As Taipei tries to modernize itself into and international city, there are still lots of signs of old Taiwan. Literally one of the first shocking and confusing things I ever saw here was betel nut. After stepping out of the airport and into a taxi, I saw the driver chomping on something and spitting into a cup. I thought maybe it was chewing tobacco, but after a few minutes I could tell it was something else.
What is Betel Nut?
Check out my video where I explain what betel nut is and how it’s marketed to its largely male user base.
As I say in the video, I tried to get a couple of pictures, but these girls are not super excited about that idea. There are some examples of what you can see on the streets here though on YouTube, so I included a link if you are curious:
1. betel nut girl wearing a little less than usual