Not a lazy Sunday

I feel like I've been so busy the past few months with creating a social network in Taiwan, that I've been neglecting things like travel and going to see new places. So on this quiet-ish weekend, I took the plunge and trekked a little bit out of the way... to northeast Taiwan. Not exactly long distance travel, but still a nice little day trip.

Jiufen (九份) is easily accessible via bus from Taipei, and so in about 2 hours, I arrived at a quaint mountain town, complete with narrow winding streets and sweeping views. It was easy to amble along for a few hours, browsing the many bespoke shops (as well as more tourist-oriented souvenir places). Food vendors beckoned from every corner, tantalizing smells wafting into the streets. It was a nice way to spend a pretty Sunday afternoon.

Jiufen is located in a very hilly region

The ride up was a little dizzying... just like being back in Cannes! :)

Supposedly, Hayao Miyazaki drew inspiration from this town for his movie, "Spirited Away". See any resemblance?

The narrow streets were packed with visitors

Ha. Dragon. Ball.

Look, a cute kitty!

During cloudy moments, the fog makes the view look very surreal

Curvy mountain roads, everywhere!

A cool wall next to one of numerous staircases in Jiufen

Looks pretty, but they're actually flavored malt syrup candy! 

As I finished browsing around Jiufen, I contemplated traveling a wee bit further to see the Golden Waterfall, located in nearby Jinguashi (金瓜石). Its golden hue was supposed to be imparted by volcanic sulfur. I found a bus (thank goodness for Google maps!), and was on my way.

Unfortunately, my going was not smooth, and after several mishaps that included me losing my Easycard (with over 400nt still on it! Waaaah!), I finally arrived at the Golden Waterfall. Are these pictures worth the 12 dollars or so that it took to get me there?

If only I could you know, get some ACTUAL gold from these waters

I believe that on certain days, the water itself takes on a more
golden hue too

The actual waterfall... which was not very big or impressive.
Oh sadness.

Tired and defeated by the transportation gods, I bused my way back to Taipei. I fell asleep for a short nap during the ride, and it was kind of amazing how that restored my mood. So despite the less than perfect ending to this day, it does carry a few lessons. Most importantly: when all else fails, take a nap. It works for 4 year old toddlers, and it works for 40 year old adults. Whee!