Taipei Revisited 2011-Jiufen (九份）

We reached Ruifang （瑞方) at around 3:30pm and then got out of the station to go Jiufen. Since this is not our 1st visit, I knew the way to the bus stop.

Ruifang train station

Upon exiting Ruifang station, we walked along street, past the police station and cross the road to the familar rows of shops where we would take a bus up to Jiufen.

Bus that stops here

Bus came in no time and we board it and found seats easily since it is a weekday.

Ruifang town

Power cables running thru the mountains

Dark skies

And we reached!

Got down opposite the familiar 7-11 and proceed to the shopping belt. We are hungry again after all the travelling. And of course, I must get my favourite rose tea drink which comes in a cute milk bottle. Am glad I did as the shop closed for the day when we walked back later.

I especially love their rose tea as it is not that sweet and is super cooling to drink in a hot day. Twice I came here on a superb hot day and this drink never fails to cool me down. There is a vast selection of drinks here to choose from too.

My favourite rose tea drink

Peanut pancakes

Winter melon drink stall

Our eyes were scanning for snacks as we walked along the narrow streets. Luckily we came on a weekday and thus it is not as crowded. Else it would be difficult to walk around in the narrow streets.

I saw my favourite grilled mushrooms and ordered a serving. Am still puzzled why didn't I see this in any of Taipei's night market and can only get it here.

Yummy grilled mushrooms

There is this stall owner who dresses weirdly selling sausages. I didn't dare to take her picture the last time round as we didn't think get anything from here. This time, I told Mr Love to go get a suasage while I stood there snapping her pictures. She doesn't seems to mind though.

We also brought 1 serving of tako balls but the taste is pretty disappointing to us.

Tako balls

Various kinds of sausages to choose from

Old school provision stall

Since we had more time this round, we ventured a bit futher up and down the main shopping belt though not much as I did not want to climb too much stairs.

Going up

Cats having same poses

Residential house

We then came to a flight of stairs leading down to dunno where. Went down a bit and saw many tea houses by the side of stairs. Mr Love was not in the mood to drink tea after yesterday's Mao Kong trip.

A pretty well known tea house in Jiufen

Halfway thru going down, I decided to turn back as I cannot see the end of where the stairs is leading. Didn't want to come all the way up again after finding nothing down there. Will die of exhaustion. I am here for a holiday, not physical training camp.

Halfway thru going down

Went up again and continue to explore Jiufen. We didn't plan a night here again this time though I did wanted to. The cool air here would be perfect at night but then am just too lazy to search for homestay.

Love the view

Cute handmade toys

We made our way out to the main bus stop at 5pm as we are planning to visit Keelung Night market(基隆庙口夜市）. There is a straight bus from here to there it seems and I am not sure how long the jounery will be.

Most of the people who board the bus here will alight at Ruifang train station to catch a train back to Taipei. Thus we managed to grab seats and sleep all the way there.

This is also the fastest way to get to Keelung (基隆）though you can travel by TRA too. But it just doesn't makes sense to travel 45min back to Taipei and transfer to another train to Keelung for another 45min.

Or if you are familiar with Taiwan Railway, you can take a train to Badu(八堵） or Qidu （七堵） which is 15min away from Ruifang and transfer to a train to Keelung which is 25min away. If you are not that familiar then need to do some checking and asking around.

Bus jounery to Kee Lung takes about 45min, same as travelling to Raohe night market which we did the last time. I did inform the driver of our destination and requests him to advise where we should alight.