That's true if you're only looking at the streetscapes. But Taiwan is small, so even if you live in the countryside, getting to a city doesn't take much time. Life is still very convenient.

What are 'recruit-then-train' schemes?

Totally agree! That's the honest truth.

Damn it, with short video apps being so popular these days, you're still asking taxi drivers for recommendations? The taxis you hail at tourist spots, often driven by non-locals, are the ones that will rip you off. They're not even from Beijing, so what does their behavior have to do with Beijing itself?

It's generally pretty crowded every day. Sometimes it's less crowded right when they open, but that also depends on whether it's a peak flower season.

I offer a one-stop guide service for Huaqiangbei, bargaining included, haha! And every shop I take you to must provide a warranty.

Tourist visas are not an option.

Just got back yesterday and it was pretty mediocre... I'm from Jinan, and honestly, this so-called 'authentic Jiangnan' experience didn't live up to the hype. The water there is quite dirty; Jinan's water is significantly better. The gardens are admittedly larger than ours, being 'authentic Jiangnan' and all, but really, everything was just... average. Nothing special. P.S. Attaching photos of Jinan's water and scenery.