For those, who live in Taipei, or Taoyuen, and not yet visited this place - try to get there once you have a time. Besides night market (of course, what else), there is pure charm of those Japanese era architectures and houses. Jioufen was only an isolated village until 1893, when gold was discovered in the area. The resulting gold rush hastened the village's development into a town, and reached its peak during the Japanese rule.
Tell me fast, what's annoying there? Yes, 7ELEVEN sign. Just same annoying as in Fenchihu train station old town (also featured in my blog). Many present features of Jioufen reflect the era under Japanese colonization, with many Japanese inns surviving to this day.
Jioufen, also known as Jiufen or Chiufen (Chinese: 九份; pinyin: Jiǔfèn; Wade-Giles: Chiu3-fen4), is a mountain town in the Rueifang Township of Taipei County near Keelung, Taiwan.
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The street runs through most of the village with a multitude of food such as yam dishes, stinky tofu and other local specialties such as peitou meatballs and mixed vegetables topped with peanut powder and ice cream.
Street is cramped with shops, eateries, homestays and restaurants and widely decorated by red lanterns.
Meat balls
Juice stand here. Jioufen sometimes also is referred as "Little Shanghai".
There are also restaurants, street stalls and dessert shops that provide a plethora of gourmet indulgences.
And that's the "nose problem" for a novice foreigner in Taiwan - stinky or tzo tofu. Later you will adapt to this smell, and finally also you will eat it. By the way trust me - it's taste is far better than it's smell. Well, one thing I am not sure - how about living in a flat, with a windows just above tzo tofu vendor?
Northern Taiwan snack - fried fish powder.
And that's tou gan - similar to tofu food. From soybeans.
Dry sweet fruits.
Not everyone thinks that need keep nostalgic japanese era and gold rush mood here. How about those neon "restaurant" signs? But the restaurant (and homestay at second floor) is not bad, however, expensive. We had a dinner there - for this price you get good food.
Shoes, Chinese brushes and scrolls, jewelries, toys and souvenir of all sorts will be offered you in a hectic way, because you look like a tourist. Hint - do you know how to DO NOT look like a foreigner in Taiwan? my suggestions: - Do speak louder as you usually did; - Do wear a striped T-shirt (not Hawai style); - Do not wear those shorts a-la travel style with big pockets - wear jeans instead; - Keep a tea in hand; - Ask your girlfriend take Louis Vouitton bag; - Use mobile phone when making pictures; - Overreact on fireworks, and try to make video of them using mobile phone; - Wear bluetooth even if you do not drive; - When someone is talking with on phone, instead of "I see" say - 'aa-- haa haaa --- aaaa - aaa -- aaa --- long string of those sounds and end it by "dzangzi la (that's all). - In winter dress more as you would usually do at this temperatures before.
Anyway, those shops still are waiting you buy something
Chinese fast food - noodles, dumplings, soup and the like
Heavy "discounts" today for nuts. I suppose, like for any other retailer, discounts here are 365 days a year. And for you only.
Tea shops in Taiwan always will be happy to sit down with and offer tea. You will drink, and finally buy. A lot. It's a marketing & sales trick called return the favor. Can you after a drinking tea with host go away without buying anything?
If you come too late, like after 9:30 - you see most of shops will be already closed
Gold museum down there
I really like those places where you can find stands in both side of the way with so many different things that they are offering.
Posted by: viagra online | April 20, 2011 at 12:27 AM
This place is absolutely beautiful! You can do a lot of activities here!
Posted by: k9 advantix | July 08, 2011 at 04:51 PM