[TW; 2015] Solo Backpack Series | Part 8 - Yongkang Baoan Anping
DAY7
1. Ahiruyah Guest House > Kaohsiung Train Station > Tainan Train Station
I finally met the Japanese owner of the hostel! He was super friendly, asking me where I'm heading off and giving me food recommendations!
So I walked to the train station and bought my favourite Rice Balls from 7-11!
On the train to Tainan!
2. Tainan Train Station > Yongkang Train Station
My main motive of coming Tainan was to travel from Yongkang to Bao'an for the auspicious train ticket (永保安康)!
Maybe I did not do my research properly... I cant find any interesting places in Yongkang for sightseeing. So I just sat a convenience store, bought a drink and had a short rest while waiting for the next train.
3. Yongkang Train Station > Bao'an Train Station
As Ms C roughly told me what's around in Bao'an beforehand, so I took note them on googlemap and I am ready to explore! Anyway Bao'an Train Station was really cool, very well maintained wooden built station.
So I saw people renting bicycles to cycle, but I TRUST GOOGLEMAP, so I deeply believe all the places I want to go were at walkable distance. (I actually hesitated for a long time before coming to this conclusion)
True enough, it took me around 15mins walk to reach this famous attraction - 奇美博物館 Chi Mei Museum!
4. Bao'an Train Station > Tainan City > Anping Old Street
Direct bus was available from Ten-drum to Tainan City, but the wait time was quite long, so I decided to walk back to the train station and take a train back. And finally some time to explore this old city.
Kinda regret that I did not explore this place, cause according to pictures, it is really a pretty place. Oh well.
So I walked one bus stop down, I would recommend to stop at '德記洋行/安平樹屋 Tait & Co./Anping Tree House' for Anping Old Street. And you can also explore Anping Tree House for the overgrown tree in a house! (Just that I went during the weekends so everywhere was super packed with people, thus I skipped the tree house)
But I managed to be the first few customers for this famous 劉記韭菜盒 aka Fried Leek Dumplings! They are located near the entrance of the old street, opposite a school.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I never had so much leek in my entire life, and I loved it so much! It only costed NT$25, which was super cheap and super big. Others recommend Anping's Fried Prawn Roll 炸蝦捲 and Beancurd 豆花, but trust me, this is the best street snacks in Anping. Do consume it when it is still pipping hot!
Finally reached Anping Old Street, where you will get to see the famous building - Anping Old Fort 安平古堡. But I did not enter, and I don't know why.
This old street is famous for their 蜜餞 preserved fruit too! So Ms C told me to look out for an old shophouse with the longest queue to buy the best preserved fruit. After blindly following the crowd, surveying every preserved fruit shops, I finally found it!
The queue was crazy, and there were 2 queues. So being ignorance, I joined one of the queue, and started interviewing the guy infront me. Then I realised one of the queue was for payments, and another was for special orders. He told me if I am not sure what kind of preserved fruits I want to get, I could just walk deep into the shop, and grab some ready pack ones.
If you compare the packaging and branding wise, the latter shop is definitely more appealing. But taste wise, 林永泰興 aka the shabby shop is better. But if you love those chinese herbs taste, then 李正合興 will be a better choice for you.
Don't ask me how did I managed to carry 10+ packets of preserved fruits around for the rest of my trip. I just managed to survive somehow, constantly reminding myself they were not heavy.
I don't really fancy places with tons of people, so I decided to head back to the city. Stumbled across the famous beancurd outlet near the bus stop, and I decided to takeaway a box of it.
My verdict, overrated. You can have better beancurd in other places in Taiwan. But since it is so famous over there, just have a bowl to try out.
Route Info: Kaohsiung > Yongkang > Baoan > Anping Old Street > Tainan City > Shennong Street > Tainan Flower Night Market(Places in bolded in orange will be continued in another post)
(高雄 > 永康 > 保安 > 安平老街 > 台南市 > 神農街 > 花園夜市)
1. Ahiruyah Guest House > Kaohsiung Train Station > Tainan Train Station
I finally met the Japanese owner of the hostel! He was super friendly, asking me where I'm heading off and giving me food recommendations!
So I walked to the train station and bought my favourite Rice Balls from 7-11!
On the train to Tainan!
Kaohsiung to Tainan, NT$68, 53mins, http://www.railway.gov.twSearched for places to put my backpack, as I was too early for the hostel check-in and all the lockers are full... I followed a group of Taiwanese who were looking for luggage storage too, and they led me to the baggage room.
台南行李房 Tainan Baggage Room, http://www.railway.gov.tw/tw/cp.aspx?sn=3620, located at the right end of the train station (if you're backfacing the train station), NT$30/day (small items like backpacks not exceeding 101cm)
2. Tainan Train Station > Yongkang Train Station
My main motive of coming Tainan was to travel from Yongkang to Bao'an for the auspicious train ticket (永保安康)!
Tainan to Yongkang, NT$15, 7mins, http://www.railway.gov.tw
Maybe I did not do my research properly... I cant find any interesting places in Yongkang for sightseeing. So I just sat a convenience store, bought a drink and had a short rest while waiting for the next train.
3. Yongkang Train Station > Bao'an Train Station
Yongkang to Bao'an, NT$20, 15mins, http://www.railway.gov.twI finally got the 永保安康 train tickets!!! PS: You can request to the railway staff not to collect back your ticket at the gantry, so you can keep it forever!
As Ms C roughly told me what's around in Bao'an beforehand, so I took note them on googlemap and I am ready to explore! Anyway Bao'an Train Station was really cool, very well maintained wooden built station.
So I saw people renting bicycles to cycle, but I TRUST GOOGLEMAP, so I deeply believe all the places I want to go were at walkable distance. (I actually hesitated for a long time before coming to this conclusion)
True enough, it took me around 15mins walk to reach this famous attraction - 奇美博物館 Chi Mei Museum!
奇美博物館 Chimei Museum, www.chimeimuseum.org/
It was so crowded! I heard they only release 5000 tickets every day, and vistors have to sign up online beforehand to register a time slot. Of course last minute planner like me does not have the fate to enter the museum! Anyway it was a great place; taking photos with this grand private owned museum, and there was a huge pretty park right infront the the museum.
I walked for another 15mins to reach an attraction I have been eying on it for super long! 十鼓文化村 Ten-Drum Culture Village!
I REALLY WANTED TO GO IN! But the tickets were so pricey; NT$399 for adults, NT$380 for students. I mean Taipei Zoo entrance tickets were not so expensive. I WILL VISIT AGAIN FOR THE NIGHT TICKETS ONE DAY! (The night ticket is priced at NT$100)
4. Bao'an Train Station > Tainan City > Anping Old Street
Direct bus was available from Ten-drum to Tainan City, but the wait time was quite long, so I decided to walk back to the train station and take a train back. And finally some time to explore this old city.
I headed to the tourist information center at the Tainan Tran Station, and the staff was abit unfriendly. I kept having this feeling she was trying to shoo me off.
Me: "May I know how to get to Anping Old Street"
The staff: "Take Bus88"
(Roll eyes); since I asked "how" she should have told me which bus stop to board the bus and which stop to alight.
So I had to nicely ask her again...
Me: "So may I know where can I board the bus?"
The Staff: "Opposite"
Me: "Then may I have the Anping Old Street map?"
The Staff: (Unwillingly passed me the map)
I guess perhaps I owe her something in my previous life.
TIP: Tainan Tourist Center do provide free tour guiding around some historical places; please visit and book online at http://tour.tainan.gov.tw/plan.aspx?nodeid=12826!
Anyway I manage to find the correct "opposite bus stop" she mentioned, do take note there are a few bus stops opposite the train station. My tip is, facing the train station, the opposite right-side bus stop.
As I have no idea where to get off, and the map wasn't really clear either. I missed the stop. It was also my fault to assume many people will get off somewhere near Anping Old Street, but nobody did. So panicky, I pressed the bus bell and the bus driver was like doubting my intentions to alight like this hardly-anyone-alight stop, '古運河 Grand Canal'.臺南市 88安平線 Tainan City 88 Anping Route, http://www.taiwantrip.com.tw/Besttour/Info/?id=12, NT$18 per ride
Kinda regret that I did not explore this place, cause according to pictures, it is really a pretty place. Oh well.
So I walked one bus stop down, I would recommend to stop at '德記洋行/安平樹屋 Tait & Co./Anping Tree House' for Anping Old Street. And you can also explore Anping Tree House for the overgrown tree in a house! (Just that I went during the weekends so everywhere was super packed with people, thus I skipped the tree house)
But I managed to be the first few customers for this famous 劉記韭菜盒 aka Fried Leek Dumplings! They are located near the entrance of the old street, opposite a school.
安平 劉記韭菜盒, https://www.facebook.com/LiuJiJiuCaiHe/timeline, Opens from 2pm-6.30pm, 台南市安平區安北路159號
Finally reached Anping Old Street, where you will get to see the famous building - Anping Old Fort 安平古堡. But I did not enter, and I don't know why.
This old street is famous for their 蜜餞 preserved fruit too! So Ms C told me to look out for an old shophouse with the longest queue to buy the best preserved fruit. After blindly following the crowd, surveying every preserved fruit shops, I finally found it!
林永泰興蜜餞行 Chycutayshing, http://www.chycutayshing.com.tw/about-us.html
The queue was crazy, and there were 2 queues. So being ignorance, I joined one of the queue, and started interviewing the guy infront me. Then I realised one of the queue was for payments, and another was for special orders. He told me if I am not sure what kind of preserved fruits I want to get, I could just walk deep into the shop, and grab some ready pack ones.
So being a filial daughter, I bought 5-6 packs of preserved fruits for my mum and queued for 20mins to get them paid.
Being curious, I bought another 5-6 packs of preserved fruits from another "seems-to-be" popular shop.
李正合興, www.succade.tw/about.php
If you compare the packaging and branding wise, the latter shop is definitely more appealing. But taste wise, 林永泰興 aka the shabby shop is better. But if you love those chinese herbs taste, then 李正合興 will be a better choice for you.
Don't ask me how did I managed to carry 10+ packets of preserved fruits around for the rest of my trip. I just managed to survive somehow, constantly reminding myself they were not heavy.
I don't really fancy places with tons of people, so I decided to head back to the city. Stumbled across the famous beancurd outlet near the bus stop, and I decided to takeaway a box of it.
同記安平豆花 Tongji Anping Beancurd, www.tongji.com.tw/I got to choose the favour of the beancurd and a side; I chose the original white beancurd with red beans.
I really wanted to try the Fried Prawn Rolls, but it sells in a pair. I don't think my stomach can stuff in so much food in just a couple of hours, so I gave it a miss. )': But I know I will definitely be back for preserved fruits, so definitely will get to try them one day!
This is not the end of my unfulfilled list in Tainan! I think I must give Tainan a second visit!
Shall continue on my day 7 journey in Tainan at the next post!
<< Previous Post: [Backpack TW] Part 7 - Little Liuqiu
>> Next Post: [Backpack TW] Part 9 - Tainan Shennong Flower Night Market
Comments
Post a Comment