Snake Alley is definitely one of the strangest places I’ve been to.  Also known as Huaxi Night Market (or Huaxi Jie to locals), it’s a fascinating mix of the weird and macabre.  This night-market isn’t for the faint-hearted.  In addition to bargain shopping, there are loads of ‘interesting’ food stands for anyone craving a strange evening snack. 

I couldn’t help being utterly fascinated by this lively market, even though some aspects of it turned my stomach.  The big attraction, of course, are the live snakes.  We stopped at a live cobra show to watch a man casually throw a black cobra onto a table and demonstrate his skills by hypnotising it.  Then he slit it from end to end and bled it into cups.  You can buy a cup of snake blood, or snake bile or you can try snake gallbladder or snake penis (who knew!) all considered healthy foods by the Taiwanese. 

Snake meat is also considered an aphrodisiac, which explains why this area used to be a hot spot for brothels.  Most of them have been shut down for awhile but there are still quite a few sex shops and and working girls  in the area.  I’m sure if you looked hard enough, you could find one.  Snake Alley is all about eye candy and guaranteed to entertain.  Whatever your reason for visiting, I’m sure you’ll be entertained and somewhat queasy after your visit to there.