This route is a popular day trip from Taipei. Our driver, Mr. Yang, said he's driven this route nearly every day for the past 8 years, but it was my first time (unless I went as a baby?). Soggy, fantastic day.
Yehliu Geopark features bizarre rock formations. It looks like you landed on another planet, one inhibited by Teletubbies. This is not an artistically blurred photo; I just had a really wet camera.The most famous rock formation, Queen's Head, looks like the profile of a queen.A nice security uncle stands by the famous Queen's Head, helping keeping the line moving and guiding each group to the designated photo spot (marked by footprints on the boardwalk). The line was long, but the setup was efficient.Our turn with Queen's Head.The raincoats are one size fits all.Vendors outside the park gates sell these brightly colored raincoats for $3 USD. They were quite nice; the zippers alone would cost more than $3!It alternated between raining and sprinkling the entire day.Jiufen is built onto a steep mountainside. I'm glad I didn't have to drive / look for parking.Jiufen's taro ball soupThe famous Ah Mei tea shop, said to be inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s "Spirited Away."Braised pork rice (滷肉飯)Shop selling calligraphy suppliesJiufen Old Street is a tiny, narrow street packed with tea shops, eateries, and souvenir shops. It was very crowded, very wet and very DELICIOUS.Sky lanterns at Shifen old streetYou can write whatever you want on your lantern. Someone people wrote a lot, another person just drew a smiley face. Be careful not to get the ink on your clothes because it won't come out.You can choose a single colored lantern ($200 NTD) or one with four different colors ($250 NTD). Each color has a different meaning. Each store is the same price, so don't bother price shopping.The sifu is a pro at shooting photos and videos for everyone. (Also, If you need to use the restroom, make sure you ask the sifu whose shop you visit, because no one else will let you.)The train tracks are an active route, but the train travels slowly and there's lots of advance warning before it reaches the station. Everyone has time to clear off the tracks.Rolled ice cream with cilantro and crushed peanuts! You wouldn't think these flavors go together but it was delicious.The stall immediately to the right of the train station is the original deboned and marinated chicken wing stuffed with fried rice. (There are copycats along the street.)No idea how they stuff the chicken wing with rice without breaking the skin! It was hot and tasty.
