A few weeks before we went to Jiufen, my mom serendipitously encountered a friendly taxi driver who moonlighted as a private day trip tour guide. I assumed this was a scam, but apparently living in New York for many years has heightened my paranoia — hired taxi is a legit way people travel to Jiufen (the other options are bus or train).
Our friendly taxi driver/tour guide stopped first at Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park, which provides some historical background on Jiufen; during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, it was a gold mining town.
After putting on hard hats, visitors walk through an actual gold mining tunnel.
Along the way, figures of miners show what life was like in the tunnels. This is the “break time” scene.
The number one attraction at the Gold Museum is touching this giant brick of gold, which weighs 220.30 KG.
Afterward it was on to Jiufen, an old-timey town with lots of tourists and street eats:
Taro balls weren’t invented in Jiufen, but they’ve become a popular delicacy there.
Their chewy consistency is similar to tapioca bubbles and they can be served hot or cold.
Other variations include sweet potato and green tea.
Jiufen is also the real-life inspiration for Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. A-Mei Tea House is often cited as the model for the bathhouse; if you come at night, it looks even more atmospheric.
These masks definitely give off the Spirited Away vibe.
In addition to tea, A-Mei Tea House serves simple and tasty Taiwanese dishes.
Accompanied by the ubiquitous plate of orange slices post-meal.
The view from our window — not too shabby. At some point, the Twin Peaks theme started playing in the restaurant; it created the most bizarre yet excellent dining experience.
For truly spectacular views, head to the top floor and sit for a while with a cup of tea.
There are plenty of narrow alleys and winding streets to explore in Jiufen.
It’s a great place to buy Taiwanese souvenirs.
Other local souvenirs include these giant rubber luggage tags, which come in a variety of characters. Miyazaki gets a shoutout, of course.
An aside: I saw this guy ride his scooter directly into the store and no one even blinked — just another day at the office. Things to love about Taiwan.
After Jiufen, our friendly taxi driver/tour guide took us to Shenkeng Old Street; it’s definitely a worthwhile stop on a day trip to or from Taipei, especially for tofu lovers.
Shenkeng is famous for tofu, and the longest lines are for stinky tofu.
It’s served on a stick for easy snacking.
For non-tofu lovers, there are other food options to eat or to take home.
There’s also fake Adventure Time merchandise.
It wasn’t Halloween, but there were a row of these lanterns.
