I didn’t really plan to go to the Gold Mine Museum but oh boy, I’m very glad I did or else I would have missed the mountain views. I grew up at the foot of a mountain, which explains my attachment to mountains. I was tempted to do my own version of That Thing Called Tadhana and have my Angelica Panganiban moment, scream at the mountains and valleys, which I planned to do waaaaay before reaching Taoyuan Airport.

I paid TWD 80 for this one, which was cheap. I had access to the Japanese dorms, which was meticulously reconstructed after it was hit by fire (or earthquake, I cannot remember anymore). Jinguashi was a former mining town run by the Japanese, hence, the architecture and food…

This used to be living quarters of the mining company’s mid-level executives and miners.

Charming, no?

I was always greeted (all throughout my trip in Jiufen and Jingaushi) with anyeong haseo. The first to greet me in Korean was the lady tour guide of the Japanese dorms.

I hated peeing in those old-fashioned toilets. I hated them with a passion when I was in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.

At least they had the Western-style beds (but I rather fancy sleeping in futons).

After a short tour of the dorms, I went to explore the Museum, which was really an outdoor museum full of stairs. More stairs. And stairs.

There were too many stairs! There was a Jinguashi/Cyuanji Temple but that meant climbing more stairs. I just proceeded to a cafe and rest. And took in the view.

The view:

After a quick rest, I walked further to see the miner’s tunnel and I think there is another museum about the mines but I was too tired to enter.

Then I realized I was facing the real-life inspiration for the tunnel in Spirited Away…

Chihiro’s tunnel

And I proceeded to walk again to get a better view of the mountains. But I couldn’t do my That Thing Called Tadhana moment lest the police drag me away and lock me up for being a loony.

I was already too tired to go farther and I had to get back to the main entrance. It was already 3:00 pm. Something in my gut told me I must go back to A Mei Teahouse before sunset.

But before that, I saw this:

Kamaji’s herb grinders!

I walked back and lingered at the outdoor cafes

And back to Old Street in Jiufen.

*to be continued