Taiwan (Republic of China)
Yes, I know the color is wrong, but for those of us old enough to remember, doesn’t this scruffy, adorable little guy that I spied at the Chinese New Year Celebration on Lotus Pond remind you of the ever lovable Benji! Of course we all know how Benji felt about leashes and this guy’s hair is starting to thin here and there (shh…just pretend not to notice), but just look at that face…aw.
I hope you enjoyed this installment from my “Dogs of Taiwan” series.
Well, Chinese New Year has come to an end, but we had a great time at the Chinese New Year Celebration on Lotus Pond, located in the Zuoying District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
For 5 days, starting on Thursday, February 19th, the people of Zuoying celebrated with a carnival like atmosphere of shopping, food, games and play on Liantan Road along the banks of Lotus Pond.
With the exception of the ever persistent occasional scooter (moped or motorcycle), that manage to swarm just about everywhere here with impunity, and delivery vehicles the street was closed to traffic for the duration of the event.
Whole families and friends poured into Lotus Pond to enjoy the event. It was a festive atmosphere of family oriented fun that packed in the crowds for all 5 days of the Chinese New Year.
Even their dogs weren’t left out of this celebration. As I’ve reported before the Taiwanese love their dogs. They take them everywhere they go and the New Year Celebration is definitely no exception. Everywhere we looked we saw dogs celebrating right alongside their human counterparts. In the coming days and weeks I will be posting many more photos of the dogs we saw celebrating the New Year as part of my ongoing series, The Dogs of Taiwan.
Katrina and I visited everyday enjoying more than our fill of Chinese Comfort Food. We ate:
Katrina, who is Chinese, has maintain for years that Chinese celebrate with food and I finally got to see firsthand that she wasn’t kidding. Just look at how much that adorable little girl below is enjoy her corn on the cob.
Luckily we did plenty of walking to help burn off those extra calories. The vendors and stands lined over 1 kilometer of Liantan Road and we walked the full length and back plus another 2 kilometers to from the event every day.
1 kilometer…trust me that’s a lot of vendors and stands, and they were packed from end to end every day. Even with the crowds everybody’s friendly and festive spirit made these 5 fun filled days a wonderful experience. Well from Lotus Pond, Xīn Nián Kuài Lè (Happy New Year) and Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái (May you have a prosperous New Year)!
Happy Chinese New Year! For those of you who don’t know, this year February 19th is Chinese New Year. And believe me, the people who brought the world fireworks, know how to celebrate.
I took these pictures around midnight from my window, and yes, they are shooting the fireworks between the buildings. This is not a professional fireworks display. These were legally bought by local residence and they were going off everywhere around us along with thousands of firecrackers. It was a spectacular display of celebration. I can’t wait to see what the next few days holds in store. This is my first Chinese New Year in a Chinese Country, and I’m very excited!
Being a night person myself, I really enjoy the night markets that are so prevalent in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. One of my favorites is the Liuhe Night Market in the XinXing District near the Formosa MRT Station. It is a very popular and well known place for locals and tourists visiting Kaohsiung, whether from Taipei or overseas. During the day, Liuhe 2nd Road looks like any other road with thru traffic and storefronts, but after 6:00 PM the barriers go up and it becomes a pedestrian market.
As I indicated it is popular with tourists and there are definitely more traditional markets (like the Ruifeng Night Market in Zuoying) around the area that I’ve visited. While I’m usually the one to forsake tourist traps in favor of more local flavor, this is one case where I break from tradition and actually recommend the tourist oriented option.
The Liuhe Night Market is a brighter, more colorful, spacious and vibrant market atmosphere that just propels you into the spirit. The vendors here enjoy presenting you with one colorful display of food after another. Some of the stands are actually restaurants, allowing you to pick your fresh seafood and then walk to the back to enjoy it at a comfortable table. While seafood definitely dominates the market, you can still partake of many other Chinese culinary delights and shop for clothing and accessories, too.
Since tourists are their bread & butter, the vendors are friendlier, more jovial, patient and understanding of questions. You can sense that many of them literally enjoy the spectacle and the crowds, and this goes on nearly every night of the year.
You find yourself happily wandering from stand to stand, repeatedly stuffing yourself with food you just can’t resist trying. It is a great way to quickly sample many Taiwanese dishes all in one place. Granted it may be a little more expensive than the other night markets that locals frequent, but it is only slightly more expensive and still very cheap by western standards.
To see more pictures of this colorful market checkout my Liuhe Night Market Photo Gallery.
One of my favorite treats that I’ve grown to love in Taiwan is the roasted sweet potato. Vendors sell them everywhere, in the park, on the sidewalks, in small storefronts, night markets… Not only do they taste great, they’re good for you. The locals believe it is one of their secrets to longevity, health and a youthful appearance.
Now I’m not talking about eating them at your favorite restaurant smothered in butter and sugar. I’m talking about eating them plain right from a brown bag while walking along enjoying the day. Don’t get me wrong, I used to enjoy loading on the butter and sugar myself, but adding butter and sugar just diminishes the health benefit. Besides, I’ve come to realize that the natural flavor is sweet enough to enjoy on its own. After all, why do you think they call them sweet potatoes?
There are two ways to eat them. You can peel away the skin and just eat the sweet soft creamy center, or if you enjoy the skin like me, you can just bite right in and eat the whole thing. I personally believe the skin holds even more nutrients and I just like the roasted flavor of the skin. Don’t worry about germs, the heat from roasting will kill most every germ.
So come on, dig in. How often do find something that tastes this good and is actually good for you! This is truly like having your cake and eating it too.
“Hey buddy, can you spare some change? Buy me a drink, please.” I could almost hear this dog asking me that as I walked by. I was blown away seeing this dog just casually sitting on a bar stool, looking mighty sporting in his Adidas jersey. Would you buy this dog a drink, or would you encourage him to quit his habit? I know. It’s kind of tough, he is pretty adorable…isn’t he?
I hope you enjoy this installment of my “Dogs of Taiwan” series. As you can notice he, like the previous dog I posted (If Jack Nicholson was a Dog), is wearing clothing. A lot of dogs here are part of a group I like to call “Dogs in Clothes”.
I shot this photo at the Lakeview Café & Bar on the banks of Lotus Pond in the Zuoying District of Kaohsiung.
Since arriving in Taiwan we’ve noticed that the Taiwanese love their dogs, but some in Kaohsiung take it up to a whole new level. They pander and dote on their adorable little puppies to the point that would do a Beverly Hills socialite proud. Being an animal and dog lover myself, I really enjoy this.
This is the first installment in my “Dogs of Taiwan” series I plan on posting of the many dogs we’ve seen while visiting Taiwan.
The first one here may be favorite. We found him sitting around Lotus Pond in the Zuoying District of Kaohsiung. This dog is cool and he knows it. Definitely the Jack Nicholson of dogs. I like to think that if Jack was a dog this is the look he’d be going for.
And yes, that is a minion (“Despicable Me”) on his back.
You can look forward to many more photos like this coming your way during our stay here in Taiwan.
Katrina and I continue to receive warm hospitality from the people we meet in Taiwan. Just recently we were invited by a couple of our new found friends to visit Taiwu Mountain, just above the village of Taiwu in Pingtung County. We spent the day sightseeing, touring an organic farm (which is something Katrina just lives for), visiting a local Spanish church and having lunch at wonderful bed & breakfast and restaurant.
The delightful meal was freshly prepared for just the four of us. It was made from fresh local meats and vegetables. The meal included a fresh pot of organic chicken soup with wild yams, which nourish the body and help with circulation. The individual platters contained fresh greens, handmade black pig sausage (which you wrap in fresh lettuce and onions), some gourds, and three different mullet stuffings wrapped in plant leaves. The last wrap I ate was a sweeten dessert that was out this world. Everything was so delicious that no seasoning was needed. I can still recall the aroma from the food. The meal came from their farm with a specialty brewed mullet wine to clean the pallet. The wine was sweet and refreshing.
After the meal, the owner took us on a tour of the different plants that grow on their farm and how she uses them for cooking. It was very educational and informative. She even took the time to point out some poisonous plants that look much like the healthy ones we eat. The place was picturesque and tranquil. I can only imagine how peaceful it is to sleep there and wake up in the morning to nature’s song in this tranquil setting.
I would definitely recommend renting a room, enjoying a meal and staying the night at the farm.
Recently a friend turned us on to a very colorful celebration at the Cih Ji Palace (pinyin: Cí jì gōng), a temple in front of the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas by Lotus Pond in the Zuoying District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It appeared to be a celebration of the temple’s anniversary.
Temples from the neighboring areas of Kaohsiung individually paraded through the streets on their way to the Cih Ji Palace to pay their respects. As they approached the temple heralded them with a skillful demonstration of one of the China’s more popular inventions, the fireworks. They could be heard throughout the district, allowing you to feel the festivities even from a distance.
Some of them put on very enjoyable and festive tributes while paying their respects. I was fortunate enough to capture some of these moments. Here are a few of the pictures I took. To enjoy the full set of pictures please go to my Cih Ji Palace (Temple) Celebration Gallery.
Katrina and I just spent a wonderful day on Sunday with some new friends we made here in Taiwan. We were invited by the owner of the place we stayed during our first week in Kaohsiung to visit his family and friends in Pingtung. Pingtung is about a half hour south of Kaohsiung by train. We got up early Sunday morning and took the train, which cost us less than a $1.20 (US), to Pingtung, where we were picked up by our host. He drove us to a friend’s home in the country where they had prepared a traditional home cooked Chinese meal that included 16 different dishes.
I can’t even image how long they worked preparing the dishes. It was delicious. I ate my fill and the ladies kept insisting that I hadn’t eaten enough. I could barely move by time we finished lunch.
Afterwards we relaxed outside on the patio. It was a beautiful home with exquisite landscaping that they had done themselves.
Next we drove to a dry riverbed where we had a relaxing walk surrounded by beautiful scenery.
Later we headed back to Pingtung where we happened upon a series of parades celebrating the anniversary of one of the temples in town. Members from the surrounding temples parade through town on their way to the celebrating temple to pay their respects. After watching some of the parades we headed to a local restaurant for dinner and proceeded to eat, again.
The people we met in Taiwan have been very warm and generous to us since our arrival in Southern Taiwan. Even after being treated to several meals and snacks by our host Katrina and I had resort to trickery to pay for the meal, which he had fully intend to pay for. Based on our first two weeks here, I already highly recommend visiting Taiwan. If for no other reason than to just enjoy the people, and we’ve only just begun to see the sites.
I just got my haircut during our stay here in Taiwan. Now if you’ve never gotten a haircut at a Chinese barber or hairstylist, it is something that everyone should treat themselves to when they have the chance. They always finish a haircut with a very relaxing neck and shoulder message and, if you opt for a shampoo (which I highly recommend), it usually includes a prolonged scalp message. Trust me, both are to die for. And the best part is my haircut cost NT$150 (New Taiwan Dollar) and the shampoo cost me just another NT$150. That’s a scalp, neck and shoulder massage along with a nice haircut and wash, all for less than $10 (US), and believe me it was worth every penny, and more!
Well, we are back on the road again and continuing our world tour. We took a hiatus for a while in Puerto Rico and Pennsylvania, but last fall my wife, Katrina, and I returned to our travels. I apologize for the length of this post, but I realized that I haven’t been blogging enough about our travels. I have made a new year’s resolution to blog more this year so expect more frequent and shorter post to follow.
We went to Puerto Rico in November 2013 because we discovered that travelling with our cat, Cupid, was more difficult than we expected. First we found that it was sometimes difficult to secure lodging when you had a pet with you. We were sometimes even forced to sneak her into a few hotels, but that wasn’t the most difficult issue we faced. We had no trouble taking her to Greece in September 2013 when we began our adventure and no trouble bringing her with us when we continued on to Thailand in October. The problem we faced was that most any other country in Asia would have quarantined her for 30 days if we had tried to enter with her. It was getting cold in the north and as we looked at countries around the world with warm climates (there wasn’t room in our luggage to pack much cold weather clothing) we found that most of these countries would quarantine her and the ones that wouldn’t were classified as having medium or high incidence of rabies. That would have meant that we never could have gotten here out of these countries once she entered.
Therefore, since she was an American cat with the proper paperwork to return home, we took her back to the U.S. and went to the only tropical location in the U.S. that we could take her, Puerto Rico (Hawaii has a strict animal quarantine policy, also, to prevent the introduction of rabies to the island). We had an enjoyable time in Puerto Rico until Cupid suddenly feel ill to feline leukemia. In early May 2014 our lovely little putty tat sadly passed away at the age of 12.
A month later we decided to head to Pennsylvania to spend some time with my son and the rest of my family. We first arrived in State College, PA where spent 2 months with my son and then we helped him move to my home town of Lancaster, PA where we spent another 2 months with him, my father and his wife. From there we headed to Hong Kong in October to spend more than 2 months with Katrina’s family. Katrina is a Hong Kong native. (Please check out my galleries for photos of Puerto Rico, State College [Penn State], Lancaster and Hong Kong; and check back periodically because I still have more pictures to post for these places).
Since we were back in the Far East we decided to continue our tour of Southeast Asia that we were forced to cut short when we left Thailand. We decided to start with Taiwan, arriving in Kaohsiung on December 22. The people of Kaohsiung are very warm and friendly. They have made us feel welcome everywhere we have gone since we arrived. The food is delicious and with a favorable exchange rate of $1 (US) to approximately NT$31.77 (New Taiwan Dollar [NT$]) most things, including housing, are very affordable. We’ve had good luck finding lodging using airbnb so far and we’ve heard that sublet.com is another good resource for finding a place to stay.
The first thing you notice when traveling around Kaohsiung is that there are a lot of scooters or mopeds (the locals refer to them as motorcycles) on the roads and, to our surprise, on the sidewalks and in the markets. You need to be quick on your feet and keep an ear peeled for them when walking on sidewalks and shopping the many markets in Kaohsiung.
Speaking of the markets, they are wonderful. If you find a place to stay with a kitchen (like we always try to do) you can buy your fresh produce and meat in the morning markets. In the evening you can enjoy eating and shopping at the many night markets that dot the city. Some staying open as late as 1 or 2 AM.
While cars and scooters are the primary mode of transportation here, Kaohsiung does have a subway system, called the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit System (KMRT, most locals just refer to it as the MRT), with 2 lines that intersect at the Formosa Station in the Xinxing district. Btw, believe it or not, the Formosa station is a must see. The central rotunda of the station is spectacular with a beautiful domed ceiling covered with illuminated stain glass.
Well that’s it for now. ’m looking forward to travelling and photographing Taiwan. Check back soon and I should have some pictures of Taiwan posted in my photo galleries.