Ximending: Taipei's Version of Harajuku

Been reading and hearing great things about Ximending.

My friend, Meme, who studied in Taiwan before, told me how she much loves Ximending.

I also read from MKL's blog that Ximending is the "Harajuku of Taipei" where young people hang out and shop. And truthfully, I'd really really like to go to Harajuku. Then again, Japan is too expensive so Ximending it is!

After Maokong Tea Gardens, we took the MRT to Ximending Station. Upon exiting the station, I was immediately amused by the place. I felt like I was in the movies. LOL.

There was a group of young people right in front of the station who had "FREE HUGS" signs with them so I went and took hugs!

Should have hugged a guy too. LOL. Why didn't I?

Hugging a girl from Budapest

I was still in a daze when we decided to start scouring the area.

I was able to buy a pair of boots for NTD 590 (around PhP885). I love the buckle details but the best thing is that it has a zipper closure and yet it fits my thick calves just fine! I was even wearing pants! Boots with zippers here in the Philippines never fit my calves (i.e. I can't close the zippers lol), pfft.

We bought dinner from 7-11 (I had onigiri and assam milk tea) and ate at Taipei Cinema Park (just a few minutes walk from the station).

Taipei Cinema Park

Ni Hao Philippines!

Went around more and found this really cool area of stalls (just tents and tables) where artists sell handmade products every weekend! Stuff I've never seen in Taipei before. A lot of products (especially accessories) caught my eye and I wanted to buy them but they were too expensive (as in hundreds of dollars)!

Totally digged one of the necklaces with star and wing charms. Too expensive though. :(

EEE people will love these. Resistors, capacitors and other electronic things turned into accessories

All the accessories were pretty (made of wire and real crystals), especially the mismatched earrings but they cost 700 to 900 dollars :(

This pretty lady speaks really fluent English so we got to talk to her a lot. Apparently, she grew up in the States.

Cool wire art yo.

The guy is the one who makes the wire art.

However, I was able to get this customized wire art product for NTD130. The character means light. A bit expensive for some pieces of wire. Then again, it's handmade and I don't see these in the Philippines.

The artists' stalls are just around Taipei Red House

It's great that we went on a Sunday. The artists' stalls are just too awesome for words. It felt so indie and very much refreshing from all the mass-produced stuff in Taipei! I wonder if there's something like it here in Manila.

Now, I understand why Meme loves Ximending a lot. I now declare it as one of my favorite places in the world (well, not that I've been to many places in the world but still, LOL).

After Ximending, we went back to the hostel to get our luggage, took a bus back to the airport and that's the end of it.

Wore the new boots to the airport because my old ones almost gave up from my endless walking.

Short but fun and great and not bitin! That's how my weekend in Taipei can be summarized. Until next time, Taipei!