Sky Lanterns in Pingxi

This morning we took the MRT to meet Mom at Fu Hang (阜杭豆漿 Fù háng dòujiāng) to get a famous traditional Taiwanese breakfast. This place is extremely well-known and the line is always long. We thought we were playing it safe by doing this today (Friday) instead of Saturday, and before 10am. We were wrong. The line was so long that we decided it was a waste of our limited time.

We all hopped back on the MRT and went to Jinfeng Braised Meat Rice (金峰魯肉飯 Jīnfēng lǔròu fàn), a small but popular place for braised pork rice (滷肉飯 lǔròufàn) near Nanmen Market (南門市場 Nán mén shìchǎng). The place is really tiny so we couldn't all sit together, but Mom made sure to help both tables order. This was the first time I saw this place without a line, but it was probably because it's more of a lunch spot than a breakfast spot.

We browsed Nanmen Market because it's a great (and big) example of a traditional market. There were lots of vendors trying to force samples on Johnny. He was very popular in the market.

Just a couple blocks away is Chiang Kai-shek Memorial (中正紀念堂 Zhōngzhèng jìniàn táng), so we were able to get photos there. Unfortunately, the actual building of Memorial Hall was tented for construction, but the other three sides of Liberty Square (the theater, concert hall, and white and blue gate), plus a big Falun Gong (法輪功 Fǎlúngōng) demonstration, were still interesting backdrops.

Then it was time to eat again. It sounds like it's too soon, and I didn't think I was hungry, but I was wrong. We took the MRT to Yong Kang for beef noodle soup (永康牛肉麺館 Yǒngkāng niúròu miàn guǎn). This is another one of those things you must eat in Taiwan and Yong Kang is one of the best. We got really lucky and had no wait for a big table upstairs that could seat all nine of us.

After lunch, we got to wander around the neighborhood which is famous for food. This is where people go to eat at the most famous or oldest restaurants. We popped in and out of shops, including one really fancy tea place.

We got back on the MRT and headed to Taipei Main Station so we could embark on the highlight of the day: Lanterns in Pingxi!

We bought tickets for the train -- the real train. The TRA (Taiwan Railways Administration). The MRT is to the TRA as BART is to Amtrak. There were no reserved seating tickets, but we managed to find seats quickly on the outbound train. We had to transfer once, at Ruifang (瑞芳 Ruì fāng), but we managed, even if I was confused and felt rushed changing platforms.

Mom in Power-Saver mode

It was late afternoon when we arrived at Pingxi station. Right away, beside the train station, there are many lantern shops before you get to the shops and snacks on the old street. We passed them, figuring we would do lanterns later on, in the dark, when we could see the flame flying off. The first thing we saw at the old street was a vendor selling pork belly buns -- gua bao (割包 guàbāo) and while we bought some, we chatted with the vendor (who was in a in a rush to close because she had to get to a class) about our plan to light lanterns after dark so we could see them better. She informed us that now was the best time, because it takes a while to set up your lantern (making your wishes) and you want it to be dusk, rather than dark, when you light them so your faces are visible in the photos. Her friend brought us to a lantern shop and I'm so glad we went with this man and his shop. He was very patient and never rushed us. When it was time to light the lanterns, his partner (who runs her own nearby shop) was really efficient and helpful taking photos. She made sure everyone got a photo with each side of their lantern as well as during the release.

After launching our wishes into the sky, we browsed the old street and bough souvenirs and snacks. Mike and Eddie shared a "small sausage in a big sausage" (大腸包小腸 dàcháng bāo xiǎocháng -- literally "big sausage/intestine wrapping small sausage/intestine").

Grass jelly shop

Making the big sausage wrap around the small sausage. The big "sausage" is actually sticky rice, not meat.

Yum!

We thought the train was earlier than it was, so we hung out and chatted at the train station for a while.

Back on the train (this time you buy tickets on the train), we finally dealt with a friendly TRA agent. The conductor was really helpful in helping us get to the right place, and reassured us that we wouldn't miss our transfer at Ruifang when the train was delayed.

Instead of disembarking at Taipei Main Station, we got off earlier, at the new-ish Nangang Station (南港 Nángǎng). It's a huge station where you can take TRA, MRT, and HSR. We ate at a Japanese place that looked good but was very disappointing. Mom bolted once she finished her food so she could catch her HSR home to Taoyuan.

Mike finally got his Mr. Donut fix for the trip and Cat went to get gua bao but they were closed. Another disappointment at Nan gang.

Mike and I went home with Bella and Gia while the adults went to Shilin Night Market (士林夜市 Shìlín yèshì), the biggest night market in Taipei. As the sleepy group walking back to the Airbnb, it was raining and we hoped that the rain wasn't over in Shilin. Turns out, the rain might have driven out some of the crowd that I associate with the Shilin Night Market because reviews from the adults the next day were that it was so uncrowded that they could keep the whole group within sight all night.

Back home, our group was fast asleep, dreaming of our lantern wishes coming true.