We took the subway and alighted at Ximen station (exit 1), which is right at the heart of Ximending, one of the famous and the most vibrantly colorful street scene that symbolizes urban Taipei life. This is recognized as one of the most fashionable places and it is said to be similar to Tokyo's Shibuya.


There are over twenty theaters, many tea houses, cafes, restaurants and thousands of various trendy and quaint shops sprouting like dandelions everywhere that attract large numbers of young consumers. It is a widely held area for small concerts, movie advertisements, and street performances (the only area in Taipei licensed for street entertainment). If you're lucky you might see your favorite Taiwanese actors and actresses here doing some promotional activities and autograph sessions.


Walking along the streets, there were many young workers holding signs and handing out flyers for their shows and businesses to the public. The streets were crowded and the movement of traffic would often grind to a halt. After walking for about an hour, we stopped for a scoop of ice cream at Haagen-Dazs and rested for a bit. Then we drifted again through the crowd making our way back to the subway station. The place is very interesting but I think there are still heaps of lanes and alleys that we did not explore.