Day 5 TPE-JY

Another early day today to travel from Taipei to Jiayi to travel to Alishan

I took the 0715 train to Jiayi from Taipei. I reached Jiayi about 1223. The next bus to Alishan does not come till 1355. So there is time for you to have lunch in Jiayi. However, if you are those who are impatient, you can always hop on the taxi or those private hire van to Alishan. However, the price of course will be much steeper compared to the bus. However, there was an auntie who was desperate to fill up her van, push the price to lesser than the bus which is about 236TWD. We did not take her van cause we wanted to have our lunch.

View from the train to Jiayi. What I like about taking the train

What is Jiayi if you do not eat their turkey meat rice. It is so famous that there is so many store set up in Jiayi till you question which is the better one. However, due to the fact that we are carrying a lot of luggage, we chose to eat at the one nearer to the train station. The shop is just across the road from the train station and walk further up. You will see 2 shop. I ate the one opposite call Jiayi Huo Ji Fan. It was a bit of disappointment because the portion of meat is a bit pathetic, is like lesser than a handful. Thus, is more for the experience than the taste.

Exterior of the shop

The small portion of turkey. It was more eating rice

Taken from the bus stop, you can see Jiayi Huo Ji Rou Fan Dian

1355 came and is the time for the bus to come to bring us to Alishan. However, the bus did not come till about 1415. Thus, is always safer to reach earlier in case the bus come earlier as the time of the bus is relative rubber.

2 bus go to Alishan from Jiayi depend on if you take the highspeed rail or the normal train. I go by the normal train so the timing I provide is the one that stop outside the normal train. 7322 is the bus that links from normal train while 7329 is from the high speed rail.

This is the bus stop to wait for the bus to Alishan if you take normal train

The journey was an experience. As the bus was climbing up the mountain. The rain poured down causing the visibility to decrease. So it was respectful that the bus driver manage to drive through the weather and brought us safely to the top. However, the road to Alishan is poorly maintain and when rain comes, many things will just drop. A tree branch drop on the bus hitting the side mirror. Thus is safer to go by bus whose driver are experienced driving the road.

Low visibility yet the bus driver just went on and on! Kudo

How heavy was the rain and the wind.

Reaching the bus terminal at Alishan, it was pouring and it was hard for us to travel to the hotel because the walk is a bit of distance. However, we had reserved a hotel before the trip and we called the hotel to pick us up to the hotel. The entrance for each person to the Alishan is 150TWD, discounted if you take public transport.

Alishan park map. Bottom left is the shopping/hotel area while the bottom right is Zhu San. On the top is other part of the park

Default tourist shot at Alishan when you see the packaging expanded

 

My hotel! See it says provide heater (More on this in another blog post)

Reaching the hotel, it was relatively sad to hear that there is no means to go in to see the sunrise at Zhu San. Zhu San is the place to see sunrise at Alishan and is a must go if you are at Alishan. When we reached, due to the rain, no train goes in and the hotel also has no van to go in to the location. So here we are at Alishan without the sunrise.

The weather was relatively cold at the time we visit at about 13-14degrees celsius. So even if Taipei is sunny, if you want to visit Alishan always prepare slightly thicker clothings.

Due to the rain and the coldness, we decided to stay in the hotel and wait for dinner.

Dinner was at Shan Bin restaurant. Due to the fact that the restaurant and hotel having working relationship, we got a free plate of vegetable. So in the cold weather, the choice to eat a steamboat is the ideal. So we ordered Shitou Huoguo or stone steamboat. Why is it call like this? I am not sure too but I think is along the line that some of the food are cooked before placing in the hotpot.

Shan Bin Restaurant

Stone steamboat!

After dinner is return back to the hotel. I walked and almost got lost as well due to the heavy rainfall leading to low visibility.

That’s all for day 5!

Day 4 TPE

Today is a pure shopping day!

Breakfast went to Xinfu Shi Chang or Xinfu market to try the Ah Ma You Fan which is a famous one. Enter by the entrance of Kangding Road which you will reach when you take the MRT to Longshan station along the Bannan Line from Taipei station. Opposite to the store of Ah Ma You Fan is the store which sells sushi which is famous too, is call Jin He Sushi. Apparently, that day is not open for the Ah Ma You Fan. So we settled for some other food so I cannot give my opinion on the You Fan.

This is Xinfu Shichang, you will not be able to see the signboard unless you cross opposite. But the entrance is along Kangding Road

From Xinfu Shi Chang just walk straight along Kangding road to go to Ximen Ding. Along the way you can see the site of film location of Monga, rustic-looking buildings, with no outer paint on the shop house except the brick look.

 

Film site of Monga

However, if you are slightly religious, there is a temple nearby the station as well and there is a famous fortune teller nearby the station too. So can try to look for the location online. 

Walking straight the Kangding Road for about 15 minutes, you will see a park. That is the Movie Park. Is relatively dead at the time of visit but some websites say that there will be some events that will occur there like fan meet. Then you can start your visit at Ximen Ding by turning right when you see the park, which is along the street of Emei streeet or you can cross the park, go straight and turn right to reach Wuchang street which is a movie street, Movie street is filled with cinema theatres that you can watch movie there too. Other than this movie area, the rest are the shopping area in Ximen Ding.

Movie street! where you can find many cinemas

One Piece shop in Ximen Ding

Notice the street here, the pillar is green in colour, different from the red above? Every zone has different colour and each pillar allow you to pinpoint your location as well. Easy to meet people!

There is also the famous Red House at Ximen Ding which is quite busy with events as well. However at the time of visit, the place is under renovation. So quite sad cannot visit but the good thing is the cover for the renovation area is designed which you still can take a tourist photo still.

Ximen Red Building is close for renovation but the barrier has the image of the building

The famous toilet theme restaurant is nearby as well. Is opposite the shopping area at Ximen Ding along Xining South Road. Look for the bank, First Commercial Bank, it is in the lane on the right of the bank.

Whats toilet theme restaurant without the photo with toilet bowl and s***

Lunch was at A Cong Mian Xian. Is along Emei Street nearer to the end of the shopping street if you come by the movie park. Is quite delicious and cheap as well. However, the bad thing about the store is that you have to stand to eat as chairs are limited and there are no tables for customers. Depend on the time of the day, there could be queue formed up as well. However, the queue will clear relatively fast.

Notice the crowd and the people eating while standing? The guy in grey is holding a small size

This is a large size

After the visit to Ximen Ding, then is taking the MRT along the Bannan Line to Houshanpi to visit Wufen Pu. There will be signs that point you to the Wufen Pu shopping district as well. If you follow the sign, then you will walk straight till you see Huxu Zhang on the opposite side of the road, then on the left is Cosmed which is the bottom right corner of Wufen Pu, a recommended place to start your visit.

This is taken at the other end of the recommended start of Wufen Pu, Huxu Zhang is on the right

Map of Wufen Pu and how it linked to Raohe Nightmarket. (c) Alec Travel Guide. Read his post to find out the different lanes to find different items http://tinyurl.com/alectg. However, the direction to Houshanpi station is only applicable if you exit the main entrance of the MRT

Wufen Pu is famous warehouse clothing outlet like Pratunam of Thailand. Clothing there is cheap as well and you can buy a lot there. However the bad thing is that most store do not allow you to try their clothes or even no refund. So do look carefully at the sign to see if you can try or refund before you visit.

Some shop display their ware this way, in a plastic bag

One of the signboard which I saw only when I am inside

When walking inside Wufen Pu, there is small banner indicating small alley and what street it is

Dinner is at Raohe Night Market is at the top left hand corner of the Wufen Pu along Songshan Road then head upwards all the way till you see the entrance.

You can see why Raohe Night Market is on Rouhe Road by visiting river at the right of the night market after you enter.  There will be a sign pointing you to the Rainbow bridge. At the bridge area you can see Keelung river and riverside park where people cycle and jog etc.

The entrance of the night market

When you see this, go through the entrance on the left to see the riverside park

This is the rainbow bridge

Compared to other night market I have visited, Rouhe Night Market is relatively broad and easier for people to walk.

Thats all for day 4!