Day 5 in Taipei 2013 (IV) - Houtong (猴硐)

After lunch, we went to Houtong (猴硐).
We stopped at Houtong Railway Station for a while for the girls to collect the stamps as well as to get (more) souvenirs. :) Apparently, this station, which was opened in 1920, is also one of the very few stations that sell Edmondson railway tickets in Taiwan. 

Souvenirs bought at Houtong Railway Station

Edmondson railway tickets

Just opposite the Houtong Rail Station is the Vision Hall (願景館) which used to be the coal dressing plant’s warehouse. It showcases everything about the coal mining industry by displaying text and images of Houtong.

We followed this cat into the tourist information centre to get some shade :)

We walked a little distance to see the Coal Transportation Bridge (運煤橋) which runs across the Keelung River was built in 1920 to transport coal between the Rueisan Coal Mine and the Houtong Quarry. Its current look today was created when it was rebuilt in 1965.

Coal Transportation Bridge

On the Coal Transportation Bridge

The Keelung River flowing under the Coal Transportation Bridge

  The abandoned Coal Preparation Plant (built in 1920)

More cats on the way back from the Coal Transportation Bridge

Houtong is supposedly the highlight for the girls because there is a Cat Village (貓村) here. The girls love cats. :) There are plenty of cats for the girls to look at.

Cool cat on a motorcycle

We went a further distance to visit the Ruisan Main Mine (瑞三煤礦), the Commemoration House of Miners, as well as the Dormitory of Miners. There were very few tourists and visitors around, either they don't know about them or they are too lazy to walk further in. :P 

Ruisan Main Mine

Inside the mine

 The Commemoration House of Miners

 Dormitory of Miners

The Keelung River

 By the time we left Houtong for Jinguashi, it was close to 3pm. The next post is on Shuinadong (水湳洞) and Jinguashi (金瓜石).