Wishing in Shihfen

My trip to the Cat Village was fun but I have two more places to visit so off we went to Shihfen which was about a fifteen minute train ride from Houtong Station. There were hundreds of people, majority of which were Asians, and some locals. It was like an organized chaos though everyone knows where they were heading.

So while waiting for the people to clear out, I took a photograph of Shihfen Station along with a 'model'. Her complexion was so white she shines. She could be the next Papaya soap model. 

Shihfen Station
(if most tourists were dressed like this, the men will feast)

Decorated Trains
( a signal tell us to stop taking selfies
in front of trains since they move after  a while for if you don't, goodbye!)

Shihfen is well known among tourists as Shifen Old Street where it becomes an interesting path to walk and explore. The old feel of the railroad tracks and its surrounding old style shophouses make it a pleasant family weekend outing thus the crowd that Saturday. The place is filled with shops ranging from souvenirs, cards and food. 

Souvenir Shop
(tiny sky lanterns with wishes: that we may be filled with happiness and wealth)

Sky Lantern
(writing wishes for everyone: peace, luck, prosperity, happiness, great health with 'kodigo')

Sky Lanterns were formerly used as signaling system for those living around the vicinity.  Another story was to inform the neigbouring villages that it was safe for family members to return back to Shifen as the robbers left. Nowadays, sky lanterns are used for wishes. The wishes are written in calligraphy and the lanterns are release in the sky to bring forth the messages to the sky heaven.

My cousin and I ready to send positive vibes to our family members and friends
(we painted the star lantern equally, two sides for me and two sides for her
and this side is mine, ganda ba?)

Up!

Up!

and away!

Jingan Bridge
(there was a reason why I wanted to see the bridge connecting one village with another and here it was!)

Here I go again!
(Bye!)