Taipei: Days 11 to 13

I continued to hang out with Chris, Jonathan, Hyun, and Christine for the past three days. On Saturday, we took the bus to Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence garden, then had lunch at a toilet themed restaurant before going to the National Palace Museum. Around night time, we hung out at the famous Shilin Night Market and met up with another traveler named Michel from the hostel.

On Sunday, we took the bus to the town of Jiufen that's about an hour and half away from Taipei. It's the town that inspired the animated movie Spirited Away. We walked to a temple that was the most decorative temple I've ever seen and had a private tour led by someone at the temple. Then we went to Jiufen Old Street, hiked up a nearby park, and took the bus to a gold mining museum. We returned to Jiufen Old Street at night to have dinner and took some photos before taking the bus back to the hostel.

Yesterday, we didn't do much at all since we went out for four days in a row. Christine and Chris had to do some work and Hyun had to edit his videos since he's a YouTuber. We, along with another traveler named Ross, went out at night to Longshan Temple and its surrounding area since it was Chris's last night before his flight to the Philippines. I learned to make a proper wish at the temple from a lady there. Then we had some street food and went to a bar in the nearby Ximending district. When we came back to the hostel it was very late, but we still talked deep into the night. I ended up convincing Chris to stay in Taipei by offering to pay for his flight. It's amazing what money can do to people. Christine might also cancel her Korea trip so all of us can travel together more. I also offered to pay for her flight. I felt like the richest man in the world by "bribing" my friends to stay with me so we can all travel together longer. We ended up going to bed after 4 AM.

Me, Christine, Chris, Jonathan, and Hyun at the Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence garden

Toilet themed restaurant in Shilin

Notice my "bowl"

A park near the National Palace Museum

National Palace Museum

Pork belly rock

Jade cabbage

Jonathan trying to toss some rings

Fried squid

Michelin recommended cold noodles

At Jiufen

The fanciest temple I've ever been to

So decorative!

Group selfie in Jiufen Old Street

Jiufen Old Street

Great view for lunch

So scenic!

Climbing up some stairs at a park

The "gold' at the Gold Mining Museum

Me and Chris trying to lift the gold

Jiufen at night

Chris bought each of us a glass cat since I coined our group "The Cats of Taipei"

Jiufen Old Street at night

I think this is what inspired Spirited Away.

Mandatory group photo

My favorite photo from Jiufen

Chris is trying to see if he will have pancakes for breakfast for tomorrow.

Me, Ross, Jonathan, Chris, Hyun, and Christine at the bar

So true!