TAIWAN 2017 – SHIFEN

Shifen waterfall is just one of many that can be found around Taiwan. We only made it to this waterfall on this trip, but I’m sure we’ll be back to visit the other parts of Taiwan. It takes a bit of work to figure out which trains to take, because there was a transfer on our trip, and it was a 2 hour ride in a packed train (we left Taipei around 11AM), so we were famished by the time we arrived. The first thing we did was get a bite to eat from the vendors that line the railroad tracks at Shifen. Here’s a pancake with chives and I think there was egg:



Pork in steamed bun (must must must have this), from a stall right next to the station:



Please keep in mind that this location is a tourist trap. Notice the dots in the image above, those dots are not a dirty spot on your monitor., These are paper lanterns that were released into the sky by Shifen visitors, who write their hopes and dreams on the paper lantern. The lanterns fly up over the river, then land in the river when the fire making them rise up is extinguished. I didn’t like this concept, too environmentally damaging. There were a few scavengers on the river shore, picking up the dead hopes and dreams lanterns. One even landed right on the train station platform, still in flames, but it didn’t cause much damage because an attendant came by to fix it.

Beautiful waterfall, good food, busy atmosphere, I will not be back to this spot in Taiwan.

Here are more photos of the train routes: