Marian / Shengmu / Matcha hiking trail
Today's hike has about 9 different names. You can find it referred to as Marian or St Marian's hiking trail, the sacred mother trail, Shengmu hiking trail, and now more recently, matcha mountain hiking trail (green tea for those that still do not know what matcha is).
Apparently a few years ago, this was a moderately popular hiking route, but a quasi famous Japanese guy came here and took some photos, applied an aged film filter to the photos and put them on Japanese instagram, along with the caption 'matcha mountain, omg, kawaii *thumbs up* *eggplant* *pedobear*' and a week later flights were being chartered to bring groups of Japanese people here. Look it up, not a joke!
Anyway, if you are playing along at home, it is about a 20km round trip from Jiaoxi station, to the top of Sanjiaolunshan and back to Jiaoxi station, so allow 6 hours and 30,000 steps. If you somehow fluke a bus in each direction, take 6km off.
There are a number of stages to all this, I will explain below with all the many thousands too many of pics that I took today.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Here is Jiaoxi station, it is 2 stops over from Yilan, about 10 minutes, the trains come regularly. But there is a problem, no matter how hard I tried](a-261.jpg)
Here is Jiaoxi station, it is 2 stops over from Yilan, about 10 minutes, the trains come regularly. But there is a problem, no matter how hard I tried, I could not stop my camera from fogging up! Hence the surreal like dreamy quality of this photo, people would pay money for a lightroom preset that does this.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - No bus. And there are no early buses it seems. Weird on a Saturday, I know this will be an extremely popular hike.](a-262.jpg)
No bus. And there are no early buses it seems. Weird on a Saturday, I know this will be an extremely popular hike.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Stage one was to walk through the really quite nice and unexpectedly large town of Jiaoxi, a hot spring town it seems. More pics on the way back. Ther](a-263.jpg)
Stage one was to walk through the really quite nice and unexpectedly large town of Jiaoxi, a hot spring town it seems. More pics on the way back. There are some big hotels and a golf course as you start to go up the hill.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - This is a dam. There are signs everywhere telling you not to swim in the dam. Look closely though and of course, there is a woman swimming in the dam.](a-264.jpg)
This is a dam. There are signs everywhere telling you not to swim in the dam. Look closely though and of course, there is a woman swimming in the dam. In Taiwan, signs are suggestions at best.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - The next stage of the hike takes you up a scooter accessible path to the Catholic Sanctuary of our Lady of Wufengqi. This has been constructed in a st](a-265.jpg)
The next stage of the hike takes you up a scooter accessible path to the Catholic Sanctuary of our Lady of Wufengqi. This has been constructed in a style to entice the local aborigine population to become Catholics. Yeah, that is probably a true fact.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - The next stage takes you along a gravel track, without steps, to this point, the start of the Marian hiking trail, where a lot of steps will commence.](a-268.jpg)
The next stage takes you along a gravel track, without steps, to this point, the start of the Marian hiking trail, where a lot of steps will commence.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - And lots and lots of slippery steps. I was moist, everything was moist, my bag was dripping with moistness, so was my camera. It was kind of hard to t](a-270.jpg)
And lots and lots of slippery steps. I was moist, everything was moist, my bag was dripping with moistness, so was my camera. It was kind of hard to take photos due to everything being slippery and wet, but at least my lense was not fogging up anymore.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - After at least an hour of steps, if you go at full idiot speed like I do, you come out into the cloud and the low bamboo area.](a-271.jpg)
After at least an hour of steps, if you go at full idiot speed like I do, you come out into the cloud and the low bamboo area.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - This is where 99% of the crowd stops, for the shot of matcha mountain, see below. There is a toilet there I think, I sweated so much no one could tell](a-272.jpg)
This is where 99% of the crowd stops, for the shot of matcha mountain, see below. There is a toilet there I think, I sweated so much no one could tell if I had wet my pants anyway so I did not need to use the actual toilets.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - First I had to stare at this guy and contemplate why everyone aspires to be nailed to a cross as the ultimate achievement in human history. I imagine](a-278.jpg)
First I had to stare at this guy and contemplate why everyone aspires to be nailed to a cross as the ultimate achievement in human history. I imagine this perplexes the locals more than it does me.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - I will now go up there to the actual top. I kind of had regrets about this, as the path became ankle deep mud. I had to put my camera into my bag prop](a-279.jpg)
I will now go up there to the actual top. I kind of had regrets about this, as the path became ankle deep mud. I had to put my camera into my bag properly as if I fell over it would get mud-logged.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - There were 1000 groups of people who went to the Matcha view, there were maybe me and 2 other groups that went to the top of Sanjiaolunshan. They had](a-280.jpg)
There were 1000 groups of people who went to the Matcha view, there were maybe me and 2 other groups that went to the top of Sanjiaolunshan. They had machetes! This is the summit, not a lot to see. I was a bit concerned about snakes as I could not see my feet due to face high grasses, but also ticks, do they have lime disease here? It seems to be a USA only disease for some reason.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - I stopped for a muddy shoe shot. I just spent an hour in the hotel shower cleaning them. I am glad I opted for my water proof hiking shoes for this tr](a-284.jpg)
I stopped for a muddy shoe shot. I just spent an hour in the hotel shower cleaning them. I am glad I opted for my water proof hiking shoes for this trip. They make my feet hot, but its better than squishing mud between my toes for 10km on the way back down.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - I forgot to show the trail marker on the way up, so here it is on the way down. Kind of looks like an inverted crucifix. Interesting.](a-288.jpg)
I forgot to show the trail marker on the way up, so here it is on the way down. Kind of looks like an inverted crucifix. Interesting.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Here is some more of the church, On the right edge there is a fake cave made out of concrete. You can never really fully take Taiwan out of any situat](a-289.jpg)
Here is some more of the church, On the right edge there is a fake cave made out of concrete. You can never really fully take Taiwan out of any situation.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - As I exited the hiking area, a lot of vendors had since set up their stalls for the day, mainly selling fruit, which I never really understand, it wou](a-292.jpg)
As I exited the hiking area, a lot of vendors had since set up their stalls for the day, mainly selling fruit, which I never really understand, it would be fruit puree by the time you get to the top.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Instead of some questionable fruit, I headed to the convenience store, and had an ice cream. This dog lives in the store. A rare kind of dog in that h](a-293.jpg)
Instead of some questionable fruit, I headed to the convenience store, and had an ice cream. This dog lives in the store. A rare kind of dog in that he did not immediately attack me.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - The busy street here looks much like the rest of Taiwan, convenience stores as far as the eye can see.](a-295.jpg)
The busy street here looks much like the rest of Taiwan, convenience stores as far as the eye can see.
Yilan to Luodong by train for dinner
No really, should I have spent 3 nights in Luodong instead of Yilan? I look at the map of Taiwan a lot and this is my 5th time here and I had never heard of Luodong. It never seems to get mentioned. And yet it seems to be twice as busy as the much more well known Yilan city. I suspect this is another case of province vs city, Yilan is the name of a city and a province, and in theory the city has a higher population, and yet Luodong has all the colourful lights, markets and people.
Not that it matters much of course, and it is possible that I have not yet seen all of Yilan, I have tomorrow night to check if I missed it, but also, Luodong is about a 10 minute train ride away, just as Jaoxi was earlier today. So the moral of this not even a story is, everything is 10 minutes away in Taiwan.
Now to describe Ludong a bit more. It has a night market that shows up on google maps at relatively zoomed out zoom levels, and my inspection this evening declares that this is warranted. It does not have a mega mall, so there is no food court! SHIT, what now? It has a larger train station than Yilan. Just like Yilan, the train station is on the edge of town, there is basically nothing behind it.
Other than that, it is a small Taiwanese city, there are not a lot of footpaths, there are a lot of scooters, and OMG I did not take a photo of an incense burner today! Challenge, failed.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - This is the street leading away from Luodong station, but it is about a km away from the centre of town, the streets get busier than this.](a-296.jpg)
This is the street leading away from Luodong station, but it is about a km away from the centre of town, the streets get busier than this.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Here is the station, it has a couple of restaurants inside it. The Yilan station has a giraffe sticking out of it, so it's a toss up as to which is be](a-297.jpg)
Here is the station, it has a couple of restaurants inside it. The Yilan station has a giraffe sticking out of it, so it's a toss up as to which is better. I will take a shot of the giraffe as I leave Yilan in a couple of days time.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - !!!!, !!!!!, Why the hell am I not staying in this hotel? That is a little train at the bottom that is also the hotel restaurant.](a-298.jpg)
!!!!, !!!!!, Why the hell am I not staying in this hotel? That is a little train at the bottom that is also the hotel restaurant.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - This is the only thing that can be called a mall in Luodong (I think). It has no food court. Now what?](a-299.jpg)
This is the only thing that can be called a mall in Luodong (I think). It has no food court. Now what?
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Now for the obligatory night market shots. Let me see if I am using obligatory correctly, sometimes I make up words, OK, obligatory is the word is was](a-300.jpg)
Now for the obligatory night market shots. Let me see if I am using obligatory correctly, sometimes I make up words, OK, obligatory is the word is was looking for, quite cromulent.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - OK, more night market. It seems to go for many busy streets full of people. I actually avoided some of the busier bits.](a-302.jpg)
OK, more night market. It seems to go for many busy streets full of people. I actually avoided some of the busier bits.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - People live for sitting outside with thousands of people filing past, as they try not to get hot oil poured over them, or stab the back of their throa](a-303.jpg)
People live for sitting outside with thousands of people filing past, as they try not to get hot oil poured over them, or stab the back of their throat with a stick that has a squid on it.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - No food court, so I found a healthy restaurant, and had fish. And it was actually pretty great. The purple chunk is beetroot (possibly), and the white](a-304.jpg)
No food court, so I found a healthy restaurant, and had fish. And it was actually pretty great. The purple chunk is beetroot (possibly), and the white vegetable at the top right is some kind of translucent over boiled potato derivative. Today was a 40,000+ step day, how many will there be tomorrow? Do not worry though Korea5 trip from last year, my all time monthly step record is not in danger! That is all for now.
Caoling trail from Fulong station to Dali station
A double up of hiking, yesterday and today. Today's was a bit easier, 12km or 20,000 steps, and only about 600m of elevation gain, all on developed trails.
Just over 1000 years ago, when Taiwan was still attached to the mainland and the Philippines all within the 11 dash line, the Qing dynasty had a highway that allowed you to walk all the way from Beijing to Jakarta. Most of this trail never actually existed, but a small section of it remains in Taiwan, especially 2 rocks, with whimsical names as you shall see below.
It is relatively easy to get to this hike from anywhere, it is just as close to Taipei as it is to Yilan, but everything is close in Taiwan. Rumour has it that there is a bus from Fulong station to the start of the hike, but apparently it does not operate on weekends when people would most likely do the hike, so instead I walked about 4km along the road to where some kind of trail starts. It is well sign posted.
There were surprisingly few people on my way up, it seems a lot more people start at Dali, go to the top, and walk back down to Dali, and after seeing how slippery the rocky steps were on the way up, and how relatively un slippery they were on the way down to Dali, this makes a lot of sense to me.
I took a lot of pics, so more misinformation under each pic.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Fulong station, there is a convenience store here and even a Starbucks, this is important info for later, there is nothing at Dali!](a-305.jpg)
Fulong station, there is a convenience store here and even a Starbucks, this is important info for later, there is nothing at Dali!
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - I walked along the highway, then made one turn up another road that goes over the train track. Great skies! Still no rain today despite the threatenin](a-306.jpg)
I walked along the highway, then made one turn up another road that goes over the train track. Great skies! Still no rain today despite the threatening skies.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - The road up to the hike was very peaceful, I expected a lot of traffic consisting of people going to the hike, there was none.](a-307.jpg)
The road up to the hike was very peaceful, I expected a lot of traffic consisting of people going to the hike, there was none.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Nice farmland, I am going up over that bit in the fog. I did not want there to be fog today, oh well.](a-308.jpg)
Nice farmland, I am going up over that bit in the fog. I did not want there to be fog today, oh well.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - The trail follows a river for much of its journey, which helps keep everything damp, mossy and very slippery.](a-310.jpg)
The trail follows a river for much of its journey, which helps keep everything damp, mossy and very slippery.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - The journey up was like walking through a forest garden. There were zero other people for a couple of hours.](a-312.jpg)
The journey up was like walking through a forest garden. There were zero other people for a couple of hours.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Here is the fist of the road markers, evidently, the inscription says, 'boldly quell the wild mists'. Is this truly an ancient rock inscription or a r](a-313.jpg)
Here is the fist of the road markers, evidently, the inscription says, 'boldly quell the wild mists'. Is this truly an ancient rock inscription or a re-creation?
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - This pavilion marks about the half way point. There are toilets here, but since I had not seen another soul, I decided to just do an open air sprinkle](a-314.jpg)
This pavilion marks about the half way point. There are toilets here, but since I had not seen another soul, I decided to just do an open air sprinkler, complete with sound effects.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - I popped out of the forest, and into dense fog. It is near here that you are supposed to get the view of the coast. Not for me today!](a-315.jpg)
I popped out of the forest, and into dense fog. It is near here that you are supposed to get the view of the coast. Not for me today!
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - The second ancient roadside marker, this one just says tiger. I am yet to see a tiger in Taiwan. Last year I had a guy tell me his father was eaten by](a-316.jpg)
The second ancient roadside marker, this one just says tiger. I am yet to see a tiger in Taiwan. Last year I had a guy tell me his father was eaten by a tiger on a hiking trail in Korea.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Some way down the non slippery more developed side, I saw a sign pointing to 'ancient inn ruins', which as you can see was along a very mossy path. I](a-317.jpg)
Some way down the non slippery more developed side, I saw a sign pointing to 'ancient inn ruins', which as you can see was along a very mossy path. I guess this is the ruins.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - I saw another signpost, nature trail to lookout. The steps were of the non rocky non slippery kind, so up I went.](a-320.jpg)
I saw another signpost, nature trail to lookout. The steps were of the non rocky non slippery kind, so up I went.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - I was almost back at the bottom, I could smell burning rubbish, this means only one thing, a giant temple ahead!](a-322.jpg)
I was almost back at the bottom, I could smell burning rubbish, this means only one thing, a giant temple ahead!
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - All the way out there, with cloud on it, is Turtle Island. It is a very popular spot to go to by boat, but hard to casually arrange, you kind of need](a-324.jpg)
All the way out there, with cloud on it, is Turtle Island. It is a very popular spot to go to by boat, but hard to casually arrange, you kind of need to book a day long tour that takes in meals and bus transfers and jade shopping.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Over the road, or on the road itself, is a religious procession about to start. A guy at the back blows a whistle as trucks approach at speed, that wi](a-328.jpg)
Over the road, or on the road itself, is a religious procession about to start. A guy at the back blows a whistle as trucks approach at speed, that will protect them! It could actually be a funeral, but I do not see any trucks full of strippers hanging off poles (that is a real thing, look it up!).
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - This allowed me to get a view along the coast, those are the small mountains I came over today, still in fog.](a-330.jpg)
This allowed me to get a view along the coast, those are the small mountains I came over today, still in fog.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - And here is Dali old street, and a very old sad looking cat, and not much else. No shops, not even a convenience store, not even a vending machine.](a-332.jpg)
And here is Dali old street, and a very old sad looking cat, and not much else. No shops, not even a convenience store, not even a vending machine.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Dali station, the end of my hike for today. A very small station, only the slowest of slow local trains stop here, but it is still only about 30 minut](a-333.jpg)
Dali station, the end of my hike for today. A very small station, only the slowest of slow local trains stop here, but it is still only about 30 minutes back to Yilan.
Non food court dinner in Yilan
Last night in Yilan. As threatened I decided to see if there's more to it that first meets the eye. Not really. The University area is another busy area, and the city does extend a long way in each direction, but no part of it has the night market vibrancy of Luoyang. So there you go, if you want bright lights and deep fried foods, stay in Luoyang, which also has the cool tiny houses stacked on each other with a train restaurant hotel (refer last nights pics).
I had grand intentions to treat myself to Coco curry tonight, but they turned me away! 'Table for 1', with 1 finger raised I asked, there were 10 empty tables... and the table guard says, '90 minute wait' in perfect English. OK then, message received, no sad lonely diners allowed to lower the vibe of your fast food curry restaurant.
I headed to a nearby place on the same top level of the same mega mall, that also served curry, and ramen, and omurice, and allegedly okonomiyaki, but when I tried to order that, I think I was told that the chef who knows how to make that is on holidays. Then I had to scan a QR code to order via a website, the waiter guy helped me do it, and got to witness the app crash twice, and then a full screen pop up ad for shampoo to block the place order button. I found this very hilarious, and a guy at the table next to me also chimed in about this, the poor waiter was very ashamed.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - I set off on a long loop around what seems to be the main ring road around the old market in the city centre. This is a morning market, it appears to](a-335.jpg)
I set off on a long loop around what seems to be the main ring road around the old market in the city centre. This is a morning market, it appears to be very large, I might go investigate tomorrow morning before I take my train to Keelung, but I digress. My journey took me past this very grey sort of a temple.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Here is a street scene near the university. The university was large and modern, a lot of sport was being played. I describe it and yet, no picture.](a-336.jpg)
Here is a street scene near the university. The university was large and modern, a lot of sport was being played. I describe it and yet, no picture.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Bubble tea is serious business, I have no idea how so many stores survive in Melbourne, I especially have no idea how many stores survive in Taiwan. S](a-337.jpg)
Bubble tea is serious business, I have no idea how so many stores survive in Melbourne, I especially have no idea how many stores survive in Taiwan. Some of them are very elaborate, this one has medium levels of elaborancy (new word alert).
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Requests were made to show more pics of crumbling old houses. Well here is a demolition site and a view into the rear of some houses.](a-339.jpg)
Requests were made to show more pics of crumbling old houses. Well here is a demolition site and a view into the rear of some houses.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - And this is more your typical Taiwanese style non high rise apartment house. Covered in tiny tiles. They will happily tile a 40 level building also. I](a-340.jpg)
And this is more your typical Taiwanese style non high rise apartment house. Covered in tiny tiles. They will happily tile a 40 level building also. In an earthquake they rain down into the street. Also that green plastic car port that is actually a scooter port, that is the colour of all plastic in Taiwan.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Someone has a garden full of sheep. I would not have been surprised if they were real sheep, but alas, they are not, stay tuned.](a-341.jpg)
Someone has a garden full of sheep. I would not have been surprised if they were real sheep, but alas, they are not, stay tuned.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Here is my dinner that is not Coco curry, but a nearby Osaka something branded restaurant that is on the 4th floor restaurant floor and not in the bas](a-342.jpg)
Here is my dinner that is not Coco curry, but a nearby Osaka something branded restaurant that is on the 4th floor restaurant floor and not in the basement food court. It was a pretty decent omurice, which for those who are wondering if this is a chocolate sauce covered pancake, it is fried rice, with an egg on top and curry sauce. Japanese junk food... in Taiwan.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - A very common site is the helmet shop. They are everywhere. I think girls collect helmets like they collect handbags. I do not think helmets were actu](a-344.jpg)
A very common site is the helmet shop. They are everywhere. I think girls collect helmets like they collect handbags. I do not think helmets were actually mandatory the first time I came here, they very much are now.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Now for some scenes of the nearby to my hotel night market that I already showed some photos of. Here is the general vibe of the place, less busy on a](a-345.jpg)
Now for some scenes of the nearby to my hotel night market that I already showed some photos of. Here is the general vibe of the place, less busy on a Sunday.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - And finally for the final pic of this evening, the other part of tonight's title, ducks. Out the front of a cosmetics shop. They appear to have a tikt](a-349.jpg)
And finally for the final pic of this evening, the other part of tonight's title, ducks. Out the front of a cosmetics shop. They appear to have a tiktok page. Either that or you scan that tiktok QR code to bid on them / pay to keep them alive.
There are currently 5 comments - click to add
David on 2023-05-08 said:
A bit of both, sometimes in the traffic, othertimes a few shops in a row have joined up their undercover bit, but then every 10th shop you get to one that has erected a wall between them and the next shop all the way out to the edge of the street. You also often get a step between each shop in this area, I will take a photo of a couple of these areas later
jenny on 2023-05-07 said:
I see there are no footpaths in the shopping streets. so you you have to walk out in the traffic or can you squeeze in next to the shops?
David on 2023-05-07 said:
I have not eaten stinky tofu either.
As for the temple food court, it is not vegetarian, I had a look at the big version of the pic and see both the rou (meat) and yu (fish) character on the signs
John on 2023-05-07 said:
Stinky tofu sounds like a vegetarian dish but no! In any case, it smells too bad for mine.
adriana on 2023-05-07 said:
I assume that the food in the temple food court was all vegetarian.
Yilan to Keelung by train
Now I am in Keelung. Which is pronounced Geelong. But apparently, Geelong is not named after Keelung, I looked that up to check.
The rain finally arrived. It has been raining all day. But I am a lot less wet than most other days, as rain means it is cool, and I sweat more on hot days than I get wet by rain on wet days. 100% fact.
Keelung is basically a satellite city to Taipei. Only Yangmingshan is between here and Taipei proper. However it is a city full of hotels and restaurants, and very very busy streets. Some say the night market here is the best in Taiwan, I think it is a smallish night market, but maybe has the best food? Best as in, best deep fried stuff on sticks, photos to come.
Getting here requires a train change, as Keelung is 2 stops over from the main line that circles the country, although roughly half the trains actually go through to Keelung rather than down the east coast, but I was coming up the east coast, so had to change at Badu. This meant 1st class from Yilan to Badu, and then a regular stand up train for 2 stops to Keelung. OK, now for some rainy pics.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - It may be raining, but I still got up early and went in search of the day market in Yilan. Not a lot was going on.](a-350.jpg)
It may be raining, but I still got up early and went in search of the day market in Yilan. Not a lot was going on.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - People were still opening up, but it was just too wet. I was concerned I would destroy YET ANOTHER expensive camera.](a-351.jpg)
People were still opening up, but it was just too wet. I was concerned I would destroy YET ANOTHER expensive camera.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - I promised a photo of a giraffe poking out of the roof of the station, here it is. I have no idea why it is there, but a promise is a promise.](a-353.jpg)
I promised a photo of a giraffe poking out of the roof of the station, here it is. I have no idea why it is there, but a promise is a promise.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Here comes my train. The max speed on this line is only 100kmph, and the local trains go at that speed as well, but they still felt the need to make t](a-354.jpg)
Here comes my train. The max speed on this line is only 100kmph, and the local trains go at that speed as well, but they still felt the need to make the express trains look bullet trainy.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - This is where I changed trains at Badu. This is all just a boring matter of fact re telling of how to catch a train, but it was raining so it is all I](a-356.jpg)
This is where I changed trains at Badu. This is all just a boring matter of fact re telling of how to catch a train, but it was raining so it is all I can do.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - And now for some rainy pics of Keelung. The problem with a 1 hour train journey is you will be many hours too early to check in to your next hotel. Wh](a-357.jpg)
And now for some rainy pics of Keelung. The problem with a 1 hour train journey is you will be many hours too early to check in to your next hotel. Which is annoying when it is raining. I dropped my bags off and set out to get wet. Here is a view across the road from my hotel while I ponder what to do.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - A rainy street scene. Keelung is surrounded by hills. I have actually been here for a day trip previously, on my first ever trip to Taiwan.](a-358.jpg)
A rainy street scene. Keelung is surrounded by hills. I have actually been here for a day trip previously, on my first ever trip to Taiwan.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - This is the main pic you will find on the internet when you lookup Keelung, the Hollywood style sign. A lot of cruise ships stop here, you can see tha](a-359.jpg)
This is the main pic you will find on the internet when you lookup Keelung, the Hollywood style sign. A lot of cruise ships stop here, you can see that view from the cruise ships in port. There are none here now, just big white fishing boats that are really navy ships.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Behind these guys is the new bus station, which is right next to the train station (not pictured). The new bus station is not quite open, I walked thr](a-362.jpg)
Behind these guys is the new bus station, which is right next to the train station (not pictured). The new bus station is not quite open, I walked through it to stay out of the rain thinking it was open, and some guys laying tiny little tiles yelled at me.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Requests were made to see the outside of my hotel, here it is. This is an expensive hotel, I paid $100 a night to spend the minimum amount to activate](a-365.jpg)
Requests were made to see the outside of my hotel, here it is. This is an expensive hotel, I paid $100 a night to spend the minimum amount to activate my travel insurance that my fancy credit card gives me. It is cheaper than buying travel insurance separately, and is one of the only insurances that covers cancellation due to contracting COVID. It is a bit of a complex explanation, but to do this I paid extra to book the room through Virgin travel, who take the full payment in advance, unlike booking.com who take $0 in advance. Virgin actually use a subsidiary of booking.com so the choices are the same, but they cost slightly more as you get points. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IM GOING ON ABOUT.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Here is my room. It is huge. Photos don't do it justice. That is a king size bed. There is a long hallway and dressing area before getting to the part](a-366.jpg)
Here is my room. It is huge. Photos don't do it justice. That is a king size bed. There is a long hallway and dressing area before getting to the part of the room pictured. Now I just need it to stop raining for my evening stroll around the night markets looking for something not deep fried for dinner.
Keelung night market on a Monday
I had done a bit of research for my dinner, selecting a few options in the nearby area. Google maps has great photo integration for restaurants in Taiwan, every orange icon that identifies a food place has hundreds if not thousands of pictures of everything on the menu, plus photos of the menu itself, and also the inside and outside of the place. Generally you can see a photo that was taken today for most places. This is all very handy. They also show the opening hours. I did not check that. And a lot of places, including the 3 I had chosen to check out, are closed on Monday.
I also think the very busy night market was not very busy. Although the food street part of it had everything open, so if you did ever want food from the Keelung night market, perhaps Monday night is the night to go.
Weather update - rain has stopped, most people still have their umbrellas up, just in case. Also there is something in the DNA of people form East Asia, as soon as there is any kind of rain, they start coughing uncontrollably. I have observed this in numerous countries.
I wonder if this could be measured like quantum entanglement, put a Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean and Japanese guy in a room. They have no way to observe the weather outside. Wait for it to start raining. See if they start coughing.
My Nobel prize is surely in the mail?
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - More pre-night night market. If you look up Keelung and don't see the Hollywood sign, this is what you will see.](a-368.jpg)
More pre-night night market. If you look up Keelung and don't see the Hollywood sign, this is what you will see.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Tonight's strange animal encounter, a cocky, at a bank. It's deposit cocky. We had an argument in broken Chinese.](a-370.jpg)
Tonight's strange animal encounter, a cocky, at a bank. It's deposit cocky. We had an argument in broken Chinese.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - Further footpath explanation was requested. I found a bit with not many people. You can walk along here and it is undercover. You can see how each sto](a-371.jpg)
Further footpath explanation was requested. I found a bit with not many people. You can walk along here and it is undercover. You can see how each store maintains their own bit, and there are steps between each shop even though the road if flat, just because of how they designed their shop - to annoy people in a wheelchair. What is not pictured is when someone decided to erect a wall here, in the middle of the tunnel of shopfronts, just to be even more annoying so you have to walk on the road.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - My alternate alternate dinner option was a westernised pasta restaurant. I chose this pasta dish because it had HEALTHY!!!, 3 thumbs up, and a 10 star](a-375.jpg)
My alternate alternate dinner option was a westernised pasta restaurant. I chose this pasta dish because it had HEALTHY!!!, 3 thumbs up, and a 10 star rating all printed on it. There is chicken, which I guess is the healthy bit. The menu picture had a lot more vegetables. It was also pretty oily, and at $10, not cheap.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - There is the Keelung sign. The letters change colour. This was a very under exposed photo I bumped up in lightroom, hence all the noise if you pixel p](a-376.jpg)
There is the Keelung sign. The letters change colour. This was a very under exposed photo I bumped up in lightroom, hence all the noise if you pixel peep. It is +3.17 stops and +98 shadows.
![Taiwan for the 5th time - April and May 2023 - You can see the sign for my hotel in this photo, just before the 7-eleven. I do not have to go far for night market food.](a-377.jpg)
You can see the sign for my hotel in this photo, just before the 7-eleven. I do not have to go far for night market food.
There are currently 4 comments - click to add
David on 2023-05-09 said:
yes, I think you eat them shell and all, soft shell crabs
mother on 2023-05-08 said:
are the crabs coated in batter with their exoskeletons still on?
David on 2023-05-08 said:
Everyone, including people that do not comment here but send me emails instead, is more interested in hotel photos than anything else. I guess what I should do is stay in a different hotel every day and only include hotel photos.
adriana on 2023-05-08 said:
Your hotels look seedy on the outside, but not bad on the inside.
There are currently 2 comments - click to add
David on 2023-05-06 said:
Well there are a lot of catholic churches in Taiwan, I dont know who the copper head guy is. I thought the church was old, but apparently it was only recently built.
Adriana on 2023-05-06 said:
What's with all the catholic stuff and who's the bust next to the virgin mary