Biz Trip Taipei - Jiufen Old Street

Jiufen is famous for its old streets, cobbled stoned narrow alley with shops and tea houses lining both side. Above is a photo of me taken just before I enter the old street. As you can see, convenient stores have found their way here as well. Thank goodness there were no Starbuck spotted yet! Anyway, off we go inside! I think I reached around 1030am? So it was still early for most tourist although I initially wanted to get here earlier. But due to the partying last night and not getting back till 3am, considered myself even lucky that I managed to drag my sorry ass here at all! 

The old streets were really narrow. And you can eat your way through it. Fish balls, snacks, bubble teas, desserts of sweet potatoes and taro balls etc. It was a hit among the tourist who pours in here around noon time. I know because when I was headed back at around 1230pm, it was so packed that I could hardly walk through. Word of advice, either come here really really early, or stay the night. Which incidentally, the night view here is suppose to be magical! Next time! Promise!

I took a shot of the above photo because it has a Malaysian flag in the shop. Yay! Malaysia Boleh. The hanging chicken shown doesn't look half bad either. But like I said before, Taiwanese food and me just haven't gotten to a comfortable level yet. So I actually didn't eat anything on the old street at all. Not even a single drink!

Biscuits, souvenirs were everywhere. It was rather touristy if you ask me. Catered to the usual tour bus people. I wasn't interested in any of it, so mostly I just walked pass the shops. I did bought two things from here: a geta (Japanese slippers), and some souvenir liquor for my friends and family back home. More on that when I reach my to-buy blog entry.

Most of the shops were quite beautifully decorated. Kinda fairy tale like, like this one shown in the above photo here, selling cloth dolls. 

Smaller tea houses were everywhere. I wanted to try one, but I didn't know which to pick. I did however managed to enter into one of the most beautiful tea house I ever saw, but due to bad customer service, I didn't purchase anything there, but ended up in another more magical tea house instead! More of that coming up!