Today, I'd like to go a bit back in time and tell you about my trip to Jioufen.
Jioufen is one of Taiwans steepest cities, so it gives a quite different impression on you than other cities while you walk through it (all the pedestrian streets being stairways and the roads really steep). It will give you some workout, that's for sure, but it will also give you many views of beauty, both from the buldings and in particular, markets inside the city, but also the landscape below which shows a view of the sea - which is quite rare to see in Taiwan as it's not often you will go there. All in all, I wouldn't mind visiting this city another time despite the long way there.
)
)
)
That's probably one of the best locations for a cafe that I've seen in my life.
)
)
Now, the really interesting thing about Jioufen is it's markets. (Or market?) They crawl up through the steep city almost all the way to the top. This leaves you walking through without having to worry too much about the hardness of the climb, as the somewhat unique markets will keep your attention in an iron grip. You can buy so many foods, souvenirs and other stuff that I have yet to run into at another place in Taiwan that you'll have to come back another day to get through all of it. If you like to just walk around and look at stuff without having to buy all of it, Jioufen is the place. If you want a souvenir or ten, it's even better.
)
)
)
This picture should give a better idea of how it feels walking in Jioufen. Actually it's not too hard. After a while your body is warmed up and you wont feel too tired from walking uphill if you just make sure to walk a little slower and enjoy your cozy mountain-city surroundings.
)
Up till the end of second world war, Taiwan was part of Japan, and since Japan were nazis at that time, we all know what that means: Nazi zombies. Here's a map to help you avoid those places most infested when you hike in the mountains.
Actually, Jioufen is a city with a very interesting history. It was not really a city until gold was found there. After that it boomed, but that was just shortly before the reign of Japan started, so the Japanese period were the one in which it grew the most, and so, a lot of the houses are still Japanese style. Furthermore, during World War II, it was a place the Japanese would send captured soldiers to work in the mines. Now there's no actual gold mines left and the town is mostly run on tourism. But I bet there's still a gold mine of stories hidden there. You will have to learn Chinese to find out about them though.
)
But yeah, that's Jioufen. If you get the chance, you should go there. Hope you liked the photos. Want to see more, then you can click one of them and browser around in boonbot.com.