Jiufen, Taiwan. I love knowing that on the other side of the world is a small mountain village in the northeast hills of New Taipei City where it rains 60% of the year. Jiufen lends itself to cinematic photography with red lanterns hanging low over narrow, winding lanes, casting a soft glow on streets slick with rain. Our mornings were slow and chilly, and hot coffee and fast wifi in tiny cafes felt like luxury. In the afternoons we walked the quieter backstreets and avoided Jiufen Old Street until the tour groups cleared out. Dinners were family-style and unhurried in small eateries — an easy change of pace after a week in bustling Taipei. On nights when the rain lifted, we’d end the evening at Golden Bar, a tiny rooftop bar just big enough for a couple small tables and chairs with the sprawl of Jiufen’s undulating hills quietly flickering below.