Info on Episode 2: Maokong, Taipei 台北貓空

2015-2016 Episode 2 Maokong, Taipei 台北貓空 (deluxe edit, 完整版)
It's time for Taiwan!!最棒的英語旅遊專題～讓你一邊旅行台灣一邊學英文！2015-2016 Episode 2 Maokong, Taipei (deluxe edit) 台北貓空 (完整版)Maokong, Taipei台北捷運小旅行 貓空品茗Transcript 文字稿：Let’s go to Maokong to have some tea. It in the mountains right on the edge of Taipei.走，我們到貓空喝茶，貓空在台北市的邊緣地方。I'm Michella. I grew up in the Silicon Valley and was a journalist in Taiwan for ten years. I like to run, grow hydroponic food and travel. I’m going to show you around the Taiwan that I know. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.我是米雪拉，在美國矽谷長大，回來台灣當了十年的新聞工作者，喜歡跑步，種水耕蔬菜，還有旅行。台灣好好玩，到底有多好玩，讓我和你分享。We’re at Sungshan Airport Station now, so we need to hop on the brown line, or line number 1 to the zoo, then get on the Maokong Gondola from there. And I have an Easycard with me, so it’s going to be easy peasy.我們現在在松山機場，所以我們要搭棕線，也就是一號線，到動物園，然後轉乘貓空纜車。我有一張悠遊卡，它會讓我很方便的進出。I love this section of the ride, because you can see the runway and the airplanes. It’s always so cool.我好喜歡這一段路，可以看到停機坪和飛機，每次看，每次都覺得很酷。There are five lines in the Taipei MRT network, and they’re labeled by color and number. The lower the number, the older the line. The brown line being number 1, is the oldest.台北捷運有五條路線，每一條都有用顏色和號碼標記。號碼越小，路線年齡越老。棕色是一號線，也是最老的一條線。So this is the Taipei Zoo station, the pair of pandas in there are especially popular. But today we’re taking the gondola up to Maokong.這是動物園站，裡面的兩頭貓熊很受歡迎。不過今天我們要搭貓纜上貓空。If you don’t have a big fear of heights, I recommend getting into one of these clear bottom cars. When you look straight down at what’s beneath you, it's really, really different. Everything looks round and really cute. You can see how they grow in radiating clusters. But anyway, I like to go up to Maokong during the day, in the afternoon, and then come back down after it gets dark because the view at night and during the day are very, very different and both are definitely worth looking at.你如果沒有懼高症，我建議搭水晶車廂，鳥瞰貓空的感覺真的非常不一樣，所有的植物都變得圓圓的，很可愛，可以看到它們是放射型，一坨一坨的生長。我喜歡在下午的時候到貓空，然後天黑後再下山，因為白天和晚上的景色大不相同，兩個都很值得看。Maokong used to be Taipei’s largest tea producing area. It's not anymore, but people still come up here to have tea and enjoy the peace.貓空曾經是台北最大的產茶地區，現在還是有很多人會來這裡喝茶，享受它的寧靜芬芳。In Taiwanese, “Maokong” “jiaokang” means “potholes.” The potholes on the ground were carved out by a river that runs through the area. There are a few trails down there that you can hike up, but I prefer skateboarding up.貓空地名的由來，是台語「凹凸不平」意思，指的是河流附近的石頭，長期被沖刷所形成的面貌。在這底下有幾條古道可以走到貓空上，不過我比較喜歡電動滑板載我上山。If you want to take a peek into Taiwanese religion, you can hop off at the Chih-nan Temple station and walk around here. The temple grounds are really big and there are several halls to explore.如果想接觸台灣宗教，可以在指南宮下車走一走。指南宮的腹地很大，有好幾個殿堂可以探索。I think this is a really good example of a Taiwanese temple because it represents the majority of Taiwanese religious beliefs - a combination of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism.我覺得這是一個很具代表性的台灣廟宇，因為裡面包含了台灣最主要的信仰：道教，儒教，佛教。This is the main hall, and the resident deity is Lu Dong-bin. He was supposedly a real man who was a scholar and later became one of the famous Eight Immortals. A lot of people pray to him to for an escape from sickness and poverty. 這是主殿，主神是呂洞賓。傳說中，呂洞賓是一位學者，後來成為八仙當中的其中一位。很多人會來向他祈求脫離疾病和貧困。Taoism talks a lot about the relationship between nature and people. Confucianism: people and people. And Buddhism: past life, present life and future life.道教經常講自然與人的關係；儒教說的是人與人的關係；佛教則強調前因後果的關係。In contrast to the more festive Taoist and Confucianist halls, the Buddhist area seems a lot more quiet, serene and in a separate space altogether.比起較熱鬧的道教和儒教的殿堂，佛教這邊感覺寧靜許多，空間和氣氛完全不一樣。There are quite a few tea houses and restaurants up here in Maokong. Today let’s go to the one that’s highest up.這裡有好幾家茶館和餐廳。今天我們要到最高的那家。Tieguanyin is the specialty tea in Maokong. It’s a oolong tea that is highly fermented, almost like black tea, so the taste is quite strong. You don't need that many tea leaves per pot, and you can make several pots with the same batch of leaves.鐵觀音是貓空的特色茶種，屬於烏龍茶，但發酵程度相當高，有點像紅茶，味道比較濃，所以泡茶時不需要很多茶葉，相當耐泡。The food here is quite decent and there’s English on the menu too. This is a fried tea leaf.這家餐廳的料理蠻實在的，而且菜單上有英文。這是炸茶葉。Sometimes I come up to Maokong when I want to get away from the city but not be too far away. It’s just a short ride from the zoo, yet it’s like another world. It’s peaceful, it's romantic. You should come.想要離開吵鬧的城市但又不想走太遠的時候，我喜歡來貓空，從動物園搭個纜車就到了，感覺像來到了另外一個世界。這裡寧靜，浪漫，大家要來喔～民視新聞 翁郁容 彭柏勳 台北報導--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Episode info:In episode 2, we went to Maokong via the Wenhu line, (aka Brown Line, Line #1) to Taipei Zoo and then the Maokong gondola to Chih-nan Temple (the station is spelt Zhinan Temple) and then to Maokong. The roundtrip fare for the gondola is about NT$100-120 depending on whether or not you make a stop at Zhinan Temple. Important: the Maokong Gondola is closed for maintenance every Monday, and shuts down during thunderstorms.Here's the Taipei MRT route map: http://english.metro.taipei/ct.asp?xItem=1056373&CtNode=70241&mp=122036The Taipei MRT has the Easycard that you can buy and charge/recharge to tag on/off the metro and buses. You can even use them at convenience stores. It's very, very convenient and I highly recommend it. There is a Maokong gondola edition Easycard which is NT$250 and lets you ride the gondola and the rest of the public transit system all you want for a day, then you can recharge it and use it like any other Easycard. Is it worth it? If you like to collect cards, maybe. If you want to save money, not really.On the way to Maokong, there is the Taipei Zoo, and if you have small children, it's a place where you can spend an entire day. Some of my friends have brought their kids to Taipei Zoo more times than anyone can remember. In the summer I believe the zoo even has night time activities as well. The Taipei Zoo is the largest zoo in Asia, according to wikipedia. The stars of the zoo are Tuan Tuan, Yuan Yuan, and their baby, Yuanzai. Taipei Zoo: http://english.zoo.gov.taipeiAbout the gondola, there are two types of cabins, the regular cabin and the "eyes of Maokong goldola crystal cabin," which you have to get in a separate line for. There aren't that many crystal cabins, so sometimes you have to wait a while, especially on the weekends. The wait is worth it, though because you can see through the floor of the cabin and the view is very, very different. Rarely do you get to look straight down from very high up. I highly recommend this too. These special cabins seat 5 passengers. The regular cabins seat 8.A Zhinan Temple Station, you'll find Chih-nan Temple, it's the same temple, just spelt differently. The romanization of Chinese names in Taiwan keeps changing over the years, so sometimes it is confusing. The temple is quite big, and its several halls house many, many Taoist, Confucianist and Buddhist deities, which is quite different from many Western religions. Volunteers dressed in special robes come out to chant mantras in the Taoist halls every two hours from 0800 to 1600, and can be interesting to watch. The view from the temple is a nice preview to what you'll see in Maokong.If you are a hardcore cyclist, riding up Maokong can be a fun challenge. The extent of my cycling interest is limited to getting from point A to point B while running errands, and I have an electric skateboard (Boosted Board) that allows me to carve uphill, so I do that. I really enjoy some sections of that road where the sun shines through the foliage and there's a view of the mountains. If you want to ride there, go on a weekday. The overwhelming number of cars and motorcycles on the weekends can make the ride a bit unpleasant.For the other 99.999% people who are not crazy, you probably want to get back on the gondola and head to Maokong.There are many, many restaurants, cafes and tea houses up there. There is even an area for hawkers. The restaurant we went to is called Qingquan Shanzhuang 清泉山莊, and sits highest up. It's quite old and basic, but the Chinese food and prices are decent. And they have English and pictures on their menu, which is really helpful if you don't understand Chinese. I liked their poached chicken, shrimp steamed with tea leaves, fried tea leaves (picked fresh), chunky bamboo shoots (boiled and eaten with a sweet mayonnaise). They have iced tea which has been brewed for you, and hot tea that you can make yourself. People who just go for tea usually munch on peanuts, sour plums, dried fruit or other traditional munchies. I like peanuts and sour plum with my tea. To get there, exit Maokong Station and turn left. The restaurant is a few hundred meters down the road, on the right hand side. You have to walk up a path and stairs to get there, so be prepared to exert some effort to get your tea and food.Their Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/貓空-清泉山莊貓空最高/255695877776966If you're looking for coffee, the place we went to to get shots of Taipei from Maokong at dusk was Maokongjian 貓空間, just across the street from Qingquan Shanzhuang. It's an outdoor cafe at the side of the road that serves coffee, tea and simple, Western food like sandwiches.There are nice and slightly more elegant and classy establishments up there, but we didn't get to visit them on this assignment. Maybe next time!I'm not sure if I'd bring anybody over 70, because it does require a little bit of walking up- and downhill. Maokong's a place I'd love to come up with my husband, our friends, and our siblings to drink tea, see the sun set, play a board game, chat, or read. It's a great little escape from hustling and bustling Taipei.Wardrobe and accessories:Shirt: Kotipesa (smart casual Taiwanese designer; available at Xinyi Eslite and Songshan Cultural Park Eslite)Shorts: Uniqlo (Japanese brand that I go to for basic items)Hat: Kangol (British hat maker)Shoes: Rucoline (Italian shoemaker known for its fashionable high heel wedge trainers. I love them.)Watch: Martian (American brand, fashionable smart watch that still works when it runs out of juice)Electric skateboard: Boosted (American last mile vehicle maker. I ride this to work and almost everywhere else as long as it's not raining I love it!)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------節目內容資訊～在第二集節目當中，我們搭了台北捷運木柵線（棕線，一號線）到台北動物園，然後再換貓空纜車到指南宮和貓空。動物園站到貓空站的來回車資100元，不過如果中途到指南宮下車再上車，120塊。不過呢，大家開始安排行程之前請注意，貓纜禮拜一維修日，不營運，颱風天，雷雨時也暫停營運喔，請大家注意喔！到台北玩，如果會搭捷運，公車，貓纜，或者到便利商店買東西，強烈推薦買一張悠遊卡，無敵方便又乾淨，不用一天到晚掏鈔票掏零錢。貓纜自己也有悠遊卡，一張250元，可以一整天讓你坐貓纜和捷運，坐到飽，之後再儲值就可以繼續用。不過值得嗎？如果你喜歡收集這種卡片，或許。如果你不會整天搭貓纜來來去去，一直上下捷運和公車，建議一般悠遊卡就好了。貓纜的起點是動物園站。台北動物園號稱全亞洲最大，我有一些朋友很喜歡帶小孩來這裡，一玩就一整天，來過的次數早已數不清。我記得夏天還有星光票，晚上有好玩的活動。動物園裡面的大明星，就是貓熊團團和圓圓，以及牠們的寶寶，圓仔。帶小孩來玩，可以走一整天，真的蠻大的。台北動物園官網： www.zoo.gov.taipei/貓纜有兩種車廂，一般的，還有水晶車廂。水晶車廂的底部是透明的，可以垂直俯瞰貓纜，那種感覺非常特別，強烈推薦。我們去錄影的時候，趁空檔我們團員一個綽號「蝦仁」的大哥還躺在車廂地上拍照，感受躺在半空中的感覺，哈哈。水晶車廂數量少，所以要慢慢排隊，不過一般來說是值得等待的。水晶車廂能夠坐五個人，一般車廂八個。從動物園站上去可以順便到指南宮走走。從指南宮站看，不覺得它很大，不過走進去之後才發現殿堂有好幾個，可以慢慢看，慢慢拜，早上八點到下午四點，每兩個小時有志工出來誦經，感覺一整天都很熱鬧。喜歡四處走走的人會發現，指南宮真的有得逛，它的腹地非常大，走累了也有很多地方可以坐下來休息，看山景。如果你喜歡挑戰極限，可以試著騎腳踏車上貓空。我騎車頂多騎youbike去辦事而已，所以來到貓空我就...滑滑板！我愛死我的電動滑板了。上山用衝的，下山還有煞車，煞車還可以回充電源呢。我最喜歡一些陽光穿透樹葉，形成斑斕光的地方，加上路邊的山景，真是漂亮，舒服呀～ 不過在貓空滑滑板，騎車都要特別小心，尤其假日車多的時候。那天我是挑了一小段滑，腳酸了就回指南宮，繼續搭貓纜上貓空。貓空有好多好多餐廳和咖啡廳，茶館。甚至還有一個專門給小吃攤位的空間。我們去的那一間餐廳叫做「清泉山莊」，號稱貓空最高的餐廳。菜色屬於家常料理，我覺得那天吃到的白斬雞，茶葉蒸蝦，炸嫩茶芽，還有竹筍都蠻好吃的。茶的話，有冰的，已經泡好了，也有熱的，可以自己泡。錄影那天我才發現，我不會泡中國茶！常看到人家泡，以為自己有泡過，但實際操作時，我的肌肉完全沒有那些動作的記憶，所以請老闆一個動作一個動作教，一定被人家笑死了。我的好搭柏勳哥說他讀書的時候（他讀世新）常上貓空討論作業，果然是文青。更好笑的是，茶泡好了，要配一些小點心，像是花生。老闆拿來的花生據說非常好吃，要剝殼的那種。然後我...居然剝不開。一般的花生用一手捏就好了，碰到這個超硬的得用兩手，但我沒用過兩手剝殼。一整個「我是外國人」的感覺。等下，我是啊！我在台灣出生，拿台灣護照，但我小學到研究所都在國外。好啦，這樣心理舒服點了。這是清泉山莊的臉書粉絲頁： https://www.facebook.com/pages/貓空-清泉山莊貓空最高/255695877776966從貓空站出來左轉，走幾百公尺後在右手邊，不過要爬坡，爬樓梯，一點點吃力，不是很好走，所以比較不適合老人家。如果比較喜歡路邊咖啡的感覺，可以參考我們拍白天轉晚上景色的地方「貓空間」。這裡有咖啡，茶，還有一些西式輕食。其實貓空應該有一些比較優雅的用餐，品茗，喝咖啡的地方，只是我們這次沒機會去。或許下次吧！我蠻喜歡貓空的。只是，因為到任何餐廳都要走一點路，而且不是非常好走，不太建議帶老人家搭貓纜上來，自己開車然後送到門口比較好，但就得客服停車的問題。還是找年輕朋友上來吧！我呢，就會會想要約好ㄤ，好朋友，兄弟姊妹上來看夕陽，喝茶，玩桌遊，聊天，看書，都好。這裡是一個頓時逃避現實的好地方～服裝和配件：襯衫： kotipesä （台灣品牌，非常喜歡，信義誠品，松菸誠品都有櫃）短褲：Uniqlo (日本品牌，我很多基本款服裝都在那裡買)帽子：Kangol （英國帽子品牌）鞋子：Rucoline （義大利鞋子品牌，他們的高跟平底球鞋都蠻好看的，我已經買n雙了）手錶：Martian摩絢錶 （美國品牌，時尚又不怕沒電的智慧型手錶）電動滑板： Boosted Boards (美國帶回來的，只要不下雨，我幾乎每天滑它出門)翁郁容 Michella Jade Weng ミシェラ・オング彭焯興的非黑即白
Posted by FTV Time for Taiwan on Thursday, September 3, 2015

Maokong, Taipei

台北捷運小旅行 貓空品茗

Time for Taiwan 2015-2016, Episode 2: Maokong, Taipei
2015-2016年「台灣好好玩」第二集：台北貓空

Transcript 文字稿：

Let’s go to Maokong to have some tea. It in the mountains right on the edge of Taipei.

走，我們到貓空喝茶，貓空在台北市的邊緣地方。

I'm Michella. I grew up in the Silicon Valley and was a journalist in Taiwan for ten years. I like to run, grow hydroponic food and travel. I’m going to show you around the Taiwan that I know. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.

我是米雪拉，在美國矽谷長大，回來台灣當了十年的新聞工作者，喜歡跑步，種水耕蔬菜，還有旅行。台灣好好玩，到底有多好玩，讓我和你分享。

We’re at Sungshan Airport Station now, so we need to hop on the brown line, or line number 1 to the zoo, then get on the Maokong Gondola from there. And I have an Easycard with me, so it’s going to be easy peasy.

我們現在在松山機場，所以我們要搭棕線，也就是一號線，到動物園，然後轉乘貓空纜車。我有一張悠遊卡，它會讓我很方便的進出。

I love this section of the ride, because you can see the runway and the airplanes. It’s always so cool.

我好喜歡這一段路，可以看到停機坪和飛機，每次看，每次都覺得很酷。

There are five lines in the Taipei MRT network, and they’re labeled by color and number. The lower the number, the older the line. The brown line being number 1, is the oldest.

台北捷運有五條路線，每一條都有用顏色和號碼標記。號碼越小，路線年齡越老。棕色是一號線，也是最老的一條線。

So this is the Taipei Zoo station, the pair of pandas in there are especially popular. But today we’re taking the gondola up to Maokong.

這是動物園站，裡面的兩頭貓熊很受歡迎。不過今天我們要搭貓纜上貓空。

If you don’t have a big fear of heights, I recommend getting into one of these clear bottom cars. When you look straight down at what’s beneath you, it's really, really different. Everything looks round and really cute. You can see how they grow in radiating clusters. But anyway, I like to go up to Maokong during the day, in the afternoon, and then come back down after it gets dark because the view at night and during the day are very, very different and both are definitely worth looking at.

你如果沒有懼高症，我建議搭水晶車廂，鳥瞰貓空的感覺真的非常不一樣，所有的植物都變得圓圓的，很可愛，可以看到它們是放射型，一坨一坨的生長。我喜歡在下午的時候到貓空，然後天黑後再下山，因為白天和晚上的景色大不相同，兩個都很值得看。

Maokong used to be Taipei’s largest tea producing area. It's not anymore, but people still come up here to have tea and enjoy the peace.

貓空曾經是台北最大的產茶地區，現在還是有很多人會來這裡喝茶，享受它的寧靜芬芳。

In Taiwanese, “Maokong” “jiaokang” means “potholes.” The potholes on the ground were carved out by a river that runs through the area. There are a few trails down there that you can hike up, but I prefer skateboarding up.

貓空地名的由來，是台語「凹凸不平」意思，指的是河流附近的石頭，長期被沖刷所形成的面貌。在這底下有幾條古道可以走到貓空上，不過我比較喜歡電動滑板載我上山。

If you want to take a peek into Taiwanese religion, you can hop off at the Chih-nan Temple station and walk around here. The temple grounds are really big and there are several halls to explore.

如果想接觸台灣宗教，可以在指南宮下車走一走。指南宮的腹地很大，有好幾個殿堂可以探索。

I think this is a really good example of a Taiwanese temple because it represents the majority of Taiwanese religious beliefs - a combination of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism.

我覺得這是一個很具代表性的台灣廟宇，因為裡面包含了台灣最主要的信仰：道教，儒教，佛教。

This is the main hall, and the resident deity is Lu Dong-bin. He was supposedly a real man who was a scholar and later became one of the famous Eight Immortals. A lot of people pray to him to for an escape from sickness and poverty. 

這是主殿，主神是呂洞賓。傳說中，呂洞賓是一位學者，後來成為八仙當中的其中一位。很多人會來向他祈求脫離疾病和貧困。

Taoism talks a lot about the relationship between nature and people. Confucianism: people and people. And Buddhism: past life, present life and future life.

道教經常講自然與人的關係；儒教說的是人與人的關係；佛教則強調前因後果的關係。

In contrast to the more festive Taoist and Confucianist halls, the Buddhist area seems a lot more quiet, serene and in a separate space altogether.

比起較熱鬧的道教和儒教的殿堂，佛教這邊感覺寧靜許多，空間和氣氛完全不一樣。

There are quite a few tea houses and restaurants up here in Maokong. Today let’s go to the one that’s highest up.

這裡有好幾家茶館和餐廳。今天我們要到最高的那家。

Tieguanyin is the specialty tea in Maokong. It’s a oolong tea that is highly fermented, almost like black tea, so the taste is quite strong. You don't need that many tea leaves per pot, and you can make several pots with the same batch of leaves.

鐵觀音是貓空的特色茶種，屬於烏龍茶，但發酵程度相當高，有點像紅茶，味道比較濃，所以泡茶時不需要很多茶葉，相當耐泡。

The food here is quite decent and there’s English on the menu too. This is a fried tea leaf.

這家餐廳的料理蠻實在的，而且菜單上有英文。這是炸茶葉。

Sometimes I come up to Maokong when I want to get away from the city but not be too far away. It’s just a short ride from the zoo, yet it’s like another world. It’s peaceful, it's romantic. You should come.

想要離開吵鬧的城市但又不想走太遠的時候，我喜歡來貓空，從動物園搭個纜車就到了，感覺像來到了另外一個世界。這裡寧靜，浪漫，大家要來喔～

民視新聞 翁郁容 彭柏勳 台北報導

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Episode info:

In episode 2, we went to Maokong via the Wenhu line, (aka Brown Line, Line #1) to Taipei Zoo and then the Maokong gondola to Chih-nan Temple (the station is spelt Zhinan Temple) and then to Maokong. The roundtrip fare for the gondola is about NT$100-120 depending on whether or not you make a stop at Zhinan Temple. 

Important: the Maokong Gondola is closed for maintenance every Monday, and shuts down during thunderstorms.

Here's the Taipei MRT route map: http://english.metro.taipei/ct.asp?xItem=1056373&CtNode=70241&mp=122036

The Taipei MRT has the Easycard that you can buy and charge/recharge to tag on/off the metro and buses. You can even use them at convenience stores. It's very, very convenient and I highly recommend it. There is a Maokong gondola edition Easycard which is NT$250 and lets you ride the gondola and the rest of the public transit system all you want for a day, then you can recharge it and use it like any other Easycard. Is it worth it? If you like to collect cards, maybe. If you want to save money, not really.

On the way to Maokong, there is the Taipei Zoo, and if you have small children, it's a place where you can spend an entire day. Some of my friends have brought their kids to Taipei Zoo more times than anyone can remember. In the summer I believe the zoo even has night time activities as well. The Taipei Zoo is the largest zoo in Asia, according to wikipedia. The stars of the zoo are Tuan Tuan, Yuan Yuan, and their baby, Yuanzai. Taipei Zoo: http://english.zoo.gov.taipei

About the gondola, there are two types of cabins, the regular cabin and the "eyes of Maokong goldola crystal cabin," which you have to get in a separate line for. There aren't that many crystal cabins, so sometimes you have to wait a while, especially on the weekends. The wait is worth it, though because you can see through the floor of the cabin and the view is very, very different. Rarely do you get to look straight down from very high up. I highly recommend this too. These special cabins seat 5 passengers. The regular cabins seat 8.

A Zhinan Temple Station, you'll find Chih-nan Temple, it's the same temple, just spelt differently. The romanization of Chinese names in Taiwan keeps changing over the years, so sometimes it is confusing. The temple is quite big, and its several halls house many, many Taoist, Confucianist and Buddhist deities, which is quite different from many Western religions. Volunteers dressed in special robes come out to chant mantras in the Taoist halls every two hours from 0800 to 1600, and can be interesting to watch. The view from the temple is a nice preview to what you'll see in Maokong.

If you are a hardcore cyclist, riding up Maokong can be a fun challenge. The extent of my cycling interest is limited to getting from point A to point B while running errands, and I have an electric skateboard (Boosted Board) that allows me to carve uphill, so I do that. I really enjoy some sections of that road where the sun shines through the foliage and there's a view of the mountains. If you want to ride there, go on a weekday. The overwhelming number of cars and motorcycles on the weekends can make the ride a bit unpleasant.

For the other 99.999% people who are not crazy, you probably want to get back on the gondola and head to Maokong.

There are many, many restaurants, cafes and tea houses up there. There is even an area for hawkers. The restaurant we went to is called Qingquan Shanzhuang 清泉山莊, and sits highest up. It's quite old and basic, but the Chinese food and prices are decent. And they have English and pictures on their menu, which is really helpful if you don't understand Chinese. I liked their poached chicken, shrimp steamed with tea leaves, fried tea leaves (picked fresh), chunky bamboo shoots (boiled and eaten with a sweet mayonnaise).  They have iced tea which has been brewed for you, and hot tea that you can make yourself. People who just go for tea usually munch on peanuts, sour plums, dried fruit or other traditional munchies. I like peanuts and sour plum with my tea. To get there, exit Maokong Station and turn left. The restaurant is a few hundred meters down the road, on the right hand side. You have to walk up a path and stairs to get there, so be prepared to exert some effort to get your tea and food.
Their Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/貓空-清泉山莊貓空最高/255695877776966

If you're looking for coffee, the place we went to to get shots of Taipei from Maokong at dusk was Maokongjian 貓空間, just across the street from Qingquan Shanzhuang. It's an outdoor cafe at the side of the road that serves coffee, tea and simple, Western food like sandwiches.

There are nice and slightly more elegant and classy establishments up there, but we didn't get to visit them on this assignment. Maybe next time!

I'm not sure if I'd bring anybody over 70, because it does require a little bit of walking up- and downhill. Maokong's a place I'd love to come up with my husband, our friends, and our siblings to drink tea, see the sun set, play a board game, chat, or read. It's a great little escape from hustling and bustling Taipei.

Wardrobe and accessories:
Shirt: Kotipesa (smart casual Taiwanese designer; available at Xinyi Eslite and Songshan Cultural Park Eslite)
Shorts: Uniqlo (Japanese brand that I go to for basic items)Hat: Kangol (British hat maker)
Shoes: Rucoline (Italian shoemaker known for its fashionable high heel wedge trainers. I love them.)
Watch: Martian (American brand, fashionable smart watch that still works when it runs out of juice)
Electric skateboard: Boosted (American last mile vehicle maker. I ride this to work and almost everywhere else as long as it's not raining I love it!)

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節目內容資訊～

在第二集節目當中，我們搭了台北捷運木柵線（棕線，一號線）到台北動物園，然後再換貓空纜車到指南宮和貓空。動物園站到貓空站的來回車資100元，不過如果中途到指南宮下車再上車，120塊。

不過呢，大家開始安排行程之前請注意，貓纜禮拜一維修日，不營運，颱風天，雷雨時也暫停營運喔，請大家注意喔！

到台北玩，如果會搭捷運，公車，貓纜，或者到便利商店買東西，強烈推薦買一張悠遊卡，無敵方便又乾淨，不用一天到晚掏鈔票掏零錢。貓纜自己也有悠遊卡，一張250元，可以一整天讓你坐貓纜和捷運，坐到飽，之後再儲值就可以繼續用。不過值得嗎？如果你喜歡收集這種卡片，或許。如果你不會整天搭貓纜來來去去，一直上下捷運和公車，建議一般悠遊卡就好了。

貓纜的起點是動物園站。台北動物園號稱全亞洲最大，我有一些朋友很喜歡帶小孩來這裡，一玩就一整天，來過的次數早已數不清。我記得夏天還有星光票，晚上有好玩的活動。動物園裡面的大明星，就是貓熊團團和圓圓，以及牠們的寶寶，圓仔。帶小孩來玩，可以走一整天，真的蠻大的。台北動物園官網： www.zoo.gov.taipei/


貓纜有兩種車廂，一般的，還有水晶車廂。水晶車廂的底部是透明的，可以垂直俯瞰貓纜，那種感覺非常特別，強烈推薦。我們去錄影的時候，趁空檔我們團員一個綽號「蝦仁」的大哥還躺在車廂地上拍照，感受躺在半空中的感覺，哈哈。水晶車廂數量少，所以要慢慢排隊，不過一般來說是值得等待的。水晶車廂能夠坐五個人，一般車廂八個。

從動物園站上去可以順便到指南宮走走。從指南宮站看，不覺得它很大，不過走進去之後才發現殿堂有好幾個，可以慢慢看，慢慢拜，早上八點到下午四點，每兩個小時有志工出來誦經，感覺一整天都很熱鬧。喜歡四處走走的人會發現，指南宮真的有得逛，它的腹地非常大，走累了也有很多地方可以坐下來休息，看山景。

如果你喜歡挑戰極限，可以試著騎腳踏車上貓空。我騎車頂多騎youbike去辦事而已，所以來到貓空我就...滑滑板！我愛死我的電動滑板了。上山用衝的，下山還有煞車，煞車還可以回充電源呢。我最喜歡一些陽光穿透樹葉，形成斑斕光的地方，加上路邊的山景，真是漂亮，舒服呀～ 不過在貓空滑滑板，騎車都要特別小心，尤其假日車多的時候。那天我是挑了一小段滑，腳酸了就回指南宮，繼續搭貓纜上貓空。

貓空有好多好多餐廳和咖啡廳，茶館。甚至還有一個專門給小吃攤位的空間。我們去的那一間餐廳叫做「清泉山莊」，號稱貓空最高的餐廳。菜色屬於家常料理，我覺得那天吃到的白斬雞，茶葉蒸蝦，炸嫩茶芽，還有竹筍都蠻好吃的。茶的話，有冰的，已經泡好了，也有熱的，可以自己泡。錄影那天我才發現，我不會泡中國茶！常看到人家泡，以為自己有泡過，但實際操作時，我的肌肉完全沒有那些動作的記憶，所以請老闆一個動作一個動作教，一定被人家笑死了。我的好搭柏勳哥說他讀書的時候（他讀世新）常上貓空討論作業，果然是文青。更好笑的是，茶泡好了，要配一些小點心，像是花生。老闆拿來的花生據說非常好吃，要剝殼的那種。然後我...居然剝不開。一般的花生用一手捏就好了，碰到這個超硬的得用兩手，但我沒用過兩手剝殼。一整個「我是外國人」的感覺。等下，我是啊！我在台灣出生，拿台灣護照，但我小學到研究所都在國外。好啦，這樣心理舒服點了。

這是清泉山莊的臉書粉絲頁： https://www.facebook.com/pages/貓空-清泉山莊貓空最高/255695877776966
從貓空站出來左轉，走幾百公尺後在右手邊，不過要爬坡，爬樓梯，一點點吃力，不是很好走，所以比較不適合老人家。

如果比較喜歡路邊咖啡的感覺，可以參考我們拍白天轉晚上景色的地方「貓空間」。這裡有咖啡，茶，還有一些西式輕食。

其實貓空應該有一些比較優雅的用餐，品茗，喝咖啡的地方，只是我們這次沒機會去。或許下次吧！

我蠻喜歡貓空的。只是，因為到任何餐廳都要走一點路，而且不是非常好走，不太建議帶老人家搭貓纜上來，自己開車然後送到門口比較好，但就得客服停車的問題。還是找年輕朋友上來吧！我呢，就會會想要約好ㄤ，好朋友，兄弟姊妹上來看夕陽，喝茶，玩桌遊，聊天，看書，都好。這裡是一個頓時逃避現實的好地方～


服裝和配件：
襯衫：Kotipesa （台灣品牌，非常喜歡，信義誠品，松菸誠品都有櫃）
短褲：Uniqlo (日本品牌，我很多基本款服裝都在那裡買)
帽子：Kangol （英國帽子品牌）
鞋子：Rucoline （義大利鞋子品牌，他們的高跟平底球鞋都蠻好看的，我已經買n雙了）
手錶：Martian （美國品牌，時尚又不怕沒電的智慧型手錶）
電動滑板： Boosted (美國帶回來的，只要不下雨，我幾乎每天滑它出門)