Day 7 - Taipei to Mumbai via Hong Kong – 30 March 2024

Keeping in mind that the Easter weekend could see massive footfalls at the airport I checked out of the hotel by 6 am, foregoing the paid-for breakfast. Light rain danced on my thinning pate as I walked to the MRT station, a mere 500 meters from the hotel. Light was just dawning and there was hardly anyone about on the road.

From the Green Line station, I transferred to the Red Line train to get to the Taipei Main Station. At that Junction Station I took the Purple Line MRT to the airport. The hotel had offered airport transfer for about TWD 1500 for a distance of about 50 km. The MRT tickets from the hotel to the airport cost me only TWD 175, in comparison.

The EasyCard I had purchased at the airport on arrival on 24th had a non-refundable deposit of TWD 100. Besides this I had an excess of only TWD 7 at the end of the airport MRT journey. The other facility that served me well on the tour was the Chunghwah telecom sim card. The seven-day card I had bought for TWD 500 at one of the airport counters had unlimited data and local SMS and call facility. I found it an outstanding bargain. The speed of data transfer was remarkable and available at all times. Wherever I was in Taiwan, I didn't have any blind spot at all.

The airport was crowded, fully justifying the long weekend. However, the large crowd was handled expertly by staff of Airlines, Airport, Security and Immigration. Not once did the queues congest. People were moving all the time. The security check was the most remarkable - only the jacket and hand baggage had to be placed for scanning. You have to walk through a scanner, without being 'man-handled'. The use of technology, with man aiding the process, that's how one can describe this. Staff went about their jobs with utmost professionalism, without delaying any of the processes over social interaction.

The Cathay Pacific flight from Taipei took off in time. The short flight of less than 90 minutes landed in Hong Kong before 1 pm. I used the transfer gates to get through immigration and security. Security was not as efficient as in Taipei. However, the amount of work the security personnel do is a lesson in commitment to ensure that passengers wait the least. The baggage scanner conveyor does not stop and the passenger walks through the scanner without being 'frisked and whisked'. What is most noteworthy in these airports is the frequent warning signs for violating instructions or restrictions. The fines run into thousands of dollars, sometimes accompanied by jail terms. The warnings are not merely on paper, they are strictly enforced too so that it acts as a deterrent too.

The layover in Hong Kong was over 4 hours. I used the time to introspect about the visit to my 56th country. The trip had spanned 7 days including travel. If I were to plan the trip yet again, I would give the tour 8 clear days. Besides a slightly more relaxed visit, I would have been able to include a few places in the central and north-eastern part of the island. Listed are a few defining characteristics of the people and the country.

1. If there is just one characteristic that I am permitted to define the country and its people it is most definitely discipline. You see that in every aspect of their life. They queue up everywhere automatically, however busy or crowded the place is. They respect a parking line, will never park a vehicle beyond the line drawn to demarcate the limit. They never take seats or places meant for the elderly or the wheelchair bound.

2. The old adage that "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" comes alive in this country. They don't litter, spit or cause noise pollution. I saw a train set being cleaned out in 10 minutes because the passengers make sure that those who use the facility after them are not incommoded. Waste is discarded in the right place and the authorities ensure its clearance.

3. Footpaths, stations, malls, attractions and what have you, are all disabled friendly. Even lifts have two sets of buttons, one set at a lower level for the wheelchair bound. The respect that the handicapped get is a measure of the empathy that is prevalent in that society.

4. The respect that Taiwanese extend to their fellow humans is to be seen to be believed. They bow and greet each other and even strangers receive this respect when they are in contact.

5. People eat out all the time. I understood that there is hardly any cooking at home, especially during the weekdays. Cooking a major meal at home is confined to festival days or celebratory occasions. Because of such huge demand for food there are a number of eateries in most places that are both healthy and affordable. Of course, vegetarian options are quite limited, despite claims to the contrary on websites.

6. Regular announcements are made in public transport and public spaces to keep voices down and respect the privacy of others. People are told to keep their devices on mute or use headphones. When people speak on phones, even when they stand next to you, you won't be able to hear them. Raised voices or bellowing seem alien to their way of life.

7. Even though most people have a problem understanding English, be they young or old, they are most helpful. If they don't understand what you are asking, they will direct you to someone who can assist you in some way. They will also profusely apologize for their not understanding you.

8. There are lung spaces, parks and entertainment for young and old in almost every residential area or tourist locations. They are also cleanly maintained and people use the facilities with responsibility. Even children are taught never to litter or spit.

9. The role of teachers and schools in moulding character amongst the young cannot be overemphasized. Children spend most of their waking hours in the company of their teachers and mentors. Teaching is a full-time vocation in the country and parents expect teachers to ensure that their children grow up in the right way. This is all the more so now with the size of the family shrinking.

10. Giving thanks and being grateful is a way of life with the Taiwanese. Perhaps the first word learnt by children is xie-xie, pronounced syeh-syeh, the mandarin Chinese expression of thank you. This is what you are likely to hear the most when you are in Taiwan. When you tap the EasyCard on the machines, even the machines say xie-xie.

11. Taiwanese drive on the right side of road and road rules are strictly enforced. The use of lanes is exemplary. The theoretical and practical tests to obtain a driving license are extremely difficult to get through. 

12. Technology and infrastructure is top class. That said, Taiwan is a country where WiFi is available almost everywhere, free with superb speed. At the airport and in public transport the connection comes on in a trice.

13. The country is peaceful and people peace loving. Buddhism may have had a role in forming this character.

14. Taiwanese are not a smiling people. In public they appear withdrawn and aloof. They keep much to themselves, unless approached.

15. Most Taiwanese use face masks, even though it is not prescribed by law or advised to wear as a matter of precaution.

16. Taiwanese use a second layer of clothing even on hot days. They pull on a jacket or some such accoutrement over their shirt or top. I was amazed how they managed this even on hot summer day.

17. Most museums are free and ushers take you through with the intention that you gain from the visit.

18. Men and women are quite conservative in their dressing habits. Taiwanese women shun revealing clothes.

19. Women didn't look as if they spent too much time and money on make-up and fashion accessories.

20. Show of affection in public is frowned upon. It is not often that you find Taiwanese even holding their hands in public.

Day 6 - Kaoshuing to Taipei - 29 March 2024

It was an early start to the day; intention was to get to Taipei with as much time on hand as possible to complete the schedule planned for the last day in Taiwan. Last evening, I had confirmed from the hotel in Taipei that I could leave the luggage in the hotel and later check in as per the rules of the hotel. I anticipated the long weekend rush in the MRT stations. It was busier than usual and I changed two MRT trains from the hotel to the THSR terminal in Zuoying.

At the THSR ticket counter the clerk suggested a fast train that was leaving in 10 minutes. I didn't go for that and sought out a train leaving in 30 minutes. I purchased a reserved ticket for the 7.15 am train no 206 to Nangang that would get me to Taipei THSR station at 8.54 am with additional stoppages at Tainan, Taichung and Banqiao. The train set was already at the platform when I reached there. A couple of staff could be seen going around cleaning the coaches. Gauging from what they got down with from the train, it could be assumed that the users don't litter the coaches and used the facilities responsibly.

The seats have excellent leg room and there is adequate space for luggage too. However, one thing that perplexed me that there were no charging points. The train left right on time and from Tainan all the seats in the coach was taken. Enroute the train attained a top speed of 290 kph. Had it not been for the display in the train I would not have guessed the speed, the ride was that smooth. The train rolled into Taipei HSR station at the appointed time of 8.54 and that is punctuality for you.

My reservation was at the Guide Hotel Taipei BaDe. Hopping two MRT trains I got to the hotel without much hassle. The stern person at the reception tagged my bag for safekeeping. He didn't budge a bit from the appointed check-in time of 3 pm. With over 5 hours before the check-in I decided to cover as much of the day's schedule as possible till then. I thought it better to cover the farthest point in the itinerary first, and that was the Beitou Thermal Valley.

I took the Green and Red Lines and a branch line to travel nearly 20 km and reached the heritage Xinbeitou station. Once there I went to the visitor information centre to confirm the places to visit there. The kind ladies there explained the walking tour to see most of the attractions in the area culminating in the Thermal Valley. They also suggested that I take a tour of the Yangmingshan National Park to see the lilies in bloom. I decided that that would be last priority.

The six-hectare Beitou Park is situated along the central part of the Beitou River and is within close proximity of the Xinbeitou MRT station. The Park has a hot spring education center, hokutolite conservation area, indoor and outdoor bathing springs, etc. One of the highlights at the park is a series of five small waterfalls, with hot spring pools at each of the falls. The well-planned hot spring area is also an excellent spot to fully enjoy a spring bath. Another Park attraction is the Plum Pavilion. Built during the latter part of the Japanese occupation period, the tree-shaded pavilion offers a cool spot to relax. The pavilion has been designated by the Taipei City Government as a historic building.

The Beitou Museum is housed in a public hot spring bath built during the Japanese colonial era. The building has a brick and wood facade and black tile roof set picturesquely in the surrounding greenery. The building had fallen into a deep state of disrepair when local preservationists saved it from demolition. Admission to the Museum is free and gives one an excellent feel of the importance of the area and about the benefits of hot water springs and the healing properties of the Hokutolite stones.

I was eagerly looking forward to reaching the Thermal Valley which is referred to by locals as Hell Valley due to the acidic sulfur hot springs in the area. The mineral water contains Plaster, Alunite, Jarosite, Realgar, Sulphur and Radium. One can walk around the lake with undulating heights and immerse in the lush scenery of mountain, mist and spring.

The green sulphur spring can wash away one's worries and relax the body and mind, it is said. The rare green sulphur spring of the Thermal Valley is popularly known as the Jade Sulphur Springs. It is supposed to be good for the rejuvenation of the bones and muscles. However, my mind automatically compared the Thermal Valley to the Rotorua geothermal experience in New Zealand. The former fell drastically short of expectations.

I returned to the Xinbeitou MRT station for the ride back to Beitou and thereafter to the end of the Tamsui MRT line. I walked to the start of the Tamsui Old Street from the MRT station and looked around for a restaurant that would serve me a vegetarian hot meal. I found a steak house which had noodles on its menu. I asked for the soup and a portion of vegetable noodles. The pumpkin soup was glorious. I was tempted to ask for another helping but was held back by the noodles plate that was yet to arrive. When it was served, I was sure that they had misunderstood my order because it had, what looked like, meat and fish. The waiter assured me that they were mock meat composed of vegetables. It was a first for me, tasted really good.

The Tamsui Old Street is divided into the inner and outer side. The outer street is the golden anchor walkway of Tamsui river coast, while the inner side is a traditional old street lined with bustling shops. I was consumed by a sea of people, both locals and tourists.

The long weekend had brought most people outdoors to enjoy this lively area. There are numerous traditional pastry shops, groceries and stores selling trendy outfits and toys. I picked up a few knickknacks at a bargain. There was so much of food, fresh as well as dried and packed, ice creams and desserts and what have you. The area so captivated me that I spent more time there than I have originally intended to.

Last in my list for the area was the Fisherman’s Wharf, formerly known as Tamsui Second Fishing Port, which is located in the mouth of the Tamsui River. The idea was to take a passenger ferry from the golden anchor walkway to the Fisherman's Wharf. Sadly, the services were suspended. Wondering what to do I googled and found a solution. A short, but steep, walk away was a bus station that could give me a ride to the Fisherman's Wharf. I waited a while before the bus arrived and took the long ride to the wharf. 

The Fisherman's Wharf is dominated by the Fullon Hotel, the floating fishing boat docks, Lover's Bridge and the Fish Market. I walked along the wooden boardwalk to enjoy the beautiful fishing port. I ascended the Lover's Bridge to enjoy the Tamsui landscape. The 165 meters long famous “Lover’s Bridge” is the landmark of Fisherman’s Wharf. The single-sided cable-stayed bridge that resembles a white sail spans the wharf and connects the boardwalk and the fish market. The evenings here are said to be glorious to enjoy the sunset.

At the Tourist Fish Market tourists can choose the fresh catch of the day and hand it to the stores to have them prepared. There are also shops that sell various kinds of creative gifts and art street. The wooden boardwalk and embankment cafes along the shore are also favorite spots for young lovers. One thing must be said about that, though. One will not see any public show of affection in Taiwan. In fact, it is a rare sight to come across people smiling or laughing.

Fullon Hotel neighbors the Fisherman's Wharf; it resembles a giant cruise ship. Together with the tall rotating observation tower, “Lover's Tower,” it has become the local landmark and popular check-in spot. The top of Lover's Tower, which is a hundred meters in height, is said to offer an excellent 360-degree panoramic sea view of Fisherman's Wharf.

That brought to an end my Easter Tour of Taiwan. I took the bus back to the Tamsui MRT station and changed lines at Zongshan station to get to my hotel. It was a long ride and the trains were crowded too. By the time I reached the hotel the room was ready for occupation. It was well past five pm. The legs had become weary and the muscles had started to ache. I didn't have the legs to explore the Shilin night market and I left it for another trip, perhaps.

Day 5 - In Kaohsiung - 28 March 2024

The main program for the day was to visit Cijin (pronounced cee-jeen) Island. Hence, the day started leisurely after breakfast of sticky rice, boiled veggies, stir fried Brinjal and a few pieces of watermelon. It is not as if the breakfast was sparse; my Lenten diet didn't consist of any non-vegetarian food, sugar or bakery products. The Nescafe Americano has become a habit in Taiwan. The hotel was full of tourists from neighboring mainland China, it seemed like. Mostly family tour groups. I wondered how they managed a lean frame despite the quantity of food they ingested.

I walked to the MRT station and took a ride to Sizihwan, from where the Gushan Ferry Pier was less than a km away by foot. The waterfront looked beautiful and not too busy. Between 8 and 10 am there is a ferry every 7-10 minutes between Gushan and Cijin.

The ferry takes two wheelers and most of the passengers were on bikes. As the crossing takes less than 10 minutes, they do not get off their bikes and ride out as if in a symphony - just as they boarded. There is no rush, no one makes any noise and the activity is achieved efficiently and without fuss. There are ferries with top decks too, which visitors prefer to enjoy spectacular and panoramic views of the Kaoshuing port and its neighborhood.

I got on to the ferry after tapping the EasyCard at the ferry entrance gate - the EasyCard is truly a great facilitator for using multi-modal public transport. As I got off at Cijin I saw a church spire and walked towards it. Being Maundy Thursday I wished to visit a church. The Ki-Au Presbyterian Church of Taiwan, very close to the ferry pier, was closed.

I walked further ahead and reached the black sandy Cijin beach, mostly deserted at that time of the day. A few tourists were swimming in the calm waters. The beach was evidently kept clean by a set of handymen on makeshift bikes.

There is a monument on the beach dedicated to five youngsters who sacrificed their lives to save others who were struggling to stay afloat in the waters in 1993. The art work symbolizes the courage of those who put their lives at risk trying to save others and the dangers of the sea.

The Cijin Star Tunnel is almost an extension of the beach. The tunnel was excavated during the Japanese Colonial Era and through the Cihou Mountain. It was originally meant to service military needs. However, now a wooden plank path has been laid in the tunnel and its roof has been decorated with glow-in-the-dark paintings of 12 constellations and materials such as driftwood and luminous stones. Cool sea breeze passes through the cave giving a feeling of being beneath the stars.

Immediately after exiting the tunnel one can see the Cijin Sound beneath the Cihou Mountain; the ocean spray batters the towering, precipitous green limestone walls. The relentless splash of ocean water against the staid cliff creates a repetitive ocean scene.

My next destination on Cijin Island was the lighthouse. The weather had turned quite hot and the humidity made me sweat profusely. Every step was becoming laborious. The climb to the lighthouse beyond the welcome marker of Kaoshuing Port was quite steep. The 250 meters from the base was done with many stoppages to catch my breath. It is in times like this that I realise how unfit I have become because of a sedentary life style and lazy mind.

Instead of going directly to the lighthouse I took the short deviation to the Cihou Fort or Cihou Battery. It is a historic fort in Cijin District. It was the guardian of the northern entrance to Kaohsiung Harbour. The first fortifications here was built in the 18th century when the Qing dynasty ruled over Taiwan. Japanese occupation of Taiwan saw the fort changing hands in the late 19th century. Post WWII the Chinese fortified the fort yet again. The fort had three main components, namely, fortified barracks, a central command post and the main rectangular battery. A walk within the remnants of the fort can bring alive a bygone era.

The Kaoshuing lighthouse is also known as the Cijin or Cihou lighthouse. The 15-meter tall masonry structure was built originally in 1883 to facilitate safe passage of ships in the aftermath of increased trade following the Peking convention of 1863. It is an octagonal tower with a balcony and lantern. The Japanese rebuilt the lighthouse in 1916 and it attained its present style and form in 1918. The lighthouse is a good place to go for panoramic views of the waterfront and landmarks of the city.

By the time I was done with the lighthouse, the lights in my body almost shut down. I dragged myself to the ferry pier for the journey back to the hotel. It had become insufferably hot and humid. It was no wonder that it rained in the early afternoon.

Once the rain abated, I made a call to Subin. He told me that he was free and could meet me in the hotel in about a half hour. Hailing from Cannanore in Kerala, Subin is on the verge of clinching a job in Kaoshuing. He recalled the help and assistance he has received from friends in Taiwan. He told me of the characteristics that defined a Taiwanese such as hard working, honesty, integrity, helpful nature, family oriented, closely knit, God fearing and cleanliness being a religion. There are just over 200 Malayalees in Taiwan, who mostly lived near Taipei. Less than 10 of them lived in Kaoshuing, mostly students.

From Subin I learnt of the Holy Rosary Church close to the hotel, where I could go for a few minutes of prayer. It was a short walk from the hotel to the Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, which is the oldest Roman Catholic church and Minor Basilica in whole of Republic of China.

The shrine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary is the seat of the Bishop of Kaoshuing. The original cathedral was first established in 1860 by the Kingdom of Spain, based in the Philippines. The Cathedral attained its present status in 1928. The image of the Madonna and child enshrined within the high wooden altar of the Basilica dates back to 1863. A few believers were in church at the time of my visit. The original interior of the church is supposed to be loosely based on the Manila Cathedral in the Philippines. Photography is prohibited within the church.

The Gloria Pier LRT was a short walk from the Cathedral. I took that to go to the Kaoshuing exhibition centre and 85 Sky Tower. The convention centre, which is in the heart of the Bay Area, was designed by an Australian architect and was opened in 2014. The eye-catching centre continually strives to serve the requirements of stakeholders. It consistently upgrades to develop it into a state-of-the-art facility to enhance performance and ensure the success of the exhibition centre. It has transformed into a 5G smart venue to deliver 5G MICE technology and applications.

Within a stone's throw away from the exhibition centre is the iconic 85 Sky Tower. The 85 storey, 1240 feet, prong shaped tower was constructed in 1997. It is the second tallest building in Taiwan, after Taipei 101. When the building first opened, it housed a department store, indoor amusement park, five-star hotel, observatory, restaurants, club, spa, condos and offices. The building is largely unoccupied now and it has become rundown and dirty. The structure stands tall and proud facing the Bay though it is temporarily closed to the visiting public.

I took a circular ride on the light rail along the 38 stations of the 22 km stretch once the sightseeing program was completed. The LRT has made use of the defunct Kaoshuing Harbor tracks to link the circular loop rail. The services are operated by the Kaoshuing Rapid Transport Corporation. The EasyCard that I purchased in Taipei is accepted in the Kaoshuing MRT, ferry and LRT. It is extremely convenient for visitors - I keep topping it up at stations, for which vending machines and staff are available. Reportedly, more than 10,000 commuters use the LRT every day. The first phase of the circular rail started services in 2015 and gives connections to the Taiwan train service, MRT and Ferry.

It was quite dark by the time I finished the circular ride. While walking back to the hotel from the Love Pier I came across an Indian restaurant, the Doon Valley Restaurant and Bar. It was busy and the locals seemed to relish the food in there. A couple of boys from India serve in the restaurant. I was quite fascinated to hear them speak Mandarin. Though it started small, I learnt that they have three outlets in the city, all doing well. I had a feast of Naan, Veg Pulav and Rajmaa Raseela. It was wholesome and tasty. That drew the curtains on the brief visit to Kaoshuing and it is time to head back to Taipei for the last day in Taiwan.

Day 4 - In Kaohsiung - 27 March 2024

The itinerary for this day was the toughest scheduled during the tour. I was not able to find suitable MRT connections to link the day's program to Lotus Pond, Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum, Shoushan National Park and the Shoushan Zoo. I considered hiring a car for the entire day. The cost involved and certain restrictions on time made me shelve the idea.

In the end, I reworked the program after a chat with Subin, an office bearer of the TMA, based in Kaoshuing. He had provided valuable inputs when I was planning the trip in India. Yesterday, when I spoke to him after reaching Kaoshuing, Subin said that Fo Gaung Shan Buddha Museum and the Lotus Pond are two unavoidable places to visit. I tried various commute combinations for the Buddha Museum using Google Maps and came up with an MRT-Bus option. This involved two MRT rides and a long bus ride.

When I reached the bus station, I discovered that the next service to the Buddha Museum was about 50 minutes away. Despite the early hour it had started getting quite warm. When the bus eventually arrived, the queue had grown long. Since standees were not permitted in the bus an entire tour group missed out. The bus ride lasted 35 minutes and I was deposited right in front of the massive complex. Admission to the complex is free. The museum's construction started in 2008 and was officially opened to the public in December 2011.

The Front Hall of the Museum has plenty of options to eat, drink and buy souvenirs. Not many visitors had arrived at the Museum before 10 am. From the Front Hall one exits into a broad avenue ringed by eight pagodas with the magnificent cross-legged Buddha at the end of it. The Big Bell near the Big Buddha is a fusion of Chinese, Japanese and Korean styles with over 5200 calligraphied verses.

The architectural style of the Buddha Museum is a fusion of Buddha statues of ancient India and pagodas from various dynasties of China. Currently, the Fo Guang Big Buddha is the world's largest copper-cast Buddha statue. It sits cross-legged with hands in the lotus mudra. From base to tip, the Buddha statue is 108 meters tall, the equivalent of an average 36 story building. Its head alone is 3 stories tall, while a single eye is as wide as the whole floor of most other buildings.

The Jade Buddha Shrine houses an extraordinary and magnificent image of the reclining Buddha, carved out of precious white jade from Burma. On either side of the Jade Buddha statue are magnificent relief carvings, one depicting the Pure Land of Vaidurya Nirbhasa, and the other depicting the Pure Land of Sukhavati. These reliefs were carved by a team of craftsmen from Quanzhou, Fujian in Mainland China using natural jade stones.

Three tooth relics remained in the world after the Buddha's cremation in 543 BCE. Two of these relics are enshrined in Sri Lanka and China. The third tooth relic was carefully kept in India for more than 1000 years. In the thirteenth century, during the Mughal invasion of Inda, the relic was secretly brought to Tibet and was enshrined in the Sakya Namgyal Monastery. Presently, it is enshrined in a reliquary in the Jade Buddha shrine.

The Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue in the Museum at the center was sculpted by Loretta Yang Huishan, whose artistic creations are made with the lost-wax process of glass casting. The shrine contains thirty-three images of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva set in a circle. Clear, bright mirrors are set on the four surrounding walls. Images are reflected on each other by the mirrors, creating an unbroken continuity with layer upon layer of images stretching far and near.

The Golden Buddha shrine in the Main Hall is the highest seated golden Buddha statue in southeast Asia signifying the harmonious exchange of Mahayana and Theravada Buddhistic traditions. The statue was gifted to Fo Gaung Shan organization in 2004 by the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand on his 90th birthday. The seated Bodhisattva, Buddha and five hundred Arhats at Vulture Peak, Sutra illustrations and great compassion mantra carisson are part of the 10 treasures of the Buddha Museum.

There are four permanent exhibitions in the complex. They are: Museum of Buddhist Underground Palaces, Museum of Buddhist Festivals, Historical Museum of Fo Guang Shan and Life of the Budhha Museum. The first named museum is specially designed to house 48 underground palaces and artefacts from all over the world. There is a countdown clock in it which shows when the next palace will be opened - a palace will be opened every 100 years. The other museums use interactive multimedia to make a telling effect on the visitor while explaining Buddhist festivals, history of the Fo Gaung Shan organization and the life of the Enlightened One.

There are lady ushers everywhere, ready to help and explain, overseen by the monastic order. Photography is strictly forbidden inside the shrines and flash photography throughout. After an educative tour of 90 minutes, I returned to the bus stand to take the return ride to the HSR Zuoying bus station. Fortunately, the wait wasn't very long. However, that was negated by the wait for the bus at the HSR Zuoying bus station to the Lotus Pond, which was over an hour away. Truly, a colossal waste of time. Added to that was the energy sapping weather.

The Lotus Pond is an artificial lake in Kaoshuing which is a popular tourist site. The Pond is known for the lotus plants, though I saw very few of them, and the numerous temples around it. The Lotus Pond complex, opened in 1951, has the Spring and Autumn Pavilions, the Dragon and Tiger pagodas and the Confucian temple. The Spring and Autumn Pavilions was established in 1953 in Chinese palace-style. Each of these is four-storey and octagonal, with green tiles and yellow walls. According to local legend, the Goddess of Mercy, riding a dragon appeared in the clouds and instructed followers to build an effigy in the form of it's coming out between the two pavilions. Surrounding this temple is a pond with thousands of turtles.

The Dragon and Tiger Pagoda towers are seven stories high constructed in the lake. The pagodas are fronted by dragon and tiger statues. Visitors enter the towers through the dragon's mouth and exit via the tiger's mouth. This is believed to be auspicious and helps to ward off evil spirits. The towers are connected to the shore with a 9-angle bridge. Inside the tiger and dragon figures are works of art depicting stories of good and bad and historical expressions of Chinese tradition. The pagodas are currently under extensive renovation.

Once the ambulation along the Lotus Pond was done, I was half dead, and the knees were about to give way. I sat and waited at the bus stop for nearly 30 minutes to return to the HSR Zuoying bus station. That gave me some time to reenergize. However, I was in no shape to continue with the rest of the day's program to the Shoushan Zoo and National Park. I sought refuge in the hotel room to escape the hot weather.

When the sun went down, I walked to the Pier 2 art centre and took the dolphin walkway along the Love River. The Pier 2 art centre is situated in basin 3 of Kaohsiung Port. It has been transformed into a unique open art space, providing artists and students with an environment in which to express themselves. It has become Kaohsiung's most popular cultural spot.

All kinds of art activities are held regularly in the District, bringing a rich artistic air to the port metropolis of Kaohsiung and a new tide of southern art in Kaohsiung. The entire area was being readied for the impending Easter weekend with temporary kiosks being set up. The western railway line, which previously brought goods to the docks, has now become Kaohsiung's busiest cycling trail, and amazing works of art await discovery in the District's public spaces.

The Pier 2 art centre also has quite a few bistros, bars and fine dining centres. A walk along the waterfront brought me to the Kaoshuing Music Centre, located in 27 acres of prime real estate, opened in 2021. Spanish architecture firm MADE IN designed the center which consists of the Wave Tower, Coral Zone, Whale Bridge, Dolphin Walk and Live Warehouse. By the time I got through these the lights had come in and the waterfront looked spectacular.

It was time to return to rest the weary body. I took the Light Rail to the Great Harbour Bridge. However, before I walked back to the hotel, I turned into a restaurant in Pier 2 art centre for dinner of lentil soup and French Fries.