Shifen & Jiufen Old Streets

Riufang Station, where the old streets meet

Shifen Old Street

Jiufen Old Street

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Among all the spots we visited in Taipei, I’d say these two has got to be my favorite. Though it entailed another long trip — a series of bus and train rides, not to mention the heavy rain pour, I enjoyed it a lot.

The moment we set foot at Riufang Station, I already felt that I’d fancy the upcoming destinations. It’s impressive how the station has been in operation for a really long time yet everything works just fine! The view from the train’s window pane made me feel like I was in a Discovery Channel program, or that King Kong might appear by the river, just below the rail.

The rain restricted us from exploring the whole stretch of Shifen (we missed the waterfalls, sobs), but we’re glad we were able to wish for our desires through the paper lanterns. We hope they were heard and were not awashed by the rain though!

We needed to get back to Riufang so we could ride a bus going to Jiufen. I was personally excited to reach the place as the pictures I saw from the internet were so nice, and the view was stunning. On this side of the mountain, it was Kung Fu Panda’s neighborhood that I saw l o l

After strolling around the town, we found a quaint restaurant situated right by the mountain side, and we just couldn’t say no to beer and sushi!

We peacefully rode the bus back to Ximending, feeling happy about the experience and that finally, for once, we didn’t get lost (that much) l o l