No matter where you go in Taiwan, you can be assured there will be a large stock of locally grown, fresh fruit available. Much of this fruit is similar to the Western World: apples, bananas, oranges, etc. Much of it, however, is also very eastern: Bell Fruit, Passion Fruit (and other tropical fruits), Dragon Fruit, Lychees, Dragon Eyes, etc.
Oftentimes, much of this fruit is grown natural and wild. Natural, wild bananas, for example, are very short and fat and filled with seeds, not long and thin like modern bananas you buy at Walmart.  In Taiwan, fortunately, they’ve also taken out the seeds.
Everywhere you go, people here are intensely proud of their produce. I’m sitting here at a Buxiban (cram school) in Taipei, waiting for Miss Expatriate’s class to end. Some older woman, who is apparently a student, just passed by and started up the stairs. She thought better of it, turned around, gave me 2 bell fruit from her bag, asked a few questions (Where are you from? etc) and then ran off to class. Wonderful.
The other night, Miss Expatriate and I were enjoying a simple meal of Turkey Rice at one of our favorite local restaurants. The owner came around and gave us each a free banana. Apparently, his father had grown too many (is that possible?) and they were giving the rest away. It was wonderful.
It is also not uncommon for us to get occasional gifts of fresh fruit and other things. Miss Expatriate’s father, being a doctor and owning a small general practice clinic, often gets gifts of fruit and other items from his patients. It really gives Taiwan a sort of “small town friendliness” feel wherever you go.
Bell Fruit:
Passion Fruit:
Dragon Fruit:
Lychees:
Dragon Eyes/Longan:
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