Taiwan Trip Day 4 –> Jinguashi’s Gold Ecological Park –> JiuFen –> Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall –> Miramar Mall

Before heading to Jiufen, we head to Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park and only realise that it was closed (Monday). Jinguashi was once a booming gold and copper mining town. However, times change and once prosperous industries fade. That doesn’t mean that they no longer hold value. In 2002, Jinguashi was named a potential World Heritage site. As this park shows, old mining facilities can be transformed into a premier recreational destination, with many of the park’s original buildings being re-used as exhibition space (source from Council of Cultural Affairs, Taiwan)

This place is quite huge with many things that can be capture and learned also explore the mining tunnels which seems to be very interesting. Too bad that it was closed on that day if not it would be more exciting.

So what we can do for that moment was to camwhore all the way~

Pushh pusshhh.. I just want to see the mining tunnel!

Our group shot.. Just love this pic with so many people doing different things at one time..:D

Then we head to the next nearest tourist attraction of the town… Jiufen

Jioufen, also known as Jiufen or Chiufen is a mountain town in the Rueifang Township of Taipei County near Keelung, Taiwan.

During the first years of the Qing Dynasty, the village here housed nine families, thus the village would request “nine portions” every time shipments arrived from town. Later Jioufen (“Nine portions” in Chinese) would become the name of the village.

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. Many present features of Jioufen reflect the era under Japanese colonization, with many Japanese inns surviving to this day. During World War II, a POW camp named Kinkaseki was set up in the village, holding Allied soldiers captured in Singapore (including many British) who worked in the nearby gold mines. Gold mining activities declined after World War II, and the mine was shut off in 1971. Jioufen quickly went into decline, and for a while the town was mostly forgotten.

In 1989, Hou Hsiao-hsien’s A City of Sadness, the first film to touch on the 228 Incident, a taboo subject in Taiwan, became a big hit in the theatres. As a result Jioufen, where the film was set, revived due to the film’s popularity. The nostalgic scenery of Jioufen as seen in the film, as well as appearances in other media, charmed many people into visiting Jioufen. For the beginning of the 90s, Jioufen experienced a tourist boom that has shaped the town as a tourist attraction. Soon retro-Chinese style cafés, tea houses, and souvenir stores bearing the name “City of Sadness” were built.

Jioufen also became popular in 2001, when its downtown was used as a model in the anime movie Spirited Away.

At present, Jioufen is a renowned tourist attraction representative of Taiwan. It draws many tourists from Taipei during the weekends. (source from Wikipedia)

When I reach here, I am excited to explore this place with its nice paved alley and 2 stretches of mini shoplot for you to shot and hunt for food all way long. The moment I reach here, the first thing I ask, what is famous food to eat here…

As we were walking down the alley, most food seller generously offering us free tasting session and if you don by they do not curse you yet they will say thank you and please come again! What a kind of customer service and if we don’t buy after eating so much, we felt a lil guilt in us.

Its a challenge for us to tour this place under this high temperature and again, the temperature for the day is 38 degree which is killing us the mood of photographing.

some souvenirs shop that sell cute items.

A old retro Italian restaurant from the outlook but serve Taiwanese food and decoration itself caught our attention.

Sample food display on the glass panel making us want to like the glass.

Our first stop of the day to eat this desert that was recommend by one of them. . .

A big piece chunk of peanut use by a wooden shredded into slices and ashes to be place ontop of the popiah skin add on two scoops of ice cream and wrap it.

I had 2 of this for first round and on the way back took another piece. NT25 if not mistaken.

Then head to the opposite stall to try out the drink.

Its very sour, a bit sweet but the best is the filling in it, a bit chewy and jellyish~

Doroyaki was next.. hint of finely toast on the pant with a bit of chocolate flavour add in with a ice cream in it is just pretty good. Peanut was my choice. . .

Next was this 2 stalls a few more shops away. . .

Green Shell Whelk

BBQ on this eletric frame add on with her own homemade sauce and a bit of water.

Then its ready to be eaten, add on with some chili sauce and it taste good or we were just too hungry, me and Pak finish it very fast.

If you seen Susan Boyle in the Western Countries then you should see Susan Boyle Jiufen version selling Taiwan sausage.

Many varieties that she is selling but she is on holiday on that day. Could not take picture with her. . .:(

We tried it all as each of us just take one bite.

This was another thing famous at Jiufen according to my friend. Its big, soft, nicely boil in hot water and the taste is not bad.

Home made Mua Chi that can get it along the streets. Many of the stalls offer it. I like the green tea Mua Chi as its soft, with green tea filling in it some more and its best to buy and eat it fresh. NT10 per piece, the one if have tried.

As it was time for lunch, then they introduce us this shop that they constantly eat in, that serve many kind of pork balls.

There is big, medium, small, black, white, brown, you name it they got it.

The whole little shop is decorated with the great escape of the onwer that she travels around the world. Really travel around the world with her many posing pics.

Self service as you order yourself just pass the bill to he stall below.

‘Niu Rou Fan’ which served with mince meat, a bit of salted veggie and the gravy is good, just that its a bit too salty for me.

I just love the pork ball there, its solid and chewy, soup filled with the pork ball taste that had been boiled for quite some time.

After the meal, they lead us to one of the best desert that they rate in the area. After heavy meal, feel so lazy and the weather is killing all of us, have to sacrifise our weight by climbing up for one of the good desert.

With the que a bit long, but it takes us a while to reach our turn.

It is the types of desert or what is know in KL – Snowflakes version which you can get it widely accross Taiwan, you can choose what toppings you like, red bean, the pumpkin, green tea base or mix bean.

They were busy preparing all the toppings.

One of the reason this shop is famous also because of its great view while eating this steamy desert.

Just enjoy the great view while eating my desert.

Kids here love to take pic and featured too..:)

This is my bowl of desert covert with every ingredient that they have, might sound greedy of me but then since I will be there only once, why not everything. 😀

I find that the ice is very rough which is not the snowy type yet the taste is quite mild compare to snowflakes but under this hot weather, just ignore and enjoy the cool effect of it~

This 2 is so cute, always quarrel but we did disturb them that they would be the best couple. The guy we call him Chu bi and the girl we call her Ah Eeee . . .

Before heading to our next destination, its time to buy some souvenir from the place to take back. Here do sell cheap souvenirs compare to the one in Taipei District itself.

This is very cute, with  many types of design ranging from cute animals, cartoon, stones and others, it is actually a flute that teach you how to blow it some more. Pretty interesting.

Bye bye Jiu Fen and head back to Taipei City for . . . .