Northern Taiwan - Taiwan - page 242

To get to the Old Street from the museum, turn left as you exit and look for a wooded
boardwalk next to a stream. Follow 150m to the end, and take the first alley to the right.
Head up and cross the railway tracks on the pedestrian bridge and you are on the street.
Activities
One branch of the Taipei riverside bike path network runs to Yingge. A lazy ride starting
near Taipei Main Station would take about three hours.
From Yingge there is also a beautiful ride heading south on the left bank of the Dahan
River, which passes a wide reservoir and then long sections hemmed in by tall grass and
steep hills that feel delightfully remote. At the handsome Daxi Bridge (Dàxī Qiáo), a
steel suspension bridge built in 1934, you can cross over to Daxi and check out the
Japanese-era baroque-style buildings on Heping Rd. Daxi was once the most inland port
in Taiwan, with ships sailing from Wanhua and Dadaocheng until the 1930s (when the
river became too silted).
Instead of heading into town, you can also follow the signs across the rice fields to Li
Tengfang's Ancient Residence (Li Téngfāng Gǔcuò). This Qing-era Hakka residence is
typical of the type of structure wealthy clans began to construct in the mid-19th century
to show off their wealth.
OK quality bikes (per 2hr NT$100; 9am-6pm Fri-Wed) can be rented from a large
warehouse/exhibition space across from the museum at the end of the pedestrian over-
pass.
Eating
On the Old Street there are vendors, small restaurants and cafes to help you line your
stomach. Next to the museum there's a street filled with the usual noodle shops. You can
also save your appetite for snacking in Sansia.
Getting There & Around
Trains from Taipei Main Station (NT$31, 30 minutes) run about every 30 minutes.
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Sansia (Sanxia)
02 / POP 102,000