Wearing a fake beard prop, he sells "Mouse Bagels" from a tricycle at a Hualien café

Photos and text / Excerpted from "Settling in Hualien: Practicing an Ideal Life with 30 New Hualien Residents", published by Macs Publishing

Many locals in Hualien know that if you hear the crisp sound of “dong, dong, dong” coming from afar in the city during the evening, there's no doubt about it — the delicious “Mouse Bagels” are on their way up for sale. The uncle who always wears a fake beard prop is affectionately called “Uncle Ba” by the people of Hualien. You can see Uncle Ba skillfully taking out handmade bagels produced by his own coffee shop from the back seat of his iconic tricycle. The slight warmth and satisfying chewiness of the bagels resting in the palm of your hand make the Mouse Bagels undoubtedly one of Hualien’s delightful mobile food surprises.

Selling childlike fun with a whiff of grassroots charm
Isn’t it tough selling things on the street? What if customers don’t buy? Uncle Ba smiles and says, “It’s not hard. It’s okay if they don’t buy once or twice. Eventually, they’ll come around.” Uncle Ba, who has loved the round and charming shape of qiguang cakes since childhood, personally developed the Mouse Bagel and sells them via tricycle around town. He’s ridden up and down every major street in Hualien countless times. At first, the housewives who watched him were hesitant, but soon they began smiling warmly and pulling out their wallets to buy, creating a heartwarming scene in the city.

In fact, the Mouse Bagel comes from a café full of childlike charm also run by Uncle Ba — “Mud Café.” The name might make you think of rolling around freely on the grass, but how does coffee connect with mud? Uncle Ba’s wife, Auntie Ba, explains with a smile that the name “Mud” was inspired in part by an Italian grandma’s adorable nickname for her favorite coffee — “Mud.” On the other hand, Uncle and Auntie Ba also hoped that the image of mud would make the café’s spirit feel closer to the earth, allowing each cup of coffee to exude a rich grassroots flavor.

A human touch you won’t find in chain stores
Located in Hualien’s bustling area, “Mud Café” is run by retired Uncle Ba and Auntie Ba. The small café doesn’t have flashy signs or a large, luxurious space, but it serves richly brewed cups of coffee and delicious handmade bagels made with heartfelt care. The couple used to work as journalists in northern Taiwan, and after retiring, they decided to return to Uncle Ba’s hometown — Hualien. Inheriting a storefront in the city center from his mother, the couple began to think: now that they’re past the age of chasing fame and fortune, how can they maximize the value of sharing life’s beauty in a limited space? In the end, they decided to use the warmth in their hands and the aroma of coffee infused with local flavor to reawaken people’s love for the essence of life.

But with a Starbucks chain just a few meters away, how does this small shop compete with the giant? The cheerful and optimistic Uncle Ba came up with a clever promotional tactic in the early days of opening: “Show your Starbucks/Seattle receipt, get a free black coffee.” Customers could get a discount on coffee in the store by presenting their receipts, and in this unexpected way, they would discover the difference for themselves — and taste the human warmth you just can’t find in chain stores.

Retirement life, spreading happiness through bagels
Recalling when she first moved to Hualien with her husband, Auntie Ba said with a smile that she often rode her bicycle alone along the coastal highway at a leisurely pace, not yet familiar with the area. At that time, tourism wasn’t as booming as it is today, and gazing at the Pacific Ocean from the coastal highway often soothed her restless thoughts. Especially here, she met a group of like-minded friends who shared a passion for beautiful things, such as the annual Flower Little Spring Photography Competition — a shared vision where everyone seeks out the lovely springs hidden in Hualien’s alleyways through the lens of a camera.

When friends ask Auntie Ba, “What do you do all day in Hualien?” she often doesn’t know how to answer because she never expected retirement life to be busier than her working days. Her schedule is tight every day, and she’s incredibly busy. Looking back on her journey from being a stranger to Hualien to becoming familiar with it, a sparkle lights up in Auntie Ba’s eyes — many stories quietly unfold here.

If you ask what Hualien lacks, Auntie Ba believes that better public transportation could help — if trains or buses could reach further into Hualien’s 13 townships, they could bring more unique beauty to visitors from far and wide. Next time, when you’re traveling through Hualien and you hear the sound of “dong, dong, dong,” don’t forget to stop and look around. You might just see Uncle Ba wearing his fake beard prop, waving enthusiastically at you, offering every traveler a hearty bagel, paired with a rich cup of Mud Café’s coffee. As you sip, savor a mouthful of happiness.