I don’t know, but my nephew stayed with us for the past week and just had a great side trip involving two trains: high speed train to Chiayi, then the scenic train to the top of Alishan, stayed in a hotel on the top, hiked to the summit for sunrise (no other hikers), said it was fantastically beautiful, great trees, great sunset and sunrise way above the clouds, loved the trains, left one morning and back for dinner the next day.
I wish I’d been able to take off from work to join him. Anyway, I hope to take the trip he did one day.
Taipei to Hualien, sitting on the little open porch on the very back of the train, dangling our feet over the edge, smoking and drinking beer. Beautiful weather, amazing scenery. Best three hours ever!
you can sit on the back of the train?[/quote]
Yes. From Yilan to Hualien, at least. Or you used to be able to. You have to get the very smallest trains – windows that open, ceiling fans rather than air conditioners, pale green cracked seats that can be pivoted so you can sit in rows or facing each other – they chug along very slowly and that was going to be my “most memorable train ride” in Taiwan. We too sat on the very back with our legs dangling and surprise surprise, we also drank a lot of beer.
It was a long time ago, though. Maybe 19 years ago. Very memorable. I’m sure there aren’t too many trains like that still running anywhere in the world.
Here’s a great clip from a trailer for Goodbye south, goodbye, I reckon it’s that little train down the east coast to that surfing beach. In the movie the train scene is the opener, and goes on for at least 10 minutes. Superb memories of beer, open doors, redundant little ceiling fans.
Goodbye south, goodbye is one of my favourite Taiwanese movies.
Most memorable train ride in Taiwan: Taipei to Ilan is very nice, and the branch lines (Alishan, Neiwan, Pingsi, Shueli) are lovely.
Most memorable train ride ever: Romania in 1994. Old trains with compartments for 8 or so people. Frayed curtains. There’s me, gazing at the wondrous Romanian scenery when a bunch of labourers get in. They break out the bread, salami and red wine. I take a little to be polite. They tuck in. His repast finished, the guy nearest the window wipes his hands on the curtains. Then he wipes his mouth. Then he searches for a thread (the curtains are frayed, remember) and uses it to floss his teeth. The thread is still attached to the curtain, and he leaves it there, with small-but-visible chunks of meat on it, for the edification of other rail travellers.
[quote=“StevenCrook”]Then he searches for a thread (the curtains are frayed, remember) and uses it to floss his teeth. The thread is still attached to the curtain, and he leaves it there, with small-but-visible chunks of meat on it, for the edification of other rail travellers.[/quote]I think that’s very considerate, actually. If he broke the thread off, what would the next guy in the same situation have to floss his teeth with?
First summer I was married, we were still kid-less, me and the Mrs. and my 2 best mates used to go to Keelung, (used to be, anyway) and if you went to Ho Ping Island, but took a right rather than the left to the hideous chockablock public beach, there are all these wild volcanic rock formations (like at Yeh Liao), sticking right out into the ocean, and we’d set up on the rocks and snorkel right off 'em, tons of fishies and jellyfish, great snorkeling for how close it was.
But we always used to go on Sunday, we’d meet at the McD’s near our place way early, grab a couple bags full of breakfasties (very exotic for me, I NEVER eat McD’s) and catch the slow train at Sung Shan.
Beautiful, sunny morning, windows open, eating brekkie and smoking ciggies as the countryside went by.
Later, the sun usually got unbearable, round about 2 pm at the latest, we’d head over to the seafood market and pound crab and shrimp and icy cold brewskionies, then jump the train back.
Brilliant…
you can sit on the back of the train?[/quote]
Yes. From Yilan to Hualian, at least. Or you used to be able to. You have to get the very smallest trains – windows that open, ceiling fans rather than air conditioners, pale green cracked seats that can be pivoted so you can sit in rows or facing each other – they chug along very slowly and that was going to be my “most memorable train ride” in Taiwan. We too sat on the very back with our legs dangling and surprise surprise, we also drank a lot of beer.
It was a long time ago, though. Maybe 19 years ago. Very memorable. I’m sure there aren’t too many trains like that still running anywhere in the world.[/quote]
Ya I remember these, the Pingquai and the Duai hao (sp on both). Used to ride trains to fulung, back when it was only accessible by train (or a truck or moto on a rough moutain pass). Loved the ChuKuang at 64nt, if I missed that could be anything then. The LImited Duai hao was like 25nt and the Pingquai only somthing like 15nt. This was all back in 75. Loved the shaved ice shop there that sold fresh mango blended with shaved ice for 10nt. Ahh those were the days. A whole summer long just sailing on a Sunfish and checkin out chicks at Fulong. The trains had the bientang in the stainless steel round containers for 25nt. Boy those were good ! Plus remember the hot tea? . Some young railroad kid with one hand holding onto this giant tea kettle and the other hand flipping over the lid on your glass (each seat had this tall glass with a lid) and pouring you a nice hot glass of tea.
90min train ride to Fulong. Enjoying a lazy day. Those were fun days. Now you can drive there and thats great too, but when Fulong was kind of isolated and a railway town, that was cool too.