River In the Taiwan Countryside
This is the first time I have taken a regional train in Taiwan and I think I was surprised to see how old the infrastructure is. I was under the impression that these transport systems are all modernized as Taiwan’s economy boomed but it seemed like it was just the way it was back then. The Ruifang station was an example of how everything was left the way it is. In a lot of ways, this is still okay. It wasn’t totally inconvenient to use an old and existing railway station as long as it works. The trains weren’t that super modern either perhaps that it part of the experience when going to Shifen.
View from the Train to Shifen 十分
Shifen is a village nestled within the mountains of Northeast Taiwan. Looking at the map, it seems taking the train to Ruifang and transferring to Shifen is a rather roundabout way of getting there but it is probably the most convenient one if you do not have your own transportation. However, as they say, part of the experience is the journey itself. The railway line passes through some beautiful scenery as it winds its way through the mountains. It was a shame it was difficult to photograph since the train was moving. Hopefully, Shifen itself can make up for this.
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