Another eBid Cap 'n Tee trip on the cards?

[Oldandintheway]

G'day all - glad everyone's enjoying the ride!
Big day today with heaps of pix, so hang on for 3 more Temples & their surrounds, FX Hotel, street scenes & foods!
This could take 5+ posts! - Enjoy!

6^th MARCH
More Temple visits - Yay!

A less hot day today - about 25 or 26C degrees. No organised walking tour this time, meaning we, gulp, had to find our own way around.
We did OK too. First up was the Taoist Official God of War (or Martial) Temple. Quite a nice Temple that felt very peaceful despite its name.
A friendly Lady visitor showed Desley the basics of how to pray Tao-style.
This Lady also helped us find the nearby Grand Matsu Temple - the oldest in Taiwan.
A beautiful Taoist Temple that is a 'must see' if visiting Tainan.

Off then to visit the Dutch Chihkan Towers.
This is a Fort dating back to 1653, although, only the foundations now date from that far back in time.

Our last spot to visit was the Confucian Temple on Nanmen Road.
We came here largely because the Taipei Confucius Temple was so terrific.
This one is much more restrained in style but was still an interesting spot with gardens and a water feature containing fish and turtles, all of which seemed to be having a lazy old time of it.

Back to the Hotel where one of the Reception ladies went over and above her duty, to secure us our train tickets back north to Taichung.
Our completely unformed plan is to travel from there to the beautiful Sun Moon Lake region.
Here's hoping - we have already ballsed up our accommodation in Taichung before we even get there - let's not talk about that though.
I'm sure it will be a character-building exercise in the end.
'night.

FX Hotel 8th floor lobby

FX lobby

FX1 Geisha?

FX2 when you can snatch the pebble from my hand Grasshopper!

FX3 sedan chair style!

Official God of War Temple (Taoist) a.k.a. The Martial Temple

GOW1

GOW2 seen inside

GOW3 nearby

GOW4 my cap being blessed


so on we go to the Grand Matsu Temple - cont. over:

[Oldandintheway]

The Grand Matsu Temple (Taoist)

GMT1

GMT2 English friendly

GMT3

GMT4

GMT5

GMT6

GMT7

GMT8

GMT9

GMT10 huge "massive white Quartz" specimen with crystal terminations


more GMT cont. over:

[Oldandintheway]

GMT continued - (pix 11 doubled up somehow?)

GMT12 Phals - offerings?

GMT13

GMT14

GMT15

GMT16 - ID anyone?

GMT17

GMT18 - a religious symbol long B4 Adolph got hold of it!

GMT19

GMT20

GMT21


cont. over:

[Oldandintheway]

Final GMT & on we go to Chihkan Towers Fort & beyond!

GMT22 - Bonsai (Cypress Pine?)

Chihkan Towers Fort (CT hereafter)

CT1

CT2

CT3

CT4

CT5 - Peepo!

CT6

CT7 - well, not in public anyhow!

CT8


more cont. over:

[Oldandintheway]

Dutch Chihkan Towers continued & on to the Confucian Temple

CT9

CT10 - the lantern door

CT11

CT12

CT13

CT14


Confucius Temple Nanmen Rd (CFT hereafter)

Nanmen Rd sign

CFT1

CFT2 - vending machine fare!

CFT3


continued over:

[Oldandintheway]

Confucian Temple complex continued

CFT4 - Lute on display inside

CFT5 - Leo Fender need not worry

CFT6 - a resident

CFT7 - just catchin' a few rays!

CFT8 - taking some McWater

CFT9 - needs a top up!


Around the streets short "tour" & foods!

Anping District Tainan - painter of movie advert signs

Some of his work installed

Lantern Festival time!

Meanwhile at street footpath level

Street Food 1 (Chillies?)

SF2 - meat selections

SF3 - Peanuts

Ending with the cure for a sore back - Red Bean Ice-cream!


Phew! till next issue folks! - Enjoy!

[billsstamps]

OK people - get ready to strap in!
Bro & Sil fly out for Taipei this Wednesday night, for a quick 2 week tour.
They won't have long in each location & expect to cover as much of the island as possible.
Bus tours will most likely be their choice of accommodating this?
Subject to WiFi service (which should be great?) I'm expecting plenty of regular pix.
Naturally, my eBid cap 'n Tee will/should feature!

Attachment 57516

Try to visit Kaohsiung in the south where the pic was taken. I was there three or four weeks ago. We were in Taipei for the big earthquake.

[Oldandintheway]

Try to visit Kaohsiung in the south where the pic was taken. I was there three or four weeks ago. We were in Taipei for the big earthquake.

Hi Bill - Bro reads this & will appreciate your advice. Not sure if they've planned to get there, but will if possible I'm sure!
Glad you made it through the earthquake AOK. Ken & Des are hoping they miss such an event. Great pic! BTW - Cheers, Allen.

[Oldandintheway]

G'day all - today we have a change of Hotel digs - train ride - final FX pix - news of upcoming Bus ride! Enjoy!

7^th. March


Well, we set off on a slightly different adventure - a small one - today, that being to get to the local STA (Standard Train, not the HSR Train we rode in on) Station and get back up north a bit to Taichung.
From there we will bus it to Sun Moon Lake for a day-trip tomorrow.


Just before we move on from Tainan though there is something I keep meaning to mention...........Fighter Jets.
Every day they flew over the city, usually in pairs and at least 4 times a day.

The first time I heard them - and they are loud - I thought Trump had at last reached his maximum potential for stupidity.
Then I noticed no-one else was concerned so I guess this is normal. Maybe there is an airbase somewhere hereabouts.


Anywho, we made the train and arrived in Taiching after about 1hr 35m.
Much slower (but still pretty quick) than the HSR and a bit bumpy too.
As we have come to expect the train was very clean and stayed that way - no-one litters here I have to say.


Our new Hotel is very cool indeed and it only took us about 90 minutes to find it (about 10 minutes away from the start of our search!).
We are both seriously stupid with directions and this happens all the time.

Well, any early departure by bus to Sun Moon Lake (2hrs to get there) and a late return here, so not too sure if you'll see a blog tomorrow.

Toodles.

FX 8th floor balcony - just chillun'

FX "Outside Looking In" - reverse Grand Funk Railroad!

FX 8th floor lift door decor - "Wimoweh"

Meanwhile - on the 11th floor! - PENGUINS

FX breakfast area (in part)

Bro being directed to pay the account

So! - off to the Tainan TRA (standard train station)

"Waiting for a Train" ala Jimmy Rogers style!

About to arrive

Trusting they're in the right spot


cont. over:

[Oldandintheway]

Train trip continues!

Toot toot

Ensconced and 1hr 45min to go!

Convenient footrests unless you are 6' 1" with size 13 boots!

Fellow travellers - smile everybody! (bandits included)

Our new digs at the Reloading Hotel Taichung (reloading artworks?)

Sil eyeing off more paintings booty!

More lift doors - simple fire exit procedure - Huh?

When in Taiwan, one must eat Vietnamese Pho


I'm seriously hoping that's NOT pronounced Poo

Till next episode fellow armchair travellers: