HAPPY Valentine’s Day! Okay, so we’re a bit early. But with heart-shaped cutouts plastered all over town, an early greeting is quite acceptable. It’s hard not to be reminded of this annual celebration.
Conversations with friends interestingly are focused on how to head home as quickly as possible and avoid the whole celebration.
“Traffic will be horrible,” laments one, quickly adding that the day will be best celebrated at home, watching television and avoiding the throng of people in restaurants, malls and on the streets.
“Avoid people,” adds another, no need to fuss over a consumerist celebration with about 50 other people crammed into a restaurant. Date night, she says, can simply be on another day when you are not necessarily seated a hair’s breadth away from another couple. You don’t necessarily need to see what the couple next to you is eating or hear what they are talking about, she adds.
As discussions continue over the impending traffic situation, Valentine’s Day reminds me of our recent trip to Jiufen, the quaint little mountain town in Taiwan. A popular tourist destination for locals and tourists, Jiufen is packed with people, drawing people into its historical streets by the pack.
And there’s good reason, too: Jiufen is magical.
Quirky, colorful, and pleasantly warm despite the frigid winter air, the little mountain town offers a welcoming atmosphere to locals and tourists. It’s a perfect destination for couples—offering tea houses with the most scenic views, little hole-in-the-wall restaurants with local delicacies, and rows of stalls offering the cutest and quirkiest souvenirs.
It’s a bit strange how I am reminded of Jiufen while talking about Valentine’s Day. But looking back, it does seem like a good destination to take your significant other to. It’s charming with its winding old streets and equally as old houses and stores. Its architecture is oddly romantic—old, lovely and seemingly untouched by time.
Quaint, and insanely packed with tourists ( just like any other place on Valentine’s Day), it’s a nice little spot to go to. If you’re familiar with the Oscar-winning animated film Spirited Away, you’ll fall in love with the town.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, options of what to do and where to go are endless. One may opt to head on over to Jiufen (if you happen to be in Taiwan), or get cramped in a local restaurant with other couples, or potentially get stuck in traffic.
How will your Valentine’s Day look like?