Skip to main content

Jiufen Old Street Treats


Jiufen
Jiufen was once called the Golden City. It was a gold mining town in the 1890s. When gold mining declined, so did the town. Jiufen was rediscovered in 1989 when a movie, A City of Sadness, was filmed here. A 2001 Japanese animé film, Spirited Away, captivated Japanese audiences for its locale which resembles Jiufen.  Japanese tourists came and cemented Jiufen’s place as one of the top attractions of Taiwan. 


Yin Yang Sea in the distance

Jiufen Old Street
Old Street is a long, narrow street that slopes uphill. It can be quite crowded because this is a tourist destination. I was there in late January and it was raining. Despite the lousy weather, the street was packed. At the very end of this street is a view of the houses spilling down the mountain. 

A tea shop

Artisanal Taiwan Boba 
Bubble tea or boba was invented in Taiwan in the eighties. Hence the popularity of this drink. If you buy your boba at this store, you can rest assured the ingredients are made in the traditional method.

Ready for lunch? Bon appetit!

Skewered strawberry and grapes. These are so pretty and tempting to eat. There were several stalls selling these.

A selection of street food - chicken gizzard, chicken heart, chicken feet, chicken tail, mushrooms, bird’s eggs, tofu, kelp.

Goose liver, shank, cuttlefish balls, meatballs, chicken tail and so much more…..

Fish and squid balls, fries, ganthiya, fried shrimps, trumpet mushrooms.

Dried squid and dried fish.

This alley leads to more restaurants and shops uphill.

Motorcycles are allowed in some alleyways. Notice the beautiful lanterns.

Mini electric sky lanterns. I wish I bought one of these as a souvenir of our adventures in Northern Taiwan.

Pretty slippers for children

There are a thousand and one things to find here. Fun to explore.

Jiufen Xiahai City God Temple
How to get there:
There are several ways to get to Jiufen - by bus, train, taxi, Uber or by organized tour. Check rome2rio.com for details. I went with a group of friends on a private tour to Northern Taiwan and I highly recommend it for the ease of travel and for a more customized itinerary. A friend recommended Raul Ng of Taiwan Tours and you can reach him through his Facebook page or at 886-926-177-849 or by email at hellotaiwantours@gmail.com. You can read my post about Northern Taiwan here: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2024/04/northern-taiwan-road-trip.html

Currency: USD$1.00 = 30.92 New Taiwan dollar (TWD) as of this post’s date.

Check out my post on Northern Taiwan Road Trip here:
https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2024/04/northern-taiwan-road-trip.html

Stay connected

*****

Images by TravelswithCharie 

 

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

The Fairy Tale Town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Rothenburg ob der Tauber has been on my travel bucket list for years. And I finally got there  last November. It is an enchanting place.  With its half-timbered houses, clock towers, colorful façades, schneeballs and beer steins, Rothenburg ODT oozes with medieval charm.  It's no surprise that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I was partially filmed in Rothenburg ODT. This is a common dilemma in Rothenburg ODT. Which direction to take? It's hard to choose because every cobblestone street seems to be competing for the best dressed street award. And they are all winners in my book.  After walking half a day, an inviting table for two with colorful flowers to warm a cold November day. I love how these two half-timbered buildings anchor a street that leads to another intriguing square. The Plönlein (Little Square) is the most photographed square in Rothenburg ODT. But I found more picturesque neighborhoods than this. That's ...
Read more

Midnight in Paris Movie Locations

It's not often I watch a movie but on a long flight home late last year, I had the chance to watch Midnight in Paris and was totally captivated by its plot. Can you imagine time traveling to the era of Fitzgerald and Hemingway, Picasso and Dali, Gauguin and Toulouse Lautrec? It was therefore such a treat to be in Paris and be able to see a couple of the locations from the movie. Had so much fun figuring out where the Peugeot came from to pick up Gil (Owen Wilson) and take him back to the Jazz Age. Rue Galande Rue Galande is a narrow street lined with boutiques with engaging window displays. Notice the giant flea sculpture above one of the shops. This location was shown at the beginning of the film. Interestingly enough, Rue Galande is a stone's throw from the bouquinistes along the Seine and across from the Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris. The Steps of St. Etienne du Mont This is where Gil was sitting, a little disoriented, when the Pe...
Read more

Casapueblo and Carlos Páez Vilaró

Casapueblo, Punta Ballena Just a few minutes from the popular beach destination of Punta del Este is Casapueblo which sits on the edge of a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. If you're staying at the hotel, then you're in for a big treat. Imagine the view of the blue ocean made more dazzling by the sun. But that's not all. There's also an art gallery and museum next door which displays the artistic works of Carlos Páez Vilaró who also designed Casapueblo, his permanent home and studio. Casapueblo reminds one of the Greek isles at first glimpse. But it isn't that simple. Look closely and you'll find the influence of Gaudi in the architecture which Vilaró himself built with no plans. There are no straight lines. The interior has many passages and narrow stairs leading to enchanting rooms, everyone of which is different from the other. Notice the curving lines and the rooftops with their pointed concrete posts. Vilaró liked his house to a hornero's (ovenbird...
Read more