hiking Keelung Mountain

I have a small obsession with mountains. whenever I go someplace new and take in the scenery, my first thought is: can I climb that?

in the case of Keelung Mountain, the green giant that rises up next to the adorable town of Jiufen, the answer is YES. as is typical in Taiwan, this mountain goes by several names. I have seen it referred to as Keelung or Jilong mountain [also Keelong] but 基隆山 was first described to me as the literal translation of "chicken cage mountain."

when you arrive in Jiufen by bus, the first thing you probably notice is the massive temple roof at eye level. then your eyes drift off towards the blue ocean, and over to the large green hill peeking from behind the bright buildings. and when the views are this fantastic from the bus stop - you know they'll be phenomenal from atop the mountain.

the mountain is only 588 meters tall, but since it towers next to the sea, it feels a lot higher. or possibly - because this hike is literally just climbing stairs for half an hour up.

I have actually made this hike before. last summer, I visited Jinguashi with Anna and her friend. while we had gone to check out the "golden waterfall" we decided to climb Mount Keelung on a whim. it ended up being super sweaty and full of bugs but as you can see from Anna's post of our hike the views were still gorgeous. [I have photos from that day, but they've been swallowed by my hard drive.]

our weather for the hike this time around was perfect - mid 60's and plenty of sunshine. when we reached the top, we initiated a new hiking tradition: the summit cider. as we passed around our lukewarm can, there was nothing but smiles. [ok maybe a few handstands, a lots of photos.]

Keelung Mountain is very exposed - there isn't any shade and the wind can be quite gusty coming off the ocean. [if you can't tell by our hair.] I would definitely recommend wearing sunscreen and bringing an extra layer, in addition to snacks and water to accompany your summit cider.

my legs were definitely shaking by the time we made it back down, but the views were totally worth it. along the main route there are three pavilions and three viewing decks all equipped with benches where you can take a rest. and as a bonus: after your hike you can wander over to Jiufen Old Street to relax in a teahouse or grab some snacks.

how to get there

travel to Jiufen via the 1062 bus from Taipei, and walk up the main road until you see a stone marker for the trail entrance. you can also take the TRA to Ruifang and reach Juifen by bus or cab.

linking up with Lauren on Location, Snow in Tromso, The Sunny Side of This and What a Wonderful World for #wanderfulwednesday

the textures + patterns of Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace boasts a view fit for a Sultan - situated on a point of land that juts between the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn, at the top of a hill overlooking the city of Istanbul, the Bosphorous, and two continents. but the most entrancing part about our tour through this palace-turned-museum [for me, anyway] were the intricate inlays, carved doorways and windows, geometric metalwork, and delicately painted tiles.

I'm a sucker for the details, and I've got the photos to prove it.

Topkapi Palace was built after the Ottomans conquered the Byzantines [on the ruins of their acropolis, actually] and it was home to the Sultans for nearly 400 years. throughout that time it was constantly being expanded and renovated. while this resulted in a rather haphazard arrangement of courtyards and buildings, it also decorated the palace compound with varying examples of the finest decorative styles throughout the centuries.

appropriately enough, we wore our patterned harem pants for the visit - though we did clash with most of the decor. every room and passage was swathed in colors, carvings, and detailed designs. according to Husband, I took a photo of every tile and doorway in the entire palace that day. given that a large portion was under restoration, this was clearly not true. but I would have.

one of my favorite spaces in the palace was this kiosk. I could just imagine lounging here with a book, windows open to a breeze from the garden... I mean, really. what's the fun of visiting a palace if you don't envision yourself living there as a princess?

but I'm pretty sure this kiosk was not constructed for bookish princesses. in fact, the royal ladies [and the children] had a separate but impressive section of the palace that was their domain: the harem.

when it comes to pattern mixing, the Ottomans were pro. somehow the wild blend of colors and textures everywhere just adds to the opulence of the palace. it's a lot to take in - plan to spend several hours exploring - but Topkapi should be on your list of sights to see when in Istanbul.

touring the harem costs an additional admission fee, but it contains some of the most beautiful rooms. I would suggest buying a Museum Pass, as the admission for the palace and harem and the nearby Hagia Irene [or any other museum in Istanbul such as the Hagia Sofia] will add up to the same cost or more. since the pass lasts for 5 days you'll have plenty of time to make use of it!