26 June 2011

Taiwan Travel Adventures 2011: Day 2 - Jiufen Once Again, and Crazy Bus Drive Back to Taipei

 


     I took a bus from the Gold Ecological Park to Jiufen.  As it was a Saturday, Jiufen was crazy full of people.  And it's magic seemed to have waned on me.  Perhaps there were so many people it was suffocating.  So, I didn't stay long, although I planned on having tea at A-Mei's tea house.

     However, I finally tried eating some goodies but just a little because I just had lunch.  I focused on the food stalls and some quirky shops, squeezed my way through herds of people and wandered up and down the narrow alleys and stairs.  And I survived!  Yay!

     Afterwards, I boarded a bus which says "Taipei."  I didn't ride the train anymore so I'd know the difference.  And what's different?  Well, the driver was cute, really nice and polite.  He greets each and every passenger who boards the bus and says good day to those who depart.  But he drives like a maniac, on a winding, narrow one-lane road of Jinguashi! Well, let's just say that I uttered prayers not only directed to Jesus but also to Buddha.  And almost all of the photos I took of the view from the bus were hazy because I couldn't steady my hands with the way the cute driver was driving.  So I gave up taking pictures.  It was that or risk my camera slipping off or being thrown away by the impact of the crazy driving.  On second thought, bus drivers in Hong Kong's hilly, one-way slopes are just the same.

     While the ride was crazy, it was fun.  There were a bunch elementary kids with their teacher (about 15 kids) who rode the bus from Ruiefeng station, and they look like they're in first grade or so.  They're so, so cute!  I wanted to pinch and hug them all!  Plus, there were no more sudden twists and turns!  We're back on the plains!  Yay!

     The bus finally made the end of its journey at the Zhongxiao Fuxing Station in Taipei.  If I remember correctly, the bus passed by a known night market, I think it was Raohe night market.  Honestly, I just boarded the bus without knowing where it would finally stop.  Heehee.  I got to Taipei safe and sound, around 4:00 p.m., and, I was lucky since I am familiar with the area around Zhongxiao Fuxing station as I used that station extensively the first time I came to Taipei last year. 

     
Food trip!






A-Mei Tea House: Spirited Away!





 A shop with old charm...


 ...beside a cave full of graffiti.



 Jiufen's First Tea House



Chinese Calligraphy



 In case you need one...a condom shop!



 Even Jiufen was not spared by the tween-bait known as Twilight, the movie.



 Obligatory picture-taking of the view.  It was the best I could 
because it was so darn foggy.


No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...