April 2025

After recuperating for a few hours we exit the hotel in the evening to explore famous Shennong Street and to eat dinner at a Michelin rated restaurant

Last stop on our stroll through the downtown area is the Magistrate Residence the former center of power of the Japanese occupation

Betweenn Confucius Temple and the Magistrate Residence we explore the Tainan downtown with beautiful temples and small coffee shops

As we explore Tainan we stop to explore one of the few Confucius temples we have seen which is more somber and less decorated than the usual ones

To escape the heat we visit the Hayashi Department Store and explore the many expensive stores while enjoying the AC

Right across the road from the Tower is the Grand Mazu Temple an old maze like temple composed from many smaller ones with many deities to pray to

Today we explore Tainan starting with Chihkan Tower a historical fortress built by the Dutch and later the capital of the island

Returning towards Taipei we spend two nights in Tainan exploring the historical city and walking the expansive downtown area

The last stop in Kaohsiung is at the top of Shoushan Park where a bunker used to protect the city from invasions

The major attraction for us in Kaohsiung are the Dragon and Tiger pagodas some very colorful and a bit kitchy pagodas that are quite fun to visit