There was already so much I was looking forward to. The pretty tea houses. The scenic views. The romantic lanterns along the street. The only thing better, was to experience it for longer.

So for my visit to Taipei in 2014, my focus became more about Jiufen than it was about the main city. And boy, did it pay off.

As night falls and the lights of the former gold mining town blinked alive, Jiufen became another creature. As the day trip tourists rushed to catch the last bus, I was left to wander the streets by myself, and saw another side to the residents.

From bustling tourist destination, Jiufen became a quaint little town again. I made friends. Heard the trash truck’s tune. And played with stray cats.

It was something I look forward to recreating again.

To see what it was like, click here to read my piece on Expedia.