This year, we transition from Year of the Dragon to Year of the Snake.
PHOTO WENDY HUNGThis week, I traveled from San Francisco to Taipei. Tonight, I’ll be jetting from Taipei, to Hong Kong, then landing in Russia. As a person growing up bi-culturally, my busiest time of the year is beyond what Americans call “the holiday season.” From stuffing my face with Thanksgiving turkeys, decorating Christmas trees, crazy New Year’s Eve soirees to flying thousands of miles across the world for endless family gatherings during Chinese New Year, my holiday season of red and gold is typically four months long, jetting across more than four countries.
This year, we transition from Year of the Dragon to Year of the Snake. In Asia, snakes are believed to be little dragons in spirit, following the Dragon in Chinese zodiac emblem; Year of the Snake is also believed to bring prosperous good fortunes. But unlike the all mighty powerful Dragon, the Snake symbolizes an air much more intuitive, refined, calmly collected.
When tourists visit Taiwan, they’re often brought to Snake Alley (華西街夜市) – the oldest night market here, the island’s own version of red-light district. International tourists swing by Snake Alley to expose their fine palates to street carts full of delicacies such as: snake and turtle blood or deer testicles. Amazing, I know. Or amazingly gross, of course.
PHOTO WENDY HUNGBut the concept of street food, understandably without the bizarre delicacies in rare forms, has spread like wildfire. From what has been considered as traditionally local in developing countries, it has become a trendy approach to devour a delicious meal in midst of metropolitan cities in the States. This week, Jetset Times focuses on the rise of street trucks. Is the trend based on style or taste? How high will the movement rise? If I land in Paris one day and my friends physically bring me to a local food truck, then I’ll take that as the ultimate sign.
Sarah Graham’s Food Trucks! LA’s Curbside Pickup Gone Gourmet highlights the way modern jetsetters track down new and different spots to try. In Appreciating Street Food: San Francisco’s SOMA StrEAT Food Park, Olivia Molineux reveals the depth of education travelers can learn about a culture by diving into street food scenes.
For a very long time, the world rested on a mundane way of life, an expected normalcy – absolute routine. In the last decade, the tide slightly turned. Chinese New Year presently rolls around, factories close down, providing international companies a perfect excuse to take a break. Twenty years ago, giant red scrolls of Chinese dragons and snakes would never be seen in an European airport. Today, not only are they prevalent, they’re viewed as popular art. I grew up eating street food, served by street carts on rural roads. Cheap and good, that was how locals lived. Today, food trucks behind San Francisco’s Chronicle building tweet incessantly and serve to lines of foodies listening to Bon Iver. Not cheap compared to Asia’s pricing, but indeed very good.
How the time has changed. It’s interesting to see the world work in cyclical waves. I’m off to Russia for now to welcome the new year of gold snakes or little dragons. Happy New Year.
新年快樂,
xxx
PHOTO WENDY HUNG