Bloody Mary's chewin' betel nuts.
She is always chewin' betel nuts.
Bloody Mary's chewin' betel nuts.
And she don't use Pepsodent.
~Bloody Mary from South Pacific

I had no idea how popular betel nuts are in Taiwan. They grow on palm trees and are mildly addictive. It is nothing serious. Apparently, they are a stimulant and give you a "pick me up" a bit like a cup of coffee. (Although, I did a little research and discovered that they are carcinongenic in long term users)

In Taiwan, the betel nuts are called binlang. They sell them in shops like the one in the video. They all have flashing lights outside to get your attention. Sometimes, you can even find 3 or 4 of these shops on the same block. My hosts tell me that they usually staff them with pretty girls in skimpy outfits in order to attract a mostly male clientele. Notice the time on the sign at the end of the video. Apparently these places are open 24/7.

Some of the people I work with offered me these nuts today, but I passed. You have to chew on them and they make your teeth a blood red color. (Hence, the song...) It is not the most appetizing thing to look at. Some things just don't seem worth the effort.