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S T R E E T S O F C H A R A C T E R
beautiful lady covered in a stunning
thick grey linen outfit seated next to
me. Before long, Xin-Fei Wu took a
break from her meal of fried rice with
lamb to sing a hauntingly beautiful
poem to me. She specializes in Chinese
classical singing of ancient poetry in
both Holo and Nanguan.
Every day in Yong Kang Street
turned into a day of serendipity. In the
two weeks, I experienced a Taipei I’d
never known: eccentric, down to earth,
international and cultured.
Cebu Pacific flies to Taipei from
Manila.
home fabric and accessories
like floral cushions, scented
candles, cotton pajamas and
other beautiful home décor.
Owners Liyen Wei and Roger
Wengmann decorate their shops
as they do their home so customers
escape to Provence each time they
open the door. Interested in a bit of
mystery for a treasure dig? Head to
the covered vintage market at the
corner of Chao Chou Street and Yong
Kang Street, just across the street from
the best coffee roaster in the area run
by one Mr Lin. Here, you’d find local
vintage records from the ’60s, space
hero figurines from the ’70s and shops
offering vases dating back 200 years.
Of course, there’s plenty to do when
the sun goes down, too. For me, on
my last night, I opted to return to HJS’
and took a seat on another one of the
five magic red lantern stools. It was a
quiet night and I had been admiring the
Shop for
pretty home
accessories at
Le Bon Marché
Top: Find your
own treasure
at the vintage
market