People, I am loving Taiwan so much. Not only is this country busting out all over with gorgeous cultural heritage, but it is a traveler’s dream. THERE ARE PUBLIC BATHROOMS EVERYWHERE. Clean, safe, public bathrooms (heart heart heart smiley face exclamation point). The transportation system is a snap with low prices and an easy-to-understand system for foreigners. And you guys, the food, yes, so much cheap and delicious food.
For the last few days I have been bowing down in reverence to the Taiwanese lunch box. Instead of disgusting fast food, travelers in Taiwan can pick up premade lunch boxes from the train station (or from cafeterias nearby the station). We’ve had several lunch boxes which all come with rice and a variety of protein, greens or cabbage and pickled veggies.
This morning we had a 15 minute train transfer in Taitung. HOB and I hopped off the first train, walked out into Taitung station, found a lady selling boxed lunches, bought one for 60 TWD (about 1.90 USD) and had ten minutes to spare to catch our second train.
Feel kind of self conscious eating lunch on a train? Don’t be, because everyone around you is doing the same thing. (If you look to the seat opposite of ours you can see that person also has a trusty pink bag, as did at least ten people behind us).
Wrapped up just so.
We shared this one so lunch was less than $1 USD each.
Oh, and don’t fret about your leftover trash. The clever Taiwanese have a system for that too: a garbage collector pushes a cart down the aisle to pick up your empty lunch boxes.
Here I am getting ready to board the train at Luye station earlier today.
I haven’t had much time to read the news, but I did catch a story this morning that a certain beauty pageant promoter turned US president has expressed a preference that female members of his staff “dress like a woman”. Just thought you’d like to see what this particular woman dresses like. Hint: sometimes it’s the same clothes for two weeks straight, and a pair of pants stained with spilled lunch box meals.
Picnic at the Cathedral 
I love your enthusiasm! Stained pants have history and fond food memories!
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Ha thanks! You’ve been on the road for a long time—how do you keep your clothes clean? We managed to book two places with laundry machines on this visit, and did made due with sink washing in between.
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We’ve been using laundry services all over and hand washing too but we purposely took away old clothes that we could dispose of along the way as they wore out or got covered in food.
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Japanese bento boxes are the same idea, although more expensive and not as hearty.
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I’d love to go to Japan, but whenever I research the prices, I quickly reconsider.
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I stay in hotels designed for traveling Japanese businessmen. Very small rooms, but very clean and with everything you need. Toyoko and Dormy are two of the chains. I travel solo, the rooms will be tighter for two!
You can eat quite cheaply if you choose, and there are rail passes to help with transport.
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I’m afraid I’m not expert enough with chopsticks to eat that portion of meat. Little round balls of rice filled with things is about all I can manage. But public bathrooms! So utterly civilized.
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Oh I can’t use chopsticks either. I just hid my spork from the picture to mislead you. I managed to find a vegetarian lunch box a couple of days ago and liked it better.
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WOB. You have my vote. Keep writing.
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“She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”
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Ahhhh! Toilets, every travellers happy place.
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I’m going to have to write a fan girl post just for the public toilets in Taiwan.
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Those lunch boxes sound awesome. As do clean, abundant public toilets—the sign of every superior culture. (Get with the program, France!)
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France also has a superior culture, except for when it comes to picking up dog poop from the sidewalk and public toilets—I’ve used some nightmare inducing toilets during my travels in France!
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I love those bento boxes, I enjoyed them a lot when I visited Japan. The food is delicious, it is cheap and it is so practical!!
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What’s your favorite place to visit in Japan? I’ve never been there, but I’d like to go soon if I can put together an affordable itinerary.
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I loved Tokyo, so different from all the cities I know. But also enjoyed the calmness of Nara, the beauty of Miyajima Island and of course the tradition of Kyoto.
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
LUNCH BOXES WITH SUCH A NICE TRAVELING COMPANION…IS REALLY FINE DINING!!! (GOOD EATS—GREAT TREAT!)
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Thanks for sharing!
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Good stuff–in all categories! Nothing wrong with well-balanced lunch boxes!!!
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Yes, I wish more countries would have healthy lunch boxes for train travel.
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I love how convenient Taiwanese public transportation is.
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