Trip - Taiwan - Day 5 - ShiFen and JiuFen Revisit

Hi Blog,

After our short visit at Yehliu Geopark, the next stop will be Shifen and Jiufen. What amazed me, is that there is a new express route to Shifen and Jiufen!

The route cuts directly through the mountains.

Because based on my Taiwan visit previously, the bus took a longer route, along the shore for beautiful sceneries... Or I wondered... They just didn't take this route on purpose.

Anyway, no matter which route they take, the scenes are always beautiful. Our group focus on Food (they called themselves 吃貨) and I focus on Scenery (then I called myself 見貨).

For now, whatever pictures that you are looking at, they got yellowish taint, it was due to the window on the tour bus.

Ah! This is the new express route - a tunnel through the mountains! Maybe it was not new, just that on my 2019 Taiwan trip, the bus driver drove us along the shores than taking the tunnel.

Hmm... Can you believe this... it was about 5pm already...

Driving through a long tunnel was so hypnotizing... 😵‍💫🥴

We had arrived at Shifen! Check out the sky!

Okay, let's get off the bus to see clearly. Hmm... Same!

I believe if you stay here... Or during covid time... This place, this spot will be beautiful and peaceful.

Like...living in this town... When is the time when you can enjoy the peace and got a living...

...releasing the lanterns seems like an undeniably business...

If you don't do while the neighbours beside you, earned more or benefit from the goldmines, won't you be affected?

...hmm... Perhaps I digressed... Don't know why I will think so much while I was there. (based on my previous Shifen visit, I read back... I was also thinking about it)

Hmm... Something was new here... The lanterns seemed like catching fire... Sounded like someone shot it down or chemical combustion or something... The lanterns can't carry towards the mountains, which is the best option.

(Credit XY) You know what to do when the crowd is dense?

(Credit XY) Yes! Posing on the track!

(Credit XY) Strike a disgusting pose as no one will pay any attention to me.

(Credit XY) ...or back to the typical tourist pose...

(Credit XY) ...or Mr Jeff's famous blog pose. Okay, vomit time 🤢🤮

Yes, what can we do at Shifen? Yup, write our blessing on the lantern. The moment when I took my wishes seriously.

The store boss started to light up the lantern and photo session.

Based on the different colour sides, pink is for relationships which I didn't manage to write anything about. I only wish Heaven can be kind toward my love life.

The blue side is for career which I didn't manage to write to, I only wish my boss will be understanding towards my flaws.

The yellow side is for wealth. The bottom one was my line "財富在自心田" with additional line "and wallet" for fun (Google translate to "Fortune is in the heart") but personally, I will translate to "Wealth and Fortune can be farmed in our heart".

Now I looked back at all four pictures, and I just maintained the same pose and smile. 😂 Anyway, Red is for the general wishes which I took it seriously. I wrote "願天下人的心中有光和火如天燈" ("May there be light and fire in the hearts of all people in the world like sky lanterns")

Time to release the lantern...

Goodbye and hope our wishes can be heard.

As they flew far away... our lantern got shot down. 😓 I believe that Heaven had heard us. 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼

Less than an hour, we arrived Jiufen, my memories reloaded moment. Jiufen is a unique location where the residents stay on the mountain.

As we looked out from the tour bus, the mountain horizon was so memorizing.

The special moment was when we arrived at Jiufen during the evening time to witness this beautiful sunset.

At Jiufen, I found one lonely bubble tea stall (It doesn't have a stall name, but I can still find its stall on Google Map), I decided to give that stall some business. The stall sells a special cup which has two splits to have two different drinks.

It seemed like most of the stalls already started closing in Jiufen...

BUT! I STILL MANAGED TO FIND THE LEGENDARY STINKY TOFU! This one was the fried version.

Oooo... Just a look at it, there were many stalls that had closed...

The sky got darker and there are many dark counters in Jiufen, which can make horror movies.

As I searched further down... YES! I found another Stinky Tofu but this one was different!

This one is a Braised type!

(Credit WH) When lesser crowds, it was perfect for photography.

Even though, I felt going to Jiufen at this time was ideal but to think back... it was also a great chance to witness Jiufen's closing scene.

The red lanterns street at Jiufen looked like...

...lonely... Maybe it was just my inner thought.

A loud music was played along the pavement. It was a mini lorry collecting the trash from the stalls.

Our night ended at Jiufen and everyone was tired...

I managed to get one item for myself. Something cute and something to watch over my bag (back).

This was our last visit to Taiwan as we need to wake up early to take a morning flight to Japan... So we needed some more sleep...

Jeff