Snake Alley Date

For their first date, Dante and Jade went to the night market at Dragon Mountain Temple in the oldest part of Taipei City. Dragon Mountain was dark and still with the scent of stale incense emanating from the wood and stone. Fresh incense smoke rose from a big urn and dispersed into the unnatural orange glow of the polluted night sky. Dragon Mountain Temple was serene compared to the bustling Snake Alley night market surrounding it. Jade lit an incense stick. She bobbed her head and muttered something to Buddha and wouldn’t tell Dante what she was praying for. It was all amusing superstition as far as Dante could see.

Dragon temple night market was famous for unsavory pastimes. One popular activity was the drinking of blood from venomous snakes. Dante watched a snake being slit down the underside and drained of blood which was then auctioned off to the highest bidding red-faced drunk. The drunk gulped it down with lot’s of bravado. It was believed by the locals that poisonous snake blood made men virile. They would drink the blood and then go see a nearby prostitute.

Dante and Jade walked through the narrow alleys towards the brothels to get the full flavor of the place. Young prostitutes entreated him to enter. Jade watched his reaction as the girls tried to pull him into the dubious looking entrances. A slightly putrid smell hung in the thick warm tropical night air. That night Dante and Jade parted with a long kiss. Their first kiss.