Tainan city’s back streets

Tainan had many narrow lanes tucked away between traffic filled streets. When I entered many of these old streets, the sounds of motor scooters faded away. This was a real bonus after wandering the city’s streets for most of the day.

A city of temples

Tainan felt like Temple City. If I peeked down a narrow lane there was bound to be a temple packed between buildings. If not, I only had to search the street I walked along and I was bound to spot a shrine.

An ancient walled city

The Great South Gate was one of only two main gates still remaining from seven that once existed around Tainan City. The original wooden wall that kept out enemies was built in 1736.

Taitan’s Confucius temple

Confucius promoted education for everyone at a time when it was only available to aristocrats. He taught six arts — traditional rituals, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy and mathematics. Later, Confucius’s disciples spread their learning throughout China, which became the foundation of Chinese culture for over 2000 years.

The changing face of chihkan tower

Tainan had been Taiwan’s capital for almost three hundred years when, in 1625 the Dutch arrived in the city. After the 1653 uprising against them, they built Fort Provintia, and made it the hub of their administrative and commercial activities. 

Hukuisu restaurant’s past

Behind the former Tainan weather observatory were beautifully restored buildings surrounded by a Japanese garden. I removed my shoes and stepped over thick wooden boards into what was once a famous Japanese restaurant during the Japanese colonial period.

The former tainan weather observatory

During Japanese colonial times, a weather observatory was constructed on the Jiuling Tableland. It’s location was on the highest hill in old Tainan City, but this would only have been apparent before the 1970s when there were no tall buildings.

Koxinga’s corner of tainan

Koxinga and his troops arrived in Taiwan not long after his failure at the Nanking battle in 1658. But in 1661 he captured Fort Provintia making it his residence. After he overthrew the Dutch in Fort Zeelandia, they left Taiwan in early 1662.

kenting national park?

Before I left the southern tip of Taiwan, I had to check something with Kenting National Park’s information center. I’d visited the centre when I first arrived, but I was confused because I felt I had missed the national park!

kenting’s beaches

I had planned a week’s stay in Kenting, not just for the national park, but for the beaches too. It would be my birthday during my stay, so what better way to celebrate than head for a swim at Little Bay Beach?