See the True Taiwan: an insiders guide

For the first time in my time here in Taipei it actually snowed. In years past there were many jealous looking faces as I boldly claimed it would be a near impossibility for it to actually get cold enough in northern Taiwan to snow in the city. A winter wonderland of sorts. January 24th, 2016 I was out changing the oil on my motorcycle, and it happened. There were about three or four flakes falling, but they were falling none the less. In the most technical sense, it snowed. Of course it required an immediate drive up Yangmingshan to join in with everyone else who had their own transportation or time to bus it up the mountain. The roads were packed to bursting with cars, scooters, and even walkers taking in the wintry sights. Right around the culture university the snow got into full swing, and the excitement of everyone around was palpable. By the time my scooter snaked up to the national park proper there were snow laden trees and almost enough accumulation for it ...

Pingxi is an area this blog has discussed before with a overview of the Shifen waterfall. On a recent trip back there it was discovered the waterfall is no longer a pay-to-see attraction and now has new viewing platforms. You can see the whole article about that here . Pingxi is also a township located farther down the rail line, and river, from Keelung than Shifen, and is worth a stop on a day that includes Houtong, Shifen, Pingxi, and Jingtong. It's a one day trip through mining towns and market streets where you're surrounded by nature at every turn. View from the 106. The big reason to come out this far is it's incredibly picturesque. The little village is nestled in the mountains, sits above several tributaries as they form the Keelung river, and is surrounded by great hikes which lead to numerous waterfalls. Take the initiative to get away from the old street, since each town has one which is nearly identical, and enjoy the area around it. If you're...