My home area, “the 3rd Alley”, Taipei, is a very prosperous area in Taipei City where a lot of gangsters and prostitutes live. When people hear of “the 3rd Alley”, they usually respond with an ambiguous look at me, but I always reply to them proudly that it is the loveliest place on this planet. Why? Because there are the friendliest people, the most convenient transportation and a variety of choices of food sold day and night.
First of all, I would like to talk about the decent people who we still keep in contact with 10 years after moving. Most of us managed a small business for a living, and we all took care of one another while someone was unavailable. The fruit stand keeper across from my house sometimes yelled to my father, who ran a laundry and happened not to be at the reception desk, “Hey! Fellow! You got a customer waiting there!” While it was the baseball season, we and Father lying on tatami watched live baseball games with the door opened, so that we could scream at the top of our voices with the neighbors at any given time that there was a hit by our team. My sister and I call it “the good, old days”.
Next, for the convenience of transportation, “the 3rd Alley” is located in the center of Taipei City; therefore, it is not surprising that people are benefited most by its well-developed transportation system. The city buses, stopping within 2 minutes’ walking distance, carry the residents there through the city, or even out of it. They also take them to the train station and the airport for transfers. In addition, by waving or having your hand up, there are taxies available all the time. You may go any place anytime by any transportation facilities you would like to take.
Lastly, but not the least thing good about it, is the variety of choices of food. With different ethnic groups of people living there, “the 3rd Alley” has developed diverse choices of food to satisfy every group of residents there. There are chain restaurants for fast food serving hamburgers, pizza, fried chicken, etc. There are also Chinese-style breakfast stores serving at dawn. There are a bunch of stands near the neighborhood serving at night. Not mentioning the coffee shops and Japanese hop-pot restaurants, from local to exotic, even the most critical gourmet would have their thumbs up.
First of all, I would like to talk about the decent people who we still keep in contact with 10 years after moving. Most of us managed a small business for a living, and we all took care of one another while someone was unavailable. The fruit stand keeper across from my house sometimes yelled to my father, who ran a laundry and happened not to be at the reception desk, “Hey! Fellow! You got a customer waiting there!” While it was the baseball season, we and Father lying on tatami watched live baseball games with the door opened, so that we could scream at the top of our voices with the neighbors at any given time that there was a hit by our team. My sister and I call it “the good, old days”.
Next, for the convenience of transportation, “the 3rd Alley” is located in the center of Taipei City; therefore, it is not surprising that people are benefited most by its well-developed transportation system. The city buses, stopping within 2 minutes’ walking distance, carry the residents there through the city, or even out of it. They also take them to the train station and the airport for transfers. In addition, by waving or having your hand up, there are taxies available all the time. You may go any place anytime by any transportation facilities you would like to take.
Lastly, but not the least thing good about it, is the variety of choices of food. With different ethnic groups of people living there, “the 3rd Alley” has developed diverse choices of food to satisfy every group of residents there. There are chain restaurants for fast food serving hamburgers, pizza, fried chicken, etc. There are also Chinese-style breakfast stores serving at dawn. There are a bunch of stands near the neighborhood serving at night. Not mentioning the coffee shops and Japanese hop-pot restaurants, from local to exotic, even the most critical gourmet would have their thumbs up.
With the hospitality, the convenient transportation, the unforgettable tasty food and my most precious childhood memories there, “the 3rd Alley” will always be my home area which no other places in the world can compete with.
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