So there I was still deciding up till that very morning if I should visit Yangmingshan for the flower festival or to go to the hot springs at Beitou. I found that it happened to be the flower festival in Yangmingshan which is not so far from Taipei. In this period, the cherry blossoms are in bloom, so I decided that I should not miss this chance to view it.
There are many special bus services from various MRT stations like Jiantan, Taipei Main Station, Beitou going to Yangmingshan during this flower festival. There were some jams along the route to Yangmingshan, but I realize that you will still be trapped in those jams even if you take the cab or drive. Hence I would say the special bus transport are not such a bad choice after all.
Frankly, I was expecting much more after watching the numerous travel programmes about cherry blossoms in full bloom. Along the way, you could see the signs of spring with occasional cherry blossom trees popping out every now and then. However when I arrive at the Flower Clock area at the top of Yangmingshan, it was really crowded and it was not so easy to get nice pictures. Furthermore, being unprepared for any sightseeing, I was in my heels and it was really difficult walking in them in such "terrain". I spent my time there till around noon (i think i was there up in Yangmingshan only for slightly more than an hour), then decide to leave for Beitou, but if you decide to try this also the next time, do take note that the bus transport down could be a little chaotic. So do remember to leave some time for figuring out the right bus to the respective MRT and also the queue!
