by Annie & Debbie
If you would like to go cycling in the
breeze under the emerald cover of trees, Ho-Fon bikeway will
be your number one choice. Walking out of Houli Station, you can feel the
relaxing atmosphere that is different from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Just rent a bike at one of the local stores and you are ready to enjoy a
pleasant bike ride!
Meandering along an old
railway, there are lots of traces that show its
history. You can see the remaining trail and the vintage railway platforms along the way. The length of Ho-Fon bikeway is
4.2km, and it is very suitable to spend the afternoon taking pictures and
biking. Two spots that are recommended to visit are the Shih-Gang Dam and the
Number Nine Tunnel.
At Shih-Gang Dam, the wide and
open view will surely give you a refreshing feeling. Number Nine Tunnel is 1296m long. Biking in the tunnel, an illusion of traveling back
to the 1990s in Taiwan emerges. Ho-Fon bikeway is definitely a place
worthy of spending an afternoon enjoying a bike ride.
After a whole day of cycling, we decided to
feast at the Miao Tung Night Market. The night market is located in Feng Yuan,
next to the train station. There are a variety of local delicacies in the market. Some of the stands have been in business for more
than 30 years!
The market became famous because of seasonal
spiritual events at the local Tze Chi Temple in Fengyuan. Since then, the
seasonal gathering settled into a permanent marketplace. The name “Miao Tung”
in Chinese means “the east of temple” which literally telling the location of
the market. Implicitly, Miao Tung Night Market is a place that expresses Taiwanese
local passion and spirit for its ancient history.
Now to our feast, we started with fried
water chestnut balls. Six come in a pack for less than $1
USD! The owner breads and fries the peeled water chestnut until it’s golden and
crispy. It tastes like sweet potato balls, but more filling.
After that yummy appetizer, we had our main
dish, Deep Fried Pork Rib Noodle Soup, at “Chin-Suei.”The restaurant has been open for more than 30 years.
The pork ribs are fried before being boiled.
The chewy ribs pack in a lot of bold flavors, and aren’t greasy. The noodles are
immersed in the broth which is a blend of garlic oil and their unique sauce. Once it is served, the smell
greets your nose, and you can’t help but enjoy such a palatable dish.
Finally, we got Pineapple shaved ice as our dessert for the end of today’s dinner. “Golden Tree Tea Shop”
is a very traditional and ancient restaurant which has been opened for more
than 70 years. They braise pineapple as the base and slice some of
it into pieces as the sauce for the shaved ice. It is sweet and refreshing, which
really cools down the heat from the pork noodles. Tasty pineapple with the
shaved ice is regarded as the most suitable desserts in summer.
We had a good time at Miao Tung night
market. Besides the food, we experienced people’s passion. As if Miao Tung
night market’s boisterous nightlife is everlasting and
energetic.
#If you have any hidden gems or spots you are interested in, plz feel free to give us comment or email us at roadintaiwan@gmail.com Thank you!
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