I just got back and the lines for every restaurant everywhere is insane. What’s going on?
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Chinese New Year
And this year, easy to get into the country
Shops and roads have been crazy all week. I don’t eat out much anymore…
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Chinese New Year shopping and meeting friends before heading off. Confirm, traffic has been nuts.
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It started a few months ago. I think it’s less fear of covid. You need to make reservations for every restaurant. And way in advance.
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I don’t think that’s true. The line at McDonalds was normal.
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C’mon this is easy. When were you last here? People aren’t scared of COVID anymore so they’re not staying home and ordering in as much. We’re basically finally reaching the point every other western country did a year ago.
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Any different than the past 40 years?
A routine bus ride that normally takes 10 minutes took over 40 minutes at rush hour last night. If I walked I would have made it in half the time but I had heavy packages.
Many, but not every. On my street one was full and overflowing while a similar one across the street was nearly empty. Depends on the rep I guess. Another one a block away that has been there forever was packed.
It was the bursting of the dam. Beginning of LNR but not yet New Year’s Eve with the extra day off before this year. So people were ready to party before hunkering down with the family. Could be crowded again tonight but I suspect not as much as many people left town by now. It will really quiet down by Saturday and Sunday but probably pick up later next week.
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What a difference a day makes! 24 little hours.
I’ve been out and about in various parts of Taipei since early this afternoon and just got back. Walked around various parts of the city doing errands and shopping.
In the afternnon it felt right away like Lunar New Year with quiet streets, much fewer people about, very uncrowded MRT cars, etc. That great time of year when you walk the streets without constantly worrying about vehicles coming at you street or sidewalk, no people rushing out of doorways headlong into you, no squeezing on the sidewalk. Space!
Things picked up later in the day with people taking care of a lot of pre-New Year stuff. Street traffic both foot and vehicle picked up. And just a bit ago when I passed the same resturants as last night they were back to about a little under regular weekend levels. The one that was empty last night was full and the other that was full last night was closed. Overall a general slowdown of pace.
Hoping it gets even slower and lasts a while.
Is there another thread about CNY for this kind of stuff?
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Keepin it real.
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Those people have started arriving in the countryside towns and villages, nice to see them come alive at least once a year. Going to the temple later in the village will check out what’s happening.
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There is a line/wait if the place is open.
I think it is a good sign of the economy that most small pop and mom places around my home are closing until the 25th. For me it means the folks have made a profit.
More and more people eat out/order in/order prepared New Year meals instead of slaving over the stove for hours. Easier to entertain family and/or friends at a restaurant. Just a better economic situation by some folks perhaps being able to indulge in eating out after months of not being able to enjoy this?
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Good observation. For those that survived the pandemic that can shut for a few days must be doing at least ok if not better.
Yeah, after my first epiphany of the first New Year’s Eve and witnessing the city become a ghost town, for a few years after that I used to like to drive around town around sundown and just gauge the level of activity. To my astonishment TGI Friday’s was doing a brisk business on New Year’s Eve. Could not believe people would have their cherished family holiday dinner there but now it’s common in many restaurants I think. What does granny and grandad say?
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“We told him to marry someone who could cook! But no, he had to marry a woman who wanted a career. Sigh, kids today.”
Or something along those lines, I’d imagine.
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It is “traditional” for the MIL to be unkind to the DIL. So the really traditional ones will complain whether it is THFriday’s or the Regent.
Currently grandparents are the ones who suggest going out as hence they do not have to cook.
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