My Honest Opinion: Taiwan! (Taipei, Jiufen, Shifen, Keelung, Cat Village, Dan Shui)

💛 Day 5 - Jiufen, Shifen, Keelung, Cat Village, Keelung Night Market

Planned a one day tour to Jiufen 九分, Shifen 十分, Houtong Railway Station/Cat Village 猴硐火车站（猫村）and Kee Lung night market 基隆夜市.

Booked a local driver who suggested to us to go off at around 830am to go to Jiufen as there will be traffic jam along the way and, to be able to visit 4 destinations in a day. Took about 1 hour and so to reach Jiufen. The weather was quite bad, raining and windy.

Jiufen is a mountain town in North-Western Taiwan, East of Taipei. The first stop was the Pumpkin Rock 金瓜石.

Apparently the pyrite 黄鉄礦 and sulfur 硫砷铜矿 oxidated with iron and bacteria, this forms the orange color on the rocks. It's not safe to drink the 'mineral water'.

Only a few villagers are still living there. The young ones have left home to attend colleges as the schools in Jiufen is till Secondary.

Guan Yu Temple (Near Pumpkin Rock)

The Guan Yu Temple is on top of the mountain. The view is really good!

There is a fat cat and a fat dog living in the temple! They are super friendly too~

There is a huge Guan Yu statue on top of the temple. Very grand looking! The weather spoilt the photo taking. :(

Jiufen Old Street 九分老街

One of the must-eat in Taiwan : Peanut Ice Cream Roll. The skin is popiah (paper-like crepe) with peanut sugar shavings with peanut flavoured ice cream.one roll for NT$40 (SGD$1.85).

Left to right : Red Vinasse Taiwanese Meatballs, pepper and salt squid, assorted meatballs with cellophane noodle (dong fen)

Taiwanese meatball is not to my liking. But then, I don't really like meatballs. lol

A lot of shops selling similar things - meatballs, sky lantern souvenir, nougat 牛轧糖, tea leaves etc

Off to Houtong Railway Station/Cat Village 猴硐火车站（猫村）!!

The weather is really cold cuz of the chilly wind and the rain. Little blackie curl into a ball cuz of the cold. :( Dogs don't have a house, unlike the cats here.

Cat Village Map (Areas that visitors can walk around)

So many cute cats designs statues!

Exterior of the public toilet. So cute~ The interior is full of decoration too! Do toilet business happily. Hahaha!

One of the cat houses on the cat bridge

Only 2 cats on the bridge. Both are aloof.

The bridge is shaped like a cat.

Stairs up to the village. There are at 2 gifts shops, one of the shops has a café.

Bought PVC waterproof stickers~

Ring the bell for good luck! Or you can make a wish.

They have these cute big bell-like hanging along the bridge.

A lot of cats souvenirs! Bags, magnets, keychains, passport covers, etc

Cat Village have the Souvenir Coin machine! I got the left coin by accident. I think the previous person did not turn the wheel fully? :x Thank you whoever you are! NT$30 (SGD$1.39) for a souvenir coin!

Opposite of the cat village, there is a small museum.

There is a cat café in the museum.

There are a few eateries and shops selling cat shaped pineapple tarts.

Shifen Waterfall 十分大瀑布

Shifen Waterfall is regarded as one of the must see scenery in Taiwan. The waterfall is 20m tall and 40m wide and will casts a rainbow as the water splash down into the lake.

Free admission daily except Chinese New Year Eve (opening hours 9am to 430pm). I think there is a difference in the opening hours due to the season. May to October will be opens from 9am to 5pm, and June to September open from 9am to 6pm.

The long bridge over to the waterfall park.

Along the way to the waterfall, there is a (abandoned) park. It looked abandoned to me. Haha My tour guide explained that the place used to be owned by a rich man and is now owned by the Taiwanese Government. The rich man used to charge the public admission fee to get through his place to the waterfall.

There is eateries that sells finger food and drinks.

One of these ducks was causally swimming or chilling at the edge of the waterfall!

Shifen have this Souvenir Coin machine too.

Shifen waterfall !

Shifen Old Street 十分老街

Both sides of the streets are filled with shops that sell sky lanterns. According to the tour guide, all the shops selling sky lanterns at the same price. There are also stalls selling street food.