Robin's Adventures

There are many temples and small shrines in Tainan. Some are dedicated to Taoist deities, others are Buddhist, and still others are Confucian. They all have beautiful decor that is colorful and elaborately detailed.

Inside the Sanling Temple we didn't know where to look first. The entrance had pillars with ornate dragon carvings, colorful paintings on overhead beams, golden calligraphy plaques, and, of course, a pair of stone lion statues. Inside, there were temple gods around the alter with large headdresses and ornate ceilings with abundant gold leafing.

We walked through an open air market with a fair like atmosphere. Many booths had games with prizes for the kids to enjoy. Other booths had a variety of food items that looked very interesting.

The street fair was filled with a variety of smells from all of the unique foods cooking at each booth. I couldn't help but notice how different the fare was here than at the county fair back home.

Fort Zeelandia was built in the 17th century by the Dutch East India Company in order to control trade in the area. Colonial rule lasted for 38 years before the Dutch were finally expelled in 1662.

There were exhibits at the fort with decorative screens and furniture, as well as an old printing press. We also saw an armory exhibit with interesting rapiers, swords, and archery artifacts.

There were many interesting trees, such as strangler figs and banyans, with aerial roots. The unique textures never failed to draw my attention.

Anping is the "old town" section of Tainan. It is an old section with a maze of narrow streets and back alleyways. There are many historical buildings of red brick or grey stone. Some of the homes are being renovated and restored, but others are still abandoned.

We never knew what we would see as we rounded each corner. Ornate temples and shrines would suddenly appear between the old homes.

Exploring the old streets and wandering the footpaths down the narrow alleyways in the Anping area, we came across many unique and colorful displays that would appear randomly on people's homes.

You have not truly experienced Taiwan unless you have gone to a night market. Night markets have been a part of the Chinese culture for more than 1,000 years and they are still very much a part of the culture.

There are hoards of people moving down narrow lanes between vendor stalls tightly packed in neat rows. There are separate sections for food, other merchandise, and games. It is a happening place and everyone is there.