We got a tour for Northcoast from FB. Pickup point is Watson's Ximen, just outside exit 6. Good thing about this tour is that we are all Filipinos so communication is easy. Cost 900 NTD, and no downpayment needed.
Shifen Old Street
Being pro-environment, my friend and I decided not to fly lanterns for this part of the tour. We just went to some shops, bought souvenirs and tried the peanut roll ice cream. It was delish. The lumpia wrapper is thin, so you can taste the ice cream and the peanut. Cost 60 Ntd.
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| Shifen Train station |
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| Hanging Bridge |
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| cute store |
Shifen Waterfalls
Normal tour drops you off at Old street and you do all the walking from the Old street to the Waterfalls. Ours was not. After the old street, we went back to our Van and the driver dropped us at the area near Shifen Waterfalls. That saved us 30mins of walk.
We were I think given an hour here, so we were able to eat at the stalls. We ordered the juice and the asparagus wrapped in thin sliced of pork more of a bacon. I was scanning at my gallery and did not have a single pic of what we ate and where we got it from.
For the next 3 spots, we did not know that they are all interconnected.
Yin Yang Sea
Notice that the sea has 2 colors - blue and yellow. It's a gloomy day when we got there so you cannot see the actual color but still you can see the contrast. Since the nearby Jinguashi Mountain is rich in pyrite, which forms copper and iron after weathering, an acid called ferrous hydroxide is suspended into the water; this acid absorbs sediment, resulting in the yellowish-blue color that makes the Yinyang Sea so unique.
13 Layer Remains
To the right side of the picture above is the 13 layer remains. This is the old Taijing mining Plant. It is also called the Potala Palace of the Mountain Mines. The mining site is no longer in use since 1973 due to the exhaustion of copper and gold.
Golden Waterfalls
Going further up the 13 remains is the Golden waterfalls. The waterfall is flowing over rust colored rocks and soil due to minerals from mining. This is the same water that flows over to to the sea, creating the Yin Yang sea (as explained by the guide)
Jiufen
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| PhotoSpot in Jiufen.near Amei Tea |
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| crowd in Jiufen Old street |
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| what we ordered in Jiufen |
While we were riding to Yehliu geopark, last part of our tour, I observed the direction we are heading to is almost zero visibility. Strong rain has engulfed the place, I askec Kuya driver if we will still be able to enjoy it there. He said it usually rains in that part, it becomes muddy too. So, I said we won't be able to enjoy then since we won't be able to see anything. Rain is strong and the rock formation is literally outside, I had a friend who went there and all his pictures were him with umbrella and raincoat with the rock formations. We then voted and it seems everyone agreed we can let this pass. Kuya took as to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial and the Liberty Arch instead.
Chiang Kai Shek Memorial
Liberty Arch
Our tour driver dropped as Carrefour for shopping. THis is not included in the itinerary but he just added to this since we there are four of us going there.
Passed by this spot, which is also part of my must see in Ximen Area. I saw a tree here but not sure if it's Sakura. Promised to visit this in the morning to get a closer look. See next day for updated photo.
