Lynda's Taiwan-logue

< Visited in Mar 2019 >

The Taipei most of us know consists of two separately governed municipalities - Taipei City 台北市 and New Taipei City 新北市. The latter has been seeing some new and cool urban developments (actually same for the rest of Taiwan, which continues to evolve faster than I can travel). While the latest to launch is the Circular (yellow) MRT line, in January 2020 - with vibrant Banqiao 板桥 as one of its stations - the highlight of this blog is Danhai Light Rail Transit (LRT) 淡海轻轨, opened to the public in December 2018.      

The Danhai Light Rail Transit (LRT) 淡海轻轨 runs in the Danshui district, connecting Hongshulin MRT Station 红树捷运林站 (R27, red line) to the developing Danhai New Town 淡海新市镇. 11 stations are operational in the current Phase I, and more will open to boost accessibility to attractions in this area. 

Why the excitement over some metro stations, you may ask. Indeed, if not for the collaboration with Taiwanese illustrator Jimmy Liao 几米 (his more known works include Sound of Colours 地下铁 and Turn Left, Turn Right 向左走, 向右走, which have been made into movies), I may not have planned this excursion. All stations carry art installations from Jimmy's newly conceived story for the LRT line - Sometimes Sometimes 闭上眼睛一下下, featuring a girl named A-Gei (阿给, incidentally a food specialty of Danshui Old Street). (Post-visit, there are now characters seated on some trains on this line.) 

Check out official information on this public art project here (info in Chinese).

For my excursion:
- photo stops were made at all 11 stations. The stations are simple and similar in layout, so the difference is really each station's public art, installed on the platforms. 
- I exited three stations - two for more Jimmy's artworks, and one for a bus ride to Danshui Wuji Tianyuan Temple 淡水无极天元宫.
- I arrived at Hongshulin MRT Station around noon, and wrapped up at Danshui Old Street around 7pm.
- The weather started off nice and cool, but rain and wind in the latter part of the afternoon made it rather chilly (and low lighting affecting my photos in the later stops).     

▲▼ From Hongshulin MRT Station, I exited left to a separate building just next door. As this was the initial stage of operations, there were some hoarded works, presumably to finish sheltered accessibility between the two MRT and LRT stations.    

▼ Of the 11 stations, some are elevated and others at ground level. The start point Hongshulin 红树林 (V01) is one of the former.  

One level up, a pop-up store selling Jimmy's merchandise.

The ticketing counter is right opposite the store. (Note: there is a public loo beside the counter. Subsequent LRT stations are not equipped with this.)

While EZcard can be used on this line, I opted for a day pass after enquiring with the ticketing personnel, as I intended for multiple boarding and alighting to cover all 11 stations, with untimed lingering at each for taking photos. Not forgetting the flexibility to exit stations at whim. (Briefly, NT$25 covers a ride from the first to the last stop, while a new entry costs NT$20 to get from 1 station to the next. Check out the fare table here.)  

▼ A list of attractions at most of the stations - starred are the three I exited (V05, V07 and V08). 

Now for the stations proper...

▩ V01 | Hongshulin 红树林 ▩ 

▲▼ Entry points are in blue, exit points red, and designed to be barricade-free. If you are wondering, there are random checks onboard by conductors, and passengers who "forget to" tap in and out may be penalised up to 50 times the fare. In this initial phase, there are station masters for crowd control and entry checks - in my case, I just had to flash my day pass. 

By the way, these LRT train doors do not open automatically, so passengers will have to press a button to make their entry.  

▼ The train interior is similar to Kaohsiung LRT 高雄轻轨. 

Related read:
[Kaohsiung 高雄] Pier 2 Art Center & KW2 驳二艺术特区 & 栈贰库 ✭PLUS✭ Kaohsiung LRT 高雄轻轨

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▩ V02 | Ganzhenlin 竿蓁林 ▩ 

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▩ V03 | Danjin Denggong 淡金邓公 ▩  

▼ Noticed a cherry blossom path near this station, but did not check it out. 

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▩ V04 | Tamkang University 淡江大学 ▩ 

 

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▩ V05 | Danjin Beixin (Beitouzi) 淡金北新 (北投子) ▩ 

An adhoc decision was made to exit this station for a trip to Danshui Wuji Tianyuan Temple 淡水无极天元宫. Even though it wasn't the peak of cherry blossom season, the temple itself seemed like a popular attraction for locals. There were signages at the LRT station guiding the way to the nearest bus stop.

▼ Upon reaching this neighbourhood temple, the bus stop in the direction of my destination is diagonally opposite. 

The bus ride to Danshui Wuji Tianyuan Temple 淡水无极天元宫 took about 15 minutes, uphill. Had the company of many other visitors, even though it wasn't even cherry blossom peak season. Boarding the return ride is where you alight, near the main entrance. Bus frequency is high, and queues are orderly, making it a pleasant and convenient experience. 

❐ Danshui Wuji Tianyuan Temple 淡水无极天元宫 ❐

There is a public loo to the left upon entering the premises. 

Towards the right of the premises, brings you to the cherry blossom cluster.  

Signages stating that the cherry blossom trees have not bloomed, though it didn't seem to dampen the spirits of visitors.

While not the right timing for cherry blossoms, the temple is indeed worthy of a stroll for sight-seeing.  

The very few blooms in sight... 

▼ View from the fifth (and highest) storey.

Back towards the bus depot, there are some foodstalls for a light bite, where I bought squid balls. 

Note: I had assumed the return ride would bring me back to LRT Danjin Beixin (Beitouzi) Station 淡金北新 (北投子) 站 (V05), where I could resume my excursion. But I was wrong - the bus ended at Danshui MRT Station 淡水捷运站, so I spent some time making my way to Hongshulin MRT Station 红树林捷运站, then taking the LRT from station V01 to V06.   

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▩ V06 | Xinshi 1st Road 新市一路 ▩ 
At this point, the weather was turning gloomy for impending rain, so excuse the quality of my photos. 

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▩ V07 | Tamsui District Office 淡水行政中心 ▩ 

❐ Danhai LRT Jimmy Park 淡海轻轨几米主题公园 ❐
Exiting this station to check out a seasonal floral display 新北稼日蒔光. (If you need the loo, Carrefour in the vicinity could be a good idea.)   

There is also a bus service in the vicinity to the earlier temple. 

Before making your way back to the LRT station, remember to check out the other Jimmy attraction, just a short walk away. 

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❐ Jimmy bus stop girl 几米公车候车厅 - 小女孩 ❐ 

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▩ V08 | Binhai Yishan 滨海義山 ▩ 

❐ Jimmy bus stop squirrel 几米公车候车厅 - 松鼠 ❐ 

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▩ V09 | Binhai Shalun 滨海沙侖 ▩ 

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▩ V10 | Danhai New Town 淡海新市镇 ▩ 

This station showcases miniatures of all the stations' art pieces.  

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▩ V11 | Kanding 崁顶 ▩ 
The last of the 11 LRT stations, hopping off and back on to the train within a minute, just to capture the art installation. The rain and chill had accompanied my last few stops - do be warned that the stations on ground level provide very little shelter from the elements.  

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From LRT station V11, I enjoyed the return ride back to V01, where I changed to the MRT for dinner at Danshui. Haven't been here in ages, but it was the nearest source of dinner on a famished tummy. I had thought the rain kept away the crowd, only to realise the people were tucked away in eateries. 

Was in the mood for Danshui's specialty, A-Gei 阿给, essentially glass noodles wrapped up in beancurd skin, with a special gravy. (Food below was dinner for two.)

▼ A-Gei with "satay" sauce 沙茶阿给 (NT$45) 

▼ Meat dumpling in (mildly) spicy red oil 红油抄手 (NT$65) 

▼ Seasonal greens 烫青菜 (NT$40) 

▼ Sweet & sour soup 酸辣汤 (NT$70) 

Couldn't leave without packing some other snacks for supper.

▼ Fried soft shell crab 炸螃蟹

▼ Shrimp roll 虾捲

▼ Almond tea 杏仁茶

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Danshui Wuji Tianyuan Temple 淡水无极天元宫
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Address --- No. 36, Section 3, Beixin Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City 新北市, 淡水区, 北新路三段36号

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