Solar Tree Time: Taiwan Day 26 (Taipei 3, Potehi event)

Tried to wake up early!! Had a spring onion roll mantou for breakfast.

Then the 管理室 called my mobile saying my package has arrived, just as I was getting ready to go to Jiang Hu I Ju. Oh it must be my Chishang package! I told 姨媽 and we went down to grab it together.

I had already missed the earlier 933 bus that drives directly there... And when I went down to catch the next one I think it came early! So I ended up catching 660 to Guting and then taking the MRT to Cailiao.

They had these peculiar sculptures at Guting.

I walked to the venue which is a gymnasium once I arrived. As I was going to cross the road, I had arrived late so it was almost 12pm. I decided to have lunch first so I don't need to leave and come back. So Sukiya it is! Thankfully 1F didn't have too many people and the staff asked me to sit at the bar. The poor guy automatically asks "eat here or takeaway?" whenever someone walks in. I overheard the staff talking about if the Gym has a event today - yes, it's a Potehi one. Lol.

I got a gyuudon with okra in it. I should had asked for more sauce. The meal was fast, and it included a packet of bonito. I immediately let the staff know I won't need it. The miso was so good. The radish was nice and sour.

Once done and toileted, I headed down to the venue and entered on the wrong side of the building. I passed a set of windows where I can see cosplayers!! But had to go all the way around to the north 3 entry to enter. I bought my ticket and went in.

Wow there are more tables than last year!! And more people too.

I started with taking some photos of some TBF cosplayers 🥺. And then made my way down the stalls.

I was two rows into browsing before the stage started and went down.

They had their usual parade and performances! And the puppet troupes had a performance too.

The stage was running overtime and at 2:15pm I had to leave to continued browsing, otherwise I wouldn't have enough time before 3:30pm... While I left to go back to browse, they started dancing to the 體操歌 again hahaha.

There were heaps more tables of TBF and TBF cosplayers too!!

I managed to finish browsing just before 3:30pm but a lot of the stalls had sold out already.

The event was over so quick.

I left and headed towards Sanchong Juanchun. It was only a 20 min walk.

On my way there was a sign saying to watch out for falling leaves. And I saw a cool box!

I arrived!!

I managed to find the info centre and walked in to sign up 2 mins before 4pm your started. I really needed to pee though but no time....

They gave us helmets to wear.

And the tour lady used to be a resident of this Juan chun, and 1as married in. I think she said her house is number 23.

During the JP colonial period, this was an important defence position and they put big guns on to defend the river. The original mounts has Taiwan Renga bricks! They are the good quality and really pricey bricks that you can only afford if you were wealthy.

At the entrance to the gun ammunition storage. The walls are made with a waves pattern to diffuse sound in case the ammunition blew, and designed with dead ends to stop the flow of the explosion. Back before this was made visitor friendly, it would be wet and dark and dangerous. Now they have added lights and security for visitors.

A lot of the exits have been sealed for safety. They used to open up right next to a house exit, etc.

Kids would go in and play, or hide there if they did something they weren't supposed to and had a beating coming.

The guide mentioned that all but 1 house have been rebuilt due to this place being prone to floods every time a typhoon came. The old houses were bamboo and mud, with bamboo fences. There is only 1 original house left standing after the 1984? Typhoon which was really devastating. That house no. 7, is really small. The others were all rebuilt.

They had 5 generals in the village of 59 households, which is a lot!