08.04 - Day 11 - Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Wednesday 8th April
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Temperature - Min 17, Max 26
15,093 steps
We had arrived at Joho Hotel yesterday afternoon and were promptly asked for our breakfast order from a menu of three dinner-sounding-dishes. It turns out this is not a substitute for a breakfast but an elegantly laid out piece of protein with a swish of glaze or jus. In fact breakfast is almost too nice for Sienna and Seb to enjoy - only one cereal and then items like salad-in-a-jar with condiments and extras. No pancakes, instead roasted vegetables in individual ceramic ramekins. Bowls of potato and bacon soup or a bowl of North African fish. No plain bread but cheese-in-the-bread-bread.
We tear ourselves away to head to Cijin Island. Into nearby Formosa station we plunge - with its impressive Dome of Light; glass panelled columns and ceiling - a few metro stops to catch the 10-minute ferry ride off the mainland.
Not the high rises of Penang but certainly no white sand beach fringed by palm trees either. Up Old Street we wander settling on hiring a six-seat golf buggy which we take to the front. For an hour we take turns driving the zippy buggy, stopping at features like a huge shell or a kaleidoscope of square wooden arches. The latter also includes wedding photos occurring of an unhappy-looking couple stood in six inches of water, a support group of eight people watching on.
Outbound we drive through a long puddle. Inbound Seb is driving this section; he floors it through the puddle spraying water into the buggy before skidding to a halt, very proud of himself.
After picking up some street side pork buns and returning the buggy, we walk up to the lighthouse. A slithering snake on the roadside surprises Kate and is a moment of distraction in the heat. The lighthouse is only short, perched as it is already atop this hill, it's history detailed out inside in some cool shade.
Along the ridge we walk to an old fort scrambling on the walls. Down below an old tunnel has been painted its entire length with sea animals with 4,080 sets of lights (Sienna counted) illuminate the tunnel creating a nice feature out of nothing.
Back to the ferry we stroll past the large Protestant church and many pastel colored houses with crisp white window trims. Pleasant outing to see something of Taiwan on a slightly smaller scale.
Alighting from the ferry and I lead everyone to a traditional shaved ice bar - bowls of very finely shaved ice topped with various options from refreshing - lemon/passionfruit, to sugary - banana and chocolate sauce, to indulgent - creme caramel and condensed milk. You can take a guess who had which. We all skipped the bean based options and fruit flavours probably the better pick on this warm day.
From here we walk to the Pier 2 district, part of the regeneration of this industrial port city as Taiwan's second largest city. The old warehouses and wharves have been converted to restaurants, shops, galleries. Outside murals and installations (large Transformer anyone?) sit alongside the light rail whose tracks run through a bed of grass. The Pawpaw inspired trip to the Drinking Water Museum in Taipei may be part of the reason we bypass both the railway museums in the area.
In fact Sienna and Seb are starting to flounder so Kate takes them home to Joho Hotel on the Metro.
Mema, Pawpaw and I continue past the Music Centre; it's white octagonal outer web covering a standard building. A few small speedboats run trips - it's the first time we've seen them styled as cars - a red Ferrari or gold Bentley.
Up and over Love River we pass, viewing on the opposite side of the harbour the squashed balloon shaped Exhibition Centre and sleek gun metal black Port Harbour & Cruise Ship terminal. Plenty of money has been spent clearly. Not least on Kaohsiung 85, the second tallest building in Taiwan dwarfing all around it.
We Uber back to Joho Hotel for afternoon tea and again the plates of fried chicken, vegetables crisps and cheeses becoming our easy and early dinner.