared to other Asian countries. And you need to literally go into a Telco store in business hours to buy a new SIM card after 30 days, you can't just top it up or buy a new one at Familymart.I can buy an esim for China in 30 seconds
>>2843533>GAWK at creatures like THIS...what...that is a very mid public cosplay thotif you think that is attractive or unusual you are going to lose your mind in taiwan
>>2834637>Drinking outside familymart>Everyone ignores you, the weird white guy.I've done this a lot as a 5/10 white Timmy in Japan. Cute girls or groups almost always started talking to me. Does this happen in Taiwan? How else can I meet girls and is it easier/harder than Japan?
Red pill me on Taiwan. I saw flights were cheap here. What can you do there that's fun?
>>2843611>>Drinking outside familymartI drink inside on the seats, so do locals, it's not a weird white guy thingMaybe buy some food if you are overly self-conscious about this shit. No one cares, truly.
>>2843551She's much more than mid when I compare her nice body to the women I see in america. She looks slim, tight, with no ugly tattoos. Beauty
为什么可乐总是要加冰
I would like to live with some locals during December to help me learn Chinese. I am current at hsk3. Is there a specific site for this "homestay" experience? I would also expect them to be cheaper, but that's not my aim. I don't want Chinese lessons from the hosts.
I'm an American born Taiwanese, but I've never been to Taiwan. Is it true that I'll get hated on because of this? My mandarin is decent but I can't read shit
I feel like I should visit Taiwan before, well, things get "hot" because local dictators just can't stay sit and be happy with what they already have.I already went to japan 3 times. What would be a nice itinerary, for, say 2 weeks of holidays? I'm usually not too much of a modern city guy, bars and nightlife aren't my thing at all, but despite this, I ended up liking Tokyo. Mainly because I'm a /p/fag and I feel Taipei would give me the same vibes, which is good in my book. So lets say at least 5 days in Tapei, counting the arrival day and departure day.What can I visit next? I'm very much into nature/hiking, are Toroko gorges still closed down due to that earthquake a few years ago? Also ideally I want to see kino mountainous coastal views, so I guess the area facing the pacific ocean would fit the bill.Any other nice areas/national parks/whatever I could visit?Ideally I don't want to rent a car, I already hate driving at home, it's even worse in a foreign country. This is why I like going to Japan, you can go to a lot of place just by train, even in their mountainous areas.
Glad I left Taiwan after 4 yearsInstantly quadrupled my salary by leaving and returning to my home country
>>2843921The general Taipei experience for someone without a family is a sharehouse. Did 2 months in a placd with 3 other rooms. Definitely different to share housing in the west though, you could sorta never speak to any of them if you wanted and no one would mind or think much of it.We would go out for food and they'd tolerate my shit mandarin though. Was sweet actually, instant local friends in a way.
>>2843963I doubt it, but then again don't know what goes on with subtle shit.There's a shitload of American Taiwanese in the country, it's hard to not run into one eventually. Never heard locals speak anything of it other than mentioning having family friends in the states
>>2844193sounds dope! How'd you locate their room for rent?
>>2840637they're not "ladyboys" as much as they are trans, most of them. ladyboy culture is a Thai thing. >>2842194I'd do the NPM and CKS memorial hall in the same day (the museum inside isn't that big), you get to take in the view, and you can then go to Ximen and shit which is basically Taiwan's smaller cuter and strangely enough, cleaner - version of Shibuya>>2840624Yeah what I like about Taipei and Taiwan in general is that it has layers and one travel experience alone doesn't get you everything. There is a pretty big bar culture, but it takes knowing a little mandarin and hanging around the locals to figure those places out, especially since they're grouped in certain neighborhood that you might just simply miss altogether.>>2843921you don't really need that homestay shit. Half of taiwan is made of people eager to do a "language exchange", and i'm not talking about sex here - people are just that curious about foreigners and sometimes it is a good pretext to not haev to deal with the loneliness. Contrary to what the socially awkwards tards in taiwan think, it is really that easy to meet people and make friends. It's just that Taiwanese people (and asians in general) only befriend someone if they have a good reason to. A language exchange is a good one, but there are many ways to skin a cat.As for your HSK, get ready to learn a whole new way of reading, writing and pronouncing Chinese that you're probably not ready to deal with. I do recommend you stick with your mainland pronunciation. It'll help with clarity, and no one will think much of it (you're just a foreigner with a foreign accent), and to refuse any course that involves learning bopomofo, as pinyin is already as good as it for us white men.
>>2844509>get ready to learn a whole new way of reading, writing and pronouncing ChineseYes, it seems like everyone pronounces things differently. I don't know if I should imitate them, or continue speaking how I've learnt. E.g. this girl says "Chi shxi (??) lai yi ding fei chang hao chi" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttqbu7C42wE&t=465s. And then the X is either pronounced like Sh or Ch or X. In german class half the kids said Ich and the other half said Ish, and the teach didn't correct anyone. I didn't enjoy that non-consensus on just a common word.>pinyin is already as good as it for us white menI haven't heard of bopomofo before, interesting pinyin proved insufficient for some people (or did pinyin not make it's way to them in time, so they invented their own?)>it takes knowing a little mandarin and hanging around the localsI'm looking forward to this, I spent too much time being a lang-let in other countries. It was a big reason for choosing china as a travel destination.>>2844193>Did 2 months in a placd with 3 other rooms.How'd you discover the room for rent? Some analog of fb marketplace?
>>2844085Got me a bit curious, what did you work with? How did you get into working in Taiwan? And what are the salaries like?
So... I haven't spoken to another human for the past 2 months, and now I'm expected to visit Asia for 2 months and speak Chinese. I'm living in an entirely different dimension than everyone.
I have nothing booked and I arrive tomorrow. Idk what I'm doing anymore
I don't even know where the tourist area is so I can avoid it.
>priced out of taipeiuh, bros?
>>2846053do your best
>>2846053based. just yolo and tell us how it goes.beer gives +3 inteligence in such situations.
>>2842190>beitou hotspringsWhats the best way to soak in these? Public shared ones? Private ones ? Ones inside my hotel? All of the above?
Any info on ATMs or ,cash currency exchange?Best sim cards?Best small towns?
This is literally the only Asian country where i've had success with with some sort of dating as a black person. My Taiwanese girlfriend is planning on moving in with me in the coming weeks. This country rules. Thailand and Japan were a bust, and most women there were either just in for sex or to take advantage of western money. Taiwan is the place to go for dating on equal footing. Want a girlfriend that's established and you'll find them here. A lot of women with strong wills and a strong foundation here. But it's not the place to go if you're looking for a trad (lazy) wife.
>>2846580>based blackmanHow did you find her? Do u speak mandarin? Are the dating apps useful? Which ones?Everyone is saying Taiwain>Japan when it comes to locals being friendly and chatting it up etc. Is this true?
>>2846312Don't use non bank ATMs like the ones inside familymart etcChunghwa if you are traveling
I'm thinking about getting a tech job in Taiwan, how are the prospects in 2025? The pay seems to be quite dogshit, but what about WLB?
>>2846603East asians are socially reserved in general, and the Japanese are even more so. So really using Japan isn't much of a benchmark.
Do the 18-30 year olds in Taipei speak conversational English? Will learn as much Mandarin as I can out of respect but I got shit for brains with the tones and Chinese characters if I'm being honest
So it seems like the locals really don't like mainlanders?They commented on my Chinese, saying I must've been learning from mainlander videos. Then they started talking politics. Yikes.I'm kinda disappointed I can't 简体中文maxx here. I might have to go to the mainland, unbeknownst to these friendly folks
wholly smokes, nothing seems open until 10-11am in Taipei.I guess I should sleep in and stay up late.
>>2833538It gets boring fast>>2832780Got my Gold Card. Landing July next year.
>>2846157>just yolo and tell us how it goesI found a room for $50/nightOne old couple was like "so why did you pick Taiwan to visit?" and I haven't talked to anyone in months, right. So I just fumbled "oh I like Chinese culture" and painted a stranger portrait of myself. The witty response would've been "Why not Taiwan?". I had so many thoughts though. Like "oh, I've been everywhere near here, and now I'm finally picking Taiwan. Oh and btw, I'm going to the mainland too." Tricky to balance so many thoughts and still respond
>>2846865What the fuck did you expect? For them to glaze your nails-on-chalkboard 兒話?
>>2846765Yes you'll be fine most of the time. Knowing a bit of Mandarin will go a long way though, especially because the people who won't understand will be food stores and such
>>2846986does 'fine most of the time' mean I'll be able to have full conversations with them or just that they can speak survival English?
>>2846985Can you try not sounding so angry?I was expecting more simplified Chinese signs, menus, etc
>>2847008Why would there be any simplified in Taiwan? This is not China. I think you came to the wrong place.
>>2847017I probably did. These traditional characters are difficult.Are you Taiwanese?
>>2847020Not that guy but sounds like you're just want excuses for confrontation. So people are curious about your accent - you could've easily reined the conversation to become an opportunity to appreciate geographical differences within the same language.
>>2846872?Congee and sandwich stores near my office usually open by 5-6am
>>2834708I saw this monolithic beast today
Is it common for your guys' easycard to not tap quickly at places other than train stations? I gotta retry 4 times, then I end up paying with 现金The parks here are really nice. Peaceful, despite the nearby freeways.When I start off a conversation in Chinese, people know English, or they don't know either language. When I start off asking if they speak 汉语, they don't. Too funny.Met lots nice people in public.A nice auntie talked about politics with me. The thoughts of mass Indian migration live in her mind, like many posters here (and on /g/). I thought that was remarkable.I asked a thick goth girl where the closest park was. She pulled out her phone to showed me.
>4 dollar meal>4 dollar drop in workout>4 dollar best coffee I've ever had4 really is a killer
>>2847368You mean indonesians? You can come across lot of them the last time I was there. But I won't be surprised if indians overtook them If you're interested, there's a SEA nucleus in one of the underground shopping arcades by central station where you can sample Indonesian, Filipino, or Vietnam food. Their price was quite good if I remember correctly
I’m in Taipei right now and need to send a suitcase back to Europe. Has anyone done this before and knows what the best option is? Normal package at the post office would probably be cheapest but I would have to put it in a big cardboard box and from what I found online they don‘t sell sizes that big.And I have no idea where to get a big enough box in this country.Any advice would be appreciated
I have some follow up thoughts to this, but for now Ill just say that piercing through to the thoughts and souls through the eyes of the locals here is challenging.
A decade ago I used interpals to talk to some people before going to Asia - the one I vibed with showed me around and I had a good time.Is there a modern equivalent for Taiwan? Would be nice to find a bro to hangout with or a woman to hit date spots. I know some Mandarin (like B1 written, A2 spoken). Not looking for escorts/coomer shit.
Got a bit lost in the hills today near Keelung (it's actually pronounced Ji Long, 基隆 in Chinese, the spelling is cursed, like most other city names e.g. Tai Pei is actually Tai Bei)Made it down to another city, Si Jiao Ting and took the bus to Keelung station. These places have nothing special. It's much poorer than Tai Bei
Every popular tourist area I've visited had been dull, and the less remarkable areas have been my favorite.
I've been in Tai Bei for a while now. Day trips outside the city, to the city's edge, and days hanging around in town at cafes and gyms hasn't gotten old yet. I'd do it for three more weeks, but there's probably other modes of living to try while in this part of the world. Any suggestions that deviate from my style?
It's plain and clear that unless you join a group that does some activity (school, classes, sports, work) you'll be a loner. Breaking through the tough surface to the soft side without due reason is impractical here too
>>2842083Taipei is definitely not vibrant in the Third World sense. People are colorless and unexpressive, with few exceptions completely indifferent to the presence of a foreigner. The sky is pallid gray half the year. Most buildings are dingy stained concrete, with very little architectural uniqueness. The green space is principally located outside the city limits in Taiwan, in the mountainous terrain. Deforestation is banned on the steep slopes to prevent landslides, so they are remarkably pristine.>>2842567You can still find a lot of Third World tier restaurants in Taiwan serving rather abysmal slop. While the quality of infrastructure in Taiwan is top-notch, many neighborhoods clearly predate Taiwan's prosperity boom and haven't changed much in decades. They tend to be populated by crabby old people.>>2843423You're not going to meet anyone as a solo traveler if you never strike up a conversation with anyone.>>2843548Unlike other countries, buying a SIM card in Taiwan is straightforward. Go to store, present passport, pay 1100 TWD, walk out with phone service. Meanwhile in India it's 45 minutes of frustrated waiting followed by denial because they can't get the stupid SIM registration apps to work for a foreigner.
>>2845812That's a plus, you're already used to being silent. You can go to Asia and continue not speaking to anyone apart from a few phrases.>>2846054>>2846068The Seeker Hotel in Sanchong is a decent budget property in a non-touristy part of the city.>>2847008Simplified Chinese is communist Chinese. Taiwanese hate it. I showed a woman at a bus stop some characters in simplified Chinese on my phone and she drew back as if I had shown her something vile. Then she realized I was a dumb foreigner and gave me directions in English.
>>2848334>Taipei is definitely not vibrant...I agree with what you posted but it doesn't feel harsh or difficult like one would expect after reading this. It's chill and whatever you make of it
It's always impossible to predict the vibe countries will give you after landing
Do you guys make eye contact while walking past people on the sidewalk? Is that all you do, or do you actively avoid that?
>>2847129Don’t go to 4chan expecting anything different
>>2848358Hey, by Dadaocheng? I love running there
>>2848481oh wow, I was thinking of your post when I was visiting there. I was wondering if I'd summon you. You're the ximen to xindian Chad, right?https://ayasequart.org/trv/thread/2667437#p2688425Pretty nice spot! I wish I had a skateboard with me to show off my 2 foot ollies to the locals. I'm nearly 30 though kek
I have a desire to ask locals living in kino homes for a tour of their building. I don't want to make them panic from such a strange request. I considered offering someone $500 twd but it seems like a tasteless gesture.It feels like pic related is a dream. The lighting inside this home spoke to me. I had to circle back and take a photo despite people witnessing me do so.You can't buy taste, and you can't recreate genuine beauty because mimicry is inherently less beautiful than originality. So I needed to capture this.Now I can visit this place in my mind, and while my body may physically be on a train, in a liminal space, or surrounded by ugliness, I will be someone else in my reality, unbeknownst to anyone else.
"Mom and her boy"I wonder if I can dig up a similar photo I took in Vietnam.The kids here are incredibly cute. I love seeing the happy families. A mom, dad, and two kids were getting family photos take at the park the other day. They seems so well put together. I felt a drop of sadness because I don't know if I'll ever experience the beauty that family embodied. I envy how healthy and proper they appeared. The mom was mature, the father was good spirited (very important for a man to not be a tyrant), the kids were happy.What an aspiration.
Now I wonder if I can summon Tamsui anon.I never knew what I'd do in Taiwan when I booked my flight. They didn't have a visa restriction, and I know a decent amount of mandarin, so I pulled a trigger.My philosophy for traveling in Asia is, "show up and be entertained". Traveling in northern Vietnam was the basis of this. And so far, it continues to withstand. Trains, mountains, parks, coffee culture, cheap accommodations, and safety make it all possible.It's quite a privilege to experience. Imagine a world without the essence of Asia, and instead there was just more of the West. More on this later...
It brings me a certain, happy satisfaction when I notice locals do what I do.>I take a photo of trains, they take out their phones for a snap.>I cross the street on the red do-not-walk sign, they look both ways and cross.>I stop at a vacant cafe, and other people sit down too.
