Taiwan: Day Trip to Jiufen and Shenkeng

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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).

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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.

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After putting on hard hats, visitors walk through an actual gold mining tunnel.

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Along the way, figures of miners show what life was like in the tunnels. This is the “break time” scene.

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The number one attraction at the Gold Museum is touching this giant brick of gold, which weighs 220.30 KG.

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Afterward it was on to Jiufen, an old-timey town with lots of tourists and street eats:

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Taro balls weren’t invented in Jiufen, but they’ve become a popular delicacy there.

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Their chewy consistency is similar to tapioca bubbles and they can be served hot or cold.

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Other variations include sweet potato and green tea.

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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.

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These masks definitely give off the Spirited Away vibe.

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In addition to tea, A-Mei Tea House serves simple and tasty Taiwanese dishes.

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Accompanied by the ubiquitous plate of orange slices post-meal.

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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.

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For truly spectacular views, head to the top floor and sit for a while with a cup of tea.

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There are plenty of narrow alleys and winding streets to explore in Jiufen.

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It’s a great place to buy Taiwanese souvenirs.

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Other local souvenirs include these giant rubber luggage tags, which come in a variety of characters. Miyazaki gets a shoutout, of course.

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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.

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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.

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Shenkeng is famous for tofu, and the longest lines are for stinky tofu.

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It’s served on a stick for easy snacking.

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For non-tofu lovers, there are other food options to eat or to take home.

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There’s also fake Adventure Time merchandise.

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It wasn’t Halloween, but there were a row of these lanterns.

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