Day 15 -16 Xiamen - Amsterdam - Dublin

We taxied to the airport. The queue for the security was enormous but it moved amazingly quickly. Passed through security and had a long walk to Gate 8, which happened to be in Terminal 1, although we had checked in, again quickly and efficiently, at Terminal 2!!!! 

China airlines 

departed 10 minutes late at 10.55!! It is a 1.20 hour flight, during which we were served lunch!  On arrival, we taxied to the hotel.

On arrival at Day’s Inn, the nearest airport hotel we could find online, there was no record of our reservation even though as usual we had booked through Hotels.com. The staff spoke no English (amazing for an American chain) so we were back to Google translate - well not Google because Google is not allowed in China but some such version Finally, a young guest did the needful and we were checked in - both passports and visa numbers copied!! 

The room had no English instructions and as a chambermaid tried to set the air conditioning, our young knight appeared again and explained how the air-conditioning and the WiFi (such as it is here - very restricted) operated!! 

As we were up at 06.00, we are taking it easy. The attractions of Xiamen are the island we visited on our outward stay (can you recall its name? ) and a Temple but I think I’m ‘templed out’. 

This evening we decided to venture in Zhongshan Street, one of the largest shopping streets in Xiamen. 

The street is over 100 years old and had the architecture to match - so rare in China as many of the cities are recent constructs! 

The street had the international designer brands together with international high street shops. It is ironic how much Chinese society revers American brands. This street must have stretched for a km at least! Police were everywhere some armed in riot gear!! 

The least sign of trouble here and it would be nipped in the bud!! Much of the street was pedestrianised and off it were the food streets with all kinds of everything!! 

The staff member at the restaurant we chose went to great lengths to explain the menu - there’s always the photographs!! 

We depart at 12.15 tomorrow on a KLM flight via Schipol to Dublin. (11.18 hours)  

KLM is a partner of Xiamen airlines. Unfortunately, unlike our outward flight, we have a 4 hour layover at Schipol on  this occasion.....

These last two posts will be published from Schipol - can’t publish here!!!!!!

 

This trip certainly ranks among our highlights. I would recommend that if you intend to visit Taiwan, do so immediately as the tourism is still in its infancy there and the Westerners haven’t yet arrived.! (I saw less than 10 in the total trip and that included the airports).

Until the next trip ........Xiexie (pronounced Sheh shay) Thank  you 

Day 14 Beitou

CC’s coming of age today but more anon!!!

This morning we were informed, much to our chagrin, that most attractions including the Beitou Hot Springs were closed Mondays  - and I was hoping to see if I fitted in with what one reviewer referred to as ‘all the old people with their flasks and snacks’!!! 

It was Birthday Boy’s choice to visit Marshal Zhang’s former residence. 

Thankfully it was open today! It was built in the 1920’s Japanese colonial period. It was known for its hot spring and was once used as an entertainment hub for Japanese Kamikaze pilots during WW11. 

We commenced our visit with a foot spa - very welcome after our sightseeing tour of Taiwan - the sulphur water appears clear as one enters but once agitated it, it turns to a creamy consistency. 

There were 3 pools each a little warmer than the next. 

After some time relaxing there, we had a browse around the gardens which are planted in Japanese style. 

From the gardens, the view of Beitou was impressive. 

Lunch was next on the agenda.  

        The restaurant overlooking the gardens

This was fine dining at its best! Marshall Zhang maintained a modest and humble approach to his longtime confinement (40 years under house arrest imposed by Chiang Kai- shek in retribution for his capture in 1936. The Marshall forced Chiang Kai- shek to join with the communists against the Japanese) and this Zen like mentality enabled him to live to over 100 years. The restaurant researched and studied Marshal Zhang’s eating behaviour  in an attempt to decode his secret of longevity. The chef’s philosophy is ‘creativity in cooking, complicity in taste and Zen in presentation’ incorporating the Zhang philosophy. 

A number of options were available - Birthday Boy chose the Young Marshall’s menu!!!! 

 

and I chose the Vegetarian Course

Both menues consisted of 9 courses - fantastic.!  

             A selection of the courses presented 

After lunch, we returned on the No.230 bus to the MRT station, where we took a taxi to our hotel, collected our bags and taxied back to the MRT. Here we took the Red line to Tapei and then the designated Airport MRT, which was well signposted but with no exaggeration c.2 km away and we were still in the station!!!  There are two types of service - ordinary and express. The express is c.40 minutes (we took it on the way in) and the ordinary c.1hour we took on our return. (We must experience all types of train - you understand!!). 

We were staying overnight at the airport as our flight to Xiamen departs at 08.45. I’d advise anyone with an early flight to stay at the airport. The airport hotels are quite expensive but we stayed at the Ibis (ok for an overnight), one stop further on on the Airport MRT and it is only a short taxi ride to the airport. 

Day 13 The Pingxi Line

All night the rain thundered down and danced in the town’s tin roofs! This morning the forecast wasn’t good - well not until 14.00!! There were continuous, torrential downpours interspersed with dry periods! Up to yesterday, we had luckily avoided rain and particularly typhoons! 

We departed  the Delicateperfume hotel and took the 11.02 Pingxi line. 

Pingxi was a traditional, mountain village until the discovery of coal in 1927. The railroad was built and miners came in search of wealth. The economy boomed and then declined with pit closures. The line would have closed but for railway enthusiasts, film makers and tourists. 

The line is 13km long. We boarded at Ruifang and initially rode the line to the terminus at Jintong, 

where the best preserved station exists modelled on aJapanese  residence of the colonial period. 

Vestiges of the coal mining era lay all about

 the Old Street now sells food and souvenirs, 

including wish inscribed bamboo tubes. 

            Shifin Old Street, Jintong. 

On our return trip, we stopped at Pingxi. Here again street food and souvenirs.  

Every  New Year’s Eve, the town holds a lantern festival, when thousands  of lanterns fill the sky.  One can purchase lanterns, write your wishes on it, then ignite them  and they lift off!! 

Our final stop was Shiffen. It was crowded with holiday makers more so than the two previous stations.  The interesting feature of this town is that the train tracks run beside the street at a distance out 2-3m 

Shiffin appears to have stolen Pingxi’s thunder as there was more lantern activity here - the crowds were also much larger. 

The lanterns were soaring skyward by the minute and the smell of the diesel from the lanterns was nauseating - so much for Health and Safety! In addition people were lighting these  lanterns on the railway trac. When the train arrived, there was one blow of a whistle for all to leave the track as the train pulled into the station! 

The town also boasts a long suspension bridge. 

We departed and arriving back in Ruifang, we collected our cases and took the local train to Tapei, where we again met the Thai family!!! We proceeded to the MRT ((Metro) to Beitou, a spa town favoured  by the Japanese during their occupation.

We needed to refresh our weary bones and enjoy a little luxury having traversed Taiwan from coast to coast.  We booked Aqua Bella, a spa hotel, with a spa in the bedroom. The spa waters were most refreshing after a long day! 

Bitou is a spa town 30 minutes by MRT north of Taipei. Under Japanese rule it was one the largest spa towns and attracted tourist from all over the world including Sun Yat Sen.  In 1911, Beitou Park was open and it has a hot spring running through the centre. Tomorrow, we go in search of the public hot springs - an interesting experience we have been advised! 

Day 12 To Ruifang

We departed Hualien at 14.00 on the North Link to Ruifang,  direction Shulin, New Taipei City). The train is as comfortable as previously - such leg room! Destination Ruifang - stop off point for the old Pingxi Line.  We requested seats on the right hand side of the train to enable us to have a coastal view. 

We passed the entrance to the Gorge 

and then the Quingshui Cliffs shrouded in mist this morning. 

We are tunnelling through the cliffs with odd glimpses of the ocean shrouded in mist. The typhoon didn’t arrive nor did the tsunami materialise. However, one can understand the safety concerns in a country prone to earthquakes and typhoons.  It appears the Phillipines suffered severe losses but Taiwan escaped except that the nearby typhoon will result in wind and torrential  rain 

The rail line turned quickly inland and evidence of the torrential rain lay in the flooded paddy fields 

and the once dry river beds had their rivers flowing once more. 

When proceeded further up the coast and the Pacific came into view. It was not so pacific as the thunderous waves hit the shore. 

The train arrived at Ruifang punctually at 15.48. We visited our friends at the Visitors’ Centre. The staff were most helpful in explaining where our hotel was - the Delicateperfume Hotel, No 14 Lane , 30 Mingsheng Street, Ruifang.!!!! 

A staff member pointed out the road but locating Lane 14 posed a problem. We enquired of a young girl and using Google Maps, she brought us to the Lane. 

The hotel was visible from there. The room is basic - I think we might have hit a windowless room - windows  but no view - can’t even see a wall!! It is superbly clean with a fine bathroom - perfect for our requirements. Outside the street is vibrant - people  everywhere and food stalls abound. 

At the end of the road was Ruifang Food Court with Japanese, Chinese and even Italian pizza and pasta for sale - eat in or take out. 

We saw meat rolls being assembled and put in our order. We paid and were given a disc to come back in 30 minutes. We did. They were deliciously meaty and spicy!   

The stand must have a reputation as photographs from what I presume are  ‘the great and the good’ were  displayed on a banner above the stand. 

We had a walk through the town admiring the station in its evening attire: 

and returned to eat at the Food Court - my choice of noodles with corn paste was tasty though the quantity was more than generous. 

We returned to The Delicateperfume  Hotel ......