Taipei 2012 - Bopiliao Old Street

Bopiliao Old Street is a street with a very long and interesting history, and it has become one of the most popular attractions in Taipei. Located towards the South-West of Ximending, it is within walking distance from there.

The name sounds quite sinister - literally translated it means "the place where you rip off the skin"! Thankfully the actually origin of the name is a lot more benign. In the old days they used to import a lot of logs from China to Taiwan, and this was where they remove the barks from the logs - hence the origin of the name !

The government has decided to preserve the area and many of the buildings which were beginning to crumble has been repaired and restored. Today there are some interesting shops cropping up in the area - such as trendy hair saloons, cafes and bookshops.


The old shophouses are quite a sight to look at and gives you a glimpse into the past of Taipei's growing years.


Bopiliao is also a popular movie location. While I was there, I saw a shoot for a popular local TV series. You would probably recognize the lead actor in the shoot.

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