Train from Taipei
I'm quite sure the train ride from Taipei Main Station took less that 30 minutes. We didn't know that we could use Taipei MRT/bus cards (locally called "EasyCards" or "You You Ka"), so we bought the NT$32 tickets from the station. Taipei Main Station is huge and can be a bit overwhelming for unfamiliar travelers. It was actually good that we bought the tickets, because we wouldn't have known where to go if we went straight to the platforms.We hopped on an MRT-like train for the quick ride to Yingge. Before we even reached Yingge station, Sue knew where we were with all the pottery murals visible from the train.
Getting to the Old Street
Literature says that there are two things to do in Yingge: the pottery museum and the Old Street, which sells—you guessed right—pottery. Since this was a quick trip, we decided to just focus on the Old Street.
With the summer heat and all the taxis waiting outside the Yingge Train Station, we were tempted to simply take a taxi to the famous Old Street. But Lonely Planet said that the Old Street was just a 10-minute walk from the station. It wasn't a perfect walk, but we did see some interesting—guess what—pottery along the way.
We knew it was going to be close to where the excitement was, so we just walked to where everyone was headed. After a few minutes, we saw what was obviously the Old Street and were greeted by kids setting up their big brass band. Right when we were leaving, these kids were at it, relieving our tired feet with their sweet renditions of some classical pieces.
Picking pots
The Old Street had an endless selection of pottery. Those sold in museum-like shops were very sophisticated and elegant and carried sophisticated and elegant prices as well. I had a crush on the large pots that one could use as a fish tank or a sink—very nice if fixing up a cottage-style apartment. But I knew we didn't have the space or the means to take them home. We settled for a few small but interesting items.
Young musician
Like many places in Taiwan, Yingge had its share of street performers. One young violinist actually played lovely music. What's interesting was that she bought her cat, which was very popular with the crowd. There must have been an interesting story behind her, but I could not read the poster she placed on the ground next to her.
Going home
After more than two hours exploring the shops in the Old Street, we were ready to go home. We found ourselves back at the rusty Yingge train station waiting for a train to Taipei.
We knew it was going to be close to where the excitement was, so we just walked to where everyone was headed. After a few minutes, we saw what was obviously the Old Street and were greeted by kids setting up their big brass band. Right when we were leaving, these kids were at it, relieving our tired feet with their sweet renditions of some classical pieces.
Picking pots
The Old Street had an endless selection of pottery. Those sold in museum-like shops were very sophisticated and elegant and carried sophisticated and elegant prices as well. I had a crush on the large pots that one could use as a fish tank or a sink—very nice if fixing up a cottage-style apartment. But I knew we didn't have the space or the means to take them home. We settled for a few small but interesting items.
Young musician
Like many places in Taiwan, Yingge had its share of street performers. One young violinist actually played lovely music. What's interesting was that she bought her cat, which was very popular with the crowd. There must have been an interesting story behind her, but I could not read the poster she placed on the ground next to her.
Going home
After more than two hours exploring the shops in the Old Street, we were ready to go home. We found ourselves back at the rusty Yingge train station waiting for a train to Taipei.
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