Here you can purchase a colored lanterns to release and it will cost you about TWD150. They are rather large and you get paintbrushes to write or draw on them. It was only a pity it was day time as I believe the lighted lanterns would have been prettier in the evening then the sky was darker. Next stop Jiu fen Old street where you get to eat many local delights and snacks. Basically it was like eating throughout the whole day.. simply unbelievable...The bbq mushrooms were really yummy and you can see the auntie cooking it from the top right picture. Lots of walking up the stairs and down the stairs here around winding pathways. Getting pass the crowd can be quite exhausting. There even is the large red house (tea house) featured in the movie "Spirit away" where you can get some pictures. Last stop was the golden waterfall near the gold ecological park (Jinguashi). There is no gold here for sure but residues of previous mining activities that cause the rocks to glow a golden shade. Below on the left is one example of an abandoned mine. The driver told us that in the past, when the Japanese invaded Taiwan forcing the locals into mining activities to mine out precious metals and gold. They then export the metals and gold back to Japan for making weapons and then sell the weapons back to the Taiwanese army. He sounded pretty angry at the Japanese as he was recounting past events. Well, I guess many older folks in Asia still have vivid memories of the cruel Japanese occupation.
Bottom right photo shows the yin yang sea. The reason for the name is due to the contrasting color of the cove. It was a pity we didn't manage to capture the sunset but watching the waves crashing into the rocks was still a sight to watch. The driver took up high up to the roof an abandon mine and we climb on to thin steel frames left behind for a great view. Very dangerous indeed! If you slipped, you will pummel 10 floors down into part of the collapsed rubble from the building itself. Not for those scared of heights! We end our day trip here and thanked our lovely driver for sharing so much of his stories with us. It was a TWD3500 well spent.
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XimendingRight in the middle of Ximending is the famous HOT-STAR large fried chicken and there is always a queue for it. The wait is about 10mins on average and taste so good on a windy night. There are so many local snacks and delights to try you will be spoiled for choice. Shopping here is pricier then at Shilin and variety isn't as much. Many shops including food stores also closes earlier than Shilin about 10+-11pm. Shilin night marketThis is my personal favorite place to shop and eat. Shopping starts at 5pm and it opens late (past midnight). Even though the prices are quite low in many shops, you can still bargain down a little if you are buying for than 1 item. Since we look like obvious foreigners, some store owners may raise the price a little. I saved quick a few bucks from bargaining all night :) I bought like probably 6 pairs of shoes in 1 night and each pair was only 10 dollars!? Men's T-shirts, berms, socks are all rather cheap too. You can easily get a nice men's T-shirt for SGD8-10. I did realize one thing, some of the shops nearer the main roads are slightly more expensive than the ones really deep in. So if you have time, you can walk through the market to compare prices. There are usually at least 2-4 stores selling similar clothes,shoes, bags etc. If you are looking for smelly tofu, there is one store near the main road selling. You don't have to look very far, I'm sure the smell itself will tell you where it is... I must say I am not a bad fan of it but my husband was thoroughly enjoying it. Try the Savoury Crepe and deep fried potato loop too if you have the stomach. Too many things to eat in one night in my opinion! Raohe night market (best for local food)The first thing you see when you enter the night market is the large sign board with bright lights. I was craving beef noodles and randomly selected a crowded small food cart to try. A bowl will set you back about SGD3.50 and the beef serving was generous! The noodle was springy and the beef was tender, what more could I ask for! (BTW don't even bother to eat beef noodle at restaurants, its 3-4 times more expensive and the beef wasn't as tender and portions weren't generous)
Fengjia night marketFengjia boost the largest night market in Taiwan. Endless shopping and endless amount of street food!!! We really walked until our legs threaten to give way and our stomachs filled to the brim!
Qing Jing FarmQing Jing farm was up mountain and the weather was cool and breezy. It closes at 5pm and we only arrived at 3pm because we wasted too much time at Sun Moon Lake. This farm is situated at the Renai Township of Nantou County and the temperature is about 20 degrees when we were there in October. This is absolutely a perfect respite from the torturous heat from sun moon lake earlier in the day. Oh the scenery was just wonderful!The air was crisp and fresh and the sky was so blue! This place was only made more perfect by the adorable sheep and horses! Adult ticket is TWD160 for weekdays and TWD200 for weekends.
At the right timing, you even get to see sheep shearing! My favorite place in Taiwan without a doubt. Wished I brought some wine and cheese to have a picnic on the glass plains here! Hualien is truly a beautiful and scenic place to visit. Stepping out of the airport, I am immediately greeted by white fluffy clouds and unbelievable blue skies. Over the distance, you can spot mountains towering from many directions. Below are some the pictures we look of the gorgeous landscape of Hualien. Ching Shui cliffSeven star beachTaroko GorgeBook a driver for about NT3600-3800 per day. Your minsu can arrange this for you at your request. Do note that minsu do not provide towels. We made a mistake by forgetting to bring towels and end up using face towels *Face palm*.
For dinner, visit Nanbin night market. You be prepared to queue for food as there aren't many places to eat in hualien and many tourist will visit this place. There is a nice shave ice store at the back corner of the market so stop by for some dessert! BTW the market is so small, you can walk it all in 3-5minutes. |
AuthorA great love for exploring the world, experiencing new cultures and making memories in new places... Archives
April 2017
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