Today I went to a town called SanYi in Maioli county with my friends Sue, Nik and Eric. It took about thirty minutes by train from Taichung. A one way ticket with assigned seating is NT$60 but a local train in the style of an underground/subway/mrt will set you back NT$50. There are regular trains that take you there.
SanYi is famous for woodcarving. We walked along the main street and went into an amazing shop. The owner said most of the other woodcarving shops have moved closer to the highway in order to get more custom.
After walking around for a while we took a cab to the Sheng-Hsing Train Station (勝興車站). A cab straight from the train station will about NT$180-200.
Sheng-Hsing train station is an old station that is no longer used. It was completed in 1905 and was the highest station (402 m.) in Taiwan built along the "Old Mountain Railway". The railway track was too small for newer larger trains, so in 1987 a train stopped there for the last time.
A stones throw away from the old station is a tunnel. It is about 725m in length. We walked through the tunnel. It was great but I would recommend taking a torch (flashlight). I slipped a couple of times due to me wearing flip flops, so sturdier shoes than flip flops would be a good idea. Oops.
Also, we found bats in the tunnel. There were recesses in the walls of the tunnel, in one of the larger recesses there were quite a few bats. I would estimate 20-30. Eric took a picture with the flash. The squeaking got pretty loud after that. I crouched when he took the picture just in case they took flight. All was ok though.
Some highlights of the day include; eating a strawberry flavoured sausage (the orange one tasted better), the bats, seeing a giant spinning top, eating yummy mint ice cream and seeing unusual paper mâché masks.
Upon our return to Taichung we went to Bystro for dinner. I have to say that it is one of my favourite restaurants in Taichung.
All in all it was a great Sunday!
Love to all
xxxxx
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