Up early as we were still on Canadian time, we had a leisurely breakfast from 7/11 (actually really good coffee including lattes for about $2, which would quickly become a staple), we walked to the main train station in Taipei and grabbed a train northwest to Ruifen station. From there, we were looking for a bus to the town of Juifen where we would spend the next two nights. Immediately upon exiting the station we saw signs pointing for the bus to Juifen so we headed that direction. A block in, a bus driver started flagging us over. I walked over to his window and he asked where we were going and then pointed us to the other side of the street. Meanwhile Marieke was approached by an elderly woman on the street who wrote down all three bus number options we had for getting to Jiufen. Getting around was proving easy with friendly people and helpful directions.

Last Sun for Days

Ten minutes later we arrived in Jiufen, basking in the sun in the parking lot while waiting for Uncle Xie, our guesthouse owner, to arrive as we were checking in early. Luckily we took time to look at the view to the ocean below, as pretty soon the clouds would roll in and we wouldn’t see the sun again for the next several days. We grabbed lunch with a view and headed for a steep hike up a mountain. By the time we got to the top, the view was getting hazy with clouds but still nice. We headed down and grabbed a bus to Jinguashi to the mining museum, where the highlight was an old mining tunnel we got to explore. With the clouds fully enveloping the site, it was definitely atmospheric when reading about the history of the mine including prisoners of war working the mine during World War II. We got back to Jiufen in the pouring rain. Luckily our guesthouse owner had shoe dryers.

Atmospheric, Historic Train Trip

Armed with raincoats and umbrellas we borrowed from the guesthouse owner, we headed out on the historic train trip, visiting six stops along the way back, with the train coming once an hour, so we had to plan our stops accordingly. The weather didn’t stop us from enjoying a couple of hikes, nor did it dampen the enthusiasm of all the others lighting kites into the air. It was great people and kite watching.

We spent the day hiking to waterfalls, snacking, trying to stay dry, and soaking in the atmosphere. We also visited the cat village, the last stop on the trip, which became a hub for stray cats. After word spread and people started dropping off more cats, and the population inevitably exploded, they added a cat management system. Regardless, the cats there looked very well/over fed and the town has been revitalized from the kitty tourism. We had delicious chai while waiting out for the next train at a cat cafe.

A long, wet and cold day, we grabbed some hot noodle soup in Ruifang before heading back. Jon went straight to bed, battling a fever, while the rest of us explored the old streets and lights of the tea houses of Juifen in the dark.