每年一旦進入了十月份，就會常常看到萬聖節氛圍的事物，萬聖節是個類似於華人中元節的節日，是個與鬼怪、靈異有關的節日，我們才剛送完了華人的鬼，接著又要迎來洋人的鬼，真是好不熱鬧。
捷運中山站附近的公園，是一座新的文青公園，朋友的大學生女兒也常和同學們在那一帶出沒，之前和朋友閒聊時，她就有提到萬聖節時，這邊會有主題活動，最近的活動就是萬聖節市集，今年是第二屆，每個週五、六、日，連續舉辦四週，市集匯聚多家精選品牌，店家會帶來萬聖節限定美食和趣味好物，在當下，我就看到一位西班牙美女擺攤販賣道地西班牙美食，而在公園入口處，就有來自台南夜市的明宏拔絲地瓜，蠻多人排隊品嚐，可能很好吃吧，還有甜點攤商販售蜘蛛泡芙及南瓜造型的餅乾，真是滿滿的萬聖節氣氛啊！
此外，這一帶曾經是美國人聚集的美式生活圈，因為舊的美國大使館在這裡，這幾年來，逐漸演變成年輕人常聚集的熱鬧街區，所以充斥著些許的異國風情及潮流元素，而這邊的巷弄，更是有許多特色餐廳及創意小店，不過，因為這邊的巷弄有些複雜，我曾經在這一帶，要前往和朋友聚會的店時，迷路了快半個鐘頭，一直在這一帶打轉，找不到和朋友約好的店家，其中一家叫R9 Café的店剛好在誠品地下街R9出口，店家牆上的彩繪壁畫實在太精采了，讓我忍不住停下來拍了好幾張照片。
我在閒逛時，剛好碰上品牌零食做行銷活動，好多漂亮的小姊姊主動出擊，招攬來往路人玩遊戲，要求追蹤、打卡及分享，看到一群小朋友看到發零食，就一擁而上，向小姊姊們討要零食，讓人覺得有點好笑，颱風才剛離去，天氣不若以往悶熱，正是出門逛逛的好時機，這週才是萬聖節市集的第一週，隨著萬聖節越來越近，這一帶應該會越來越熱鬧。
As soon as October rolls around every year, you start seeing all sorts of Halloween-themed things. Halloween is kind of like the Chinese Ghost Festival, a holiday associated with ghosts and the supernatural. We just sent off the Chinese ghosts, and now it’s time to welcome the Western ones—it sure keeps things lively!
There's a new trendy park near Zhongshan MRT Station, where my friend’s college-aged daughter and her classmates often hang out. During a casual chat with my friend, she mentioned that this area holds themed events for Halloween. The latest one is a Halloween market, now in its second year, running every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for four weeks straight. The market features a curated selection of brands, with vendors offering Halloween-exclusive treats and quirky items. Right there, I saw a beautiful Spanish woman selling authentic Spanish food, and at the park entrance, there was a stall from the Tainan night market selling Ming Hong’s famous candied sweet potatoes. A lot of people were lined up, probably because it’s really good. I also spotted dessert vendors selling spider-shaped cream puffs and pumpkin-shaped cookies. It was such a festive Halloween vibe!
Interestingly, this area used to be a popular spot for Americans because the old U.S. embassy was nearby. Over the years, it’s transformed into a trendy neighborhood where young people love to gather, so it still has a bit of an international and fashionable flair. The alleyways are packed with unique restaurants and creative shops, but they can be confusing. I once got lost for nearly half an hour trying to find a café for a meet-up with friends. One of the places, called R9 Café, is right by Exit R9 of the Eslite underground mall. The mural on the café’s wall was so impressive that I couldn’t help but stop to take a bunch of pictures.
While I was wandering around, I came across a snack brand hosting a promotional event. A bunch of cheerful young women were actively pulling people in to play games, asking them to follow, check in, and share on social media. It was pretty funny seeing a group of kids swarming them for free snacks. With the recent typhoon gone, the weather wasn’t as hot and muggy as usual, making it the perfect time to be out and about. This is only the first week of the Halloween market, and as Halloween gets closer, I’m sure it’ll get even more lively around here.