Cycle Taiwan Day 8 Sun Moon Lake to Tainan - Various modes of transportation for the day

After 2 nights in Sun Moon Lake we were set to move on to Tainan. As how we are going to travel for the day, we actually do not have a fixed plan. We will tackle it step by step.

First like getting up on this small bus with all our stuff to Shuili where we hope to catch a train from there to go down south.

Fortunately there were no other passengers beside us our baggage were all over.

Here we were at Shuili Station GPS : 23.818153, 120.853477. Our intended itinerary was to visit Tropic of Cancer Marker hence we have to disembark at a station before it and that would be Dounan.

The ticket for the ride.

The train does not go straight to Dounan and have to change train at Ershui.

Moving towards down south where we were already in the southern part of Taiwan.

Transit at Ershui Station
二水車站 GPS : 23.813142, 120.617991

Finally we disembarked at Dounan Station
斗南車站 GPS : 23.673173, 120.480513 to start cycling.

We were back on the cycling trail of Route 1 where we will be passing by Dalin and Chiayi.

Still on the cycling route we were attracted by this shop selling mutton in a restaurant 日日興現宰羊肉爐 No. 590, Section 3, Yanping Road, Dounan Township, Yunlin County positioned at GPS : 23.632061, 120.468106

I am not a fan of mutton but this mutton steam boat was awesome. We ate it with beehoon (rice vermicelli) and it went very well with it. 

The five of them enjoyed most as far as this steam boat delicacy is concerned.

Meeting more friendly local as we cycled on the trail.

Then there were loud sound of Chinese processional music with gong and drums in front of us. We could slowly catch up with the crowd as the noise got louder and louder.

It was a celebration of a local deities' birthday with a procession of striking traditional costume and loud music.

The main attraction was this modern parade of ten over sexy pole dancers on top of moving jeeps.

We could not resist ourselves but to stop and witness this special occasion.

The procession seen at the junction of Route 1 and Dongrong Road, Minxiong Township
with a GPS : 62123.557321, 120.433510

One of the many groups of fierce looking deities at the parade.

We later stopped briefly at an art center in Minxiong or known as Chiayi Performing Arts Center
嘉義縣表演藝術中心 GPS : 23.544113, 120.433205

We were only passing by at the western fringe of Chiayi.

Then we arrived at Tropic of Cancer Solar Exploration Center
北回歸線太陽館 at GPS : 23.454101, 120.416105 which was is one of our to visit places before we came to Taiwan.

Here we were at the World's Tenth Landmark of Tropic of Cancer.

One for the album.

After 33km we headed for Shuishang Station
水上火車站 GPS : 23.434006, 120.399628 to catch a train to Tainan. Shuishang to Tainan is at least 90km away.

Nothing pleases her than taking a train ride.

It was dark when we arrived at Tainan and a tough time picking a place to stay especially on a weekend. Eventually we checked into an old hotel called Fuh Dih Hotel 富第大飯店 GPS : 22.999024, 120.210513 for NTD1,200 per room.

Our dinner at Xiao Hao Chau Hot Pot Restaurant 小豪州沙茶爐中山店 No. 111號, Zhongshan Road, West Central District, Tainan City GPS : 22.994545, 120.208079

Another steamboat meal after being enticed by the crowded restaurant in Tainan. A restaurant well established with a pretty long history behind it. Check it out at how-chou.com .

The route from Dounan to Tainan after a train ride from Huili.