Munching through North of Taiwan Part II Pingsi

So as we said our goodbyes to our friendly and super entertaining guides is Suao, we loaded on to the bus all in our respective seats on route to the district and Homey Village of Pingsi. I loved the sound of the Homey, which means simple and comfortable.
Pingsi is situated along the Keelung river in the North Eastern part of New Taipei City which was about 1 hour and 20 minutes drive from Suao. Pingsi is a wee bit more inland.

A Map from Suao to Pingsi

It is a lovely district located in lush green mountains. It was given the nickname "Waterfall Township", because of it's winter rainfall season and with heavy north eastern Monsoons many natural treasures like beautiful waterfalls, cliffs, stoned potholes and sharp stones have formed in this area.

In 1907, an open coal mine was discovered and this marked the beginning of the Black Gold Age in Pingsi.

Hard Hat with a green mountain backdrop

I had a enormous interest in Pingsi, because of the mining. Being a South African, I come from a country where the mining industry is huge and having a uncle who works in a coal mine for years was really home away from home to me. 

After the coal mine was discovered, the next to come must have been the railway system. I can just imagine this whole area booming with job seekers, business entrepreneurs and trains heavily loaded with coal chucking through these beautiful hills and mountains.

 A statue honoring this district of mining.

We got dropped at this statue of coal miners working with the Keelung river on our right. This is Jingtong Station and home of the Jingtong Coalmine Museum. We walked straight into a market area with little shops, restaurants and street vendors.

Busy times in the Taiwan mining industry

Original since 1929 (the building, I mean)

The Jingtong station building is a national monument and one of the top 100 historical architectures in Taiwan. It was build by Japanese in 1929 and is one of the few train stations that is still in it's original wooden structure. I can just imagine how well this wooden structure must be build and treated to endure the heavy rains and winds through all the years...

 Taking a stretch on the tracks

Very old architecture and wish upon wish...

...upon wish...upon wish. Wishes everywhere...

...Thousands of them!!

We then popped into the Coalmine museum located next to the train track. The building was first used as a railway dormitory but after the mining industry collapsed it was converted into a museum.

Direction is important...

...even when you don't understand them.

Awesome guide in Jingtong explaining the areas of mining inside the museum. During our walks from one site to the next he would shout above the hustle and bustle: COME HERE! Of course I would react instantaneous not used to be ordered in English...and from there on to get everybody's attention Mindy will just shout: COME HERE!!

It was hilarious.

Pingsi is a typical old time miners, railway station town. It reminds and saddens me to think of all the forgotten small mining towns in South Africa like Pelgrimsrus, Cullinan, Kleinzee,  forgotten railway towns like Leeu-Gamka, Laingsburg, Touwsrivier just to name a few. 

The only difference is, in Taiwan there is a great public transport system and all these small towns can be visited by train or bus at cheap tariffs and safe of course. I enjoy and secretley envy this privilege....

Pingsi Old Street (Check out Mindy with her sign)

We then followed the pathway down and then up Pingsi Old Street filled with shops restaurants and street vendors. When you look up, you can spot the railway track passing right overhead making the passing of a train a truly shake rattle and roll experience!

We arrived at a sign that for some reasons to me, my family and close friends and old colleagues of my father is special. (Oom Ian Gardiner, Oom Vos en Tannie Marlene spesiaal vir julle:-)

The old Post of Pingsi Post Office

From Gem I understood that Pingsi was the oldest Post in Taiwan, with these antique post boxes still in use. These Japanese period post boxes was discontinued more than 50 years ago, because of their huge size on roads and streets. I think they are awesome and I love Pingsi for just keeping them in use. 

From the Post office we all loaded back on to the bus for a what seemed like a 4x4 trip, caused by roadworks to our next stop the Taiwan Coalmine Museum.

The first coal mine museum in Taiwan.

This mine was founded in 1967 and stopped mining in 1997.

This museum was an absolutely unbelievable experience. Not only was our guide fluent in English we went on the slowest, bumpiest and most thrilling electrical train ride. This mini train was the FIRST electrical train used in Taiwan and was the exact same way the transported the coal from the mine to the place where it was

washed.

All aboard!

Michael with a steady hand, loving the ride as much as I did...

Hang on, Gem!!!

Gem and Michael...trigger happy...always ready to snap!

The manner in which they mined the coal was explained and demonstrated to us. The museum is filled with pictures of  miners working in small narrow tunnels. The use of tools and equipment was also shown and demonstrated to us. I loved this impressive original wall to the entrance of the mine and even more excited to walk through a tunnel which was still in it's original state of how the mine was used up until it got shut down. 

Original wall to the entrance of the mine.

Scenic shots with equipment used.

 Our brilliant English speaking and well informed tour guide.

 A walk into...

...through...

...and out of a rich history of blood sweat and tears.

From the museum we all piled back into the bus on our way to our overnight accommodation and dinner of chili chicken hot pot. Another first tradition for me in Taiwan. It was a delicious broth of spiciness.I had a bit of a struggle with no knife and big chucks of vegetables, mushrooms and chicken all piping hot to get through, with only a spoon and fork it was not easy to say, but I managed it.

Spicy Chicken Hot Pot

After dinner we went for a stroll down Shihfen Old Street. I soon realized that this was not any street. There was no street but a track. Super special. From the guesthouse front door you walk 20 meters down a walkway and you are on the track with shops and restaurants on either side and in between there is no fences or barriers. Trains slowly pass through hourly on daily bases.

Just in time seeing the train coming in...

          

...and passing by.

Michael and I enjoying a ice cold Taiwan Beer...local is lekker;-)

(Happy Birthday Pierre Bester)

On the 15th day of the first lunar month at the end of Chinese New year, this will be February on a normal calender, the skies in and around Pingsi light up with thousands of sky lanterns that is launched during Lantern Festival.  So as a tourist attraction sky lanterns with wishes are launched over weekends when tourist flock to small towns like Pingsi. I was naturally very excited to write my name and wish on a traditional Chinese sky lantern and launching it of a train track into a full moon lit Taiwanese sky.

Full moon...

        

           Michael from Austria...

  

               Stunning Taiwanese couple launching their wish to become rich.

   

               Yin Yu Hsu from Taiwan working her wish                   

  

 Naqaa Alomari and Laith Smadi from Jordan

As for me and my wish, well I just had to make sure the gods knew exactly whose wish this was so I wrote my name in Chinese as well. My wish of course...well I only have one... for now....
WESTERN PROVINCE MUST WIN CURRIE CUP 2013!

               There it is. My wish: PROVINCE ... CURRIE CUP CHAMPIONS 2013!!

And we are ready for liftoff...

                                          

Up ... Up  

 Up...Up and away...I hope they all come truexxx

I learned so much about and from Pingsi. It makes me happy to feel free and enjoy life and living it.

I would like to thank everyone making Pingsi such and amazing experience.

I would love to be back during lantern festival, so I can get all my wishes in for 2014.

Third and final part of our trip through Northern Taiwan Neiwan and Wanhua to follow soon.

Thanks to all my loyal friends and fellow bloggers for reading.

Province Groete

Mariza...Mo Li

xxx