The ascent to the lighthouse has some short steep sections that are challenging when combined with the searing sun! Remember to go early morning!
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| Signboard identifies the buildings in the distance |
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| Pier 2 Art Centre location |
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| Looking north from lighthouse |
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| Channel between the city and the island |
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| Looking south on Qijin Island |
Built in 1875 to protect Kaohsiung Harbour. A ten minute walk from the lighthouse so I thought I'd take a look. I guess it's good to visit if you want to expand your knowledge of local history.
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| Fort walls |
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| Another fort perspective |
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| Sea wall - view from fort wall |
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| Qijin Island beach on right |
Here's a couple photos of how the metro station was transformed into a Sunday Market. I always have to pause to think about how much stuff is consistently available to buy. I mean, this desire for consumption is happening every day globally! How is this possible? How much is enough???
A quick word about the station which is a work of art as outlined in the three italicized sentencces below (italics indicate I 'borrowed' someone else's content.)
The station is ranked second-most beautiful metro station in the world and is definitely a site to see while visiting Kaohsiung. Note: I have photos in my blog post when I visited Kaohsiung last year.
The station is known for its "Dome of Light", the largest glass work in the world, designed by Italian artist Narcissus Quagliata. It is 30 metres in diameter and covers an area of 2,180 square metres, made up of 4,500 glass panels.
Xiaoliuqiu is an island about about 90 minutes (coach plus ferry) south from Kaohsiung that is made entirely out of coral and famous for its abundant sea turtles. It's a popular weekend destination with its perpetual sun, sand and sea. Curiosity was my motivation for visiting. I had four destinations on my itinerary - Vase Rock, Beauty Cave, Wild Boar Trench Trail and Black Devil Cave - a list I developed on the ferry ride to the island! π€£π€£ I decided to walk from the harbour to the various destinations which meant a five to six km walk (~ 3 to 4 mi) one way. I should have factored in the toasty weather when I made the decision to get exercise by walking.
I received a gift from the universe on my return journey to the harbour. A kind soul on a scooter stopped to offer me a ride which I graciously accepted. I'm so grateful for so many thoughtful people I encounter during my travels!
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Now that we've confirmed we are in the right
place... |
Vase Rock
The iconic photo this island is renowned for. I got lucky to take these photos without people milliing about.
An easy paved seaside walk that winds through narrow passages between rock formations to keep you interested and agile to avoid wacking your head!
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| Watch your head |
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| Watch your feet and head! |
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| Crystal clear water with beautiful shades of blue |
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| There was a single elusive turtle in this water. |
Shanfu Ecological Trail
I meandered onto this trail out of curiosity. It was more interesting than walking along the road!
'The area is full of unusual marine abrasion topography, such as sea stack, sea notch, and marine pothole. The caves and potholes at such terrain is also home to a thriving community of tidal zone creatures. You can also walk along the wooden path and enjoy ocean views and hints of history — such as ancient forts from an early age.'
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| My addition to the walk |
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| Seaside art installation |
Wild Boar Trench Trail
This trail, with its shaded walkways, was a welcome respite from the unrelenting sun and heat (humidity stuck around though). The trail zigzagged through a wooded area with a viewpoint if you were inclined to make the climb up. I mean how many different views can you get of the same ocean??
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| Easy walkway to navigate! |
This area has a troubled past where indigenous people were slaughtered by the Dutch. More details in the link above. The township has created a paved pathway through the caves leading to two different viewpoints overlooking the sea. I had a chance meeting/convo with Mustafa and Sunny, local residents visiting the island.
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| Entrance to walkway |
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| Coastal view |
Donggang Bus Station Adventure
The bus 'station', a street side stop, was situated in the warm sun so I decided to walk across the street to wait for the coach in the shade. There were three men sitting in the shade when I made my appearance. While I was waiting, the spouse of one of these three men appeared to take her husband away. She also had bananas that she offered to the two men in the photos below as well as offering me a banana. The three of us kept each other company until my coach arrived. I offered my new companions a couple Taiwan 'pizzas' that I bought from the vendor in the photo below. Both companions refused my offer with signs of gratitude.
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My newest companions. I was offered the white
stool when the third man left with his wife. |
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Street vendor who was very busy. I bought two
Taiwanese 'pizzas' and a bun filled with pork. |
Taipei - One last evening
My last stop in Taipei was the Taiwan Beef Noodles - Chicken Soup restaurant that I visited last year based on my friend Samuel's recommendation. I guess I do have some sentimentality. What's unique about this place is that you use the machine outside the restaurant (see photo below) to indicate how many in your party. The machine assigns you a number that is then used to call you when space in available in the restaurant. You use your wait time to choose what you want to eat. Cash only, please!
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| Outdoor waiting area |
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| Excellent beef noodles! |
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| Entrance |
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Sidewalk in front of restaurant with stools
where you sit if you need to wait |
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| Get your number here |
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| Shared seating inside |
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| My dinner |
Aerial Goodbye
I took a few photos as plane headed to Palau. I think we approached the mainland faster than I expected. I think. The narrowest point in the Taiwan Strait, the body of water between ROC and PROC is 126 km (78 mi; 68 nmi) wide. That is pretty darn cozy!
Welcome to Palau. The local currency is the United States dollar. Ouch for us Canadians as I need about $1.38 Cdn for every $1 American. As far as financial transactions, it's just like being in the United States of America. You pay in USD and get American coins (including pennies) for change if you're using cash. The units of measure are American - speed limit in mph, weigh scales are in lbs, gasoline (not petrol) is sold in gallons (assuming it must be an American gallon). English is the commonly spoken language. There is a large number of local employees from the Philippines, to the extent the WCTC Shopping Centre grocery store has a section dedicated to Filipinos. The Japanese also figure prominently in the local business,
Airport
Our half full plane was the only aircraft that landed at the Palau International Airport when I was there. There is one luggage belt conveyor and about ten customs agents in the luggage area to scan your luggage and scan the QR code you receive after completing the arrival form (prior to your arrival). Please note the customs agent who you present your passport to stamps the
Palau Pledge in your passport which you are required to sign.
'Palau is the first nation on earth to change its immigration laws for the cause of environmental protection. Upon entry, visitors need to sign a passport pledge to act in an ecologically and culturally responsible way on the island, for the sake of Palau's children and future generations of Palauans.'
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| Palau Pledge |
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| Arriving passengers exit at the right |
Koror
Koror (State of Koror) is one of the 16 primary administrative regions in Palau with a population of approximately 12,676 people. Koror is also the name of the country's principal city. And yes, there are 16 regions for a population of approximately 17,671 people. It means about 5,000 citizens inhabit the remaining 15 administrative regions! Median age is ~ 40 years old.
Palau's entire population of 17,671 could fit in a large sports stadium!
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| Koror waterfront |
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| Scylla serrata - perhaps... |
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| So delicately beautiful! |
Kumangai Bakery and Emaimelei Restaurant
Yes, there is a good bakery in town! Bonus is the bakery also has a restaurant!
Udon Soup Story
I was drinking ice tea when I noticed a fellow restaurant patron eating a bowl of delicious looking noodles. As I was leaving, I stopped to ask the woman what she was eating after mentioning how delicious the soup looked. Udon noodles with beef. Then, faster than a speeding bullet, she offered me a bowl of her soup as she thought she had too much for herself. I thanked her profusely when it was apparent saying no was out of the question. And I was right, The soup was delicious.
As I was paying my bill, I also paid for her meal/drink along with the meals/drinks of her two friends.
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| My gifted bowl of Udon noodle soup |
Unique Bakery Item
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| Mongo bean bun |
Supersized Meal
I asked for a plate of chicken with crispy noodles. I got enough food for three meals.
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| Crispy noodles with chicken |
My big adventure on Friday was driving my rental car around Babeldaob exploring the key tourist sites you'll find in this section. The island's most northern point was about an hour's drive from my hotel. The roads are pristine blacktop with few cars on the road once you leave the Koror area. What a treat to drive. Maximum speed limit is 30 mph. Touring the island gives you something to do for a day.
Babeldaob is the largest island in the island nation of Palau. It is in the western Caroline Islands, and the second largest island (after Guam) in the Micronesia region of Oceania.
Driving In Palau
Driving in Palau can readily mess with your brain's sensibilities. You drive on the right side of the road - just like in North America. However, the majority of vehicles are imported from Japan which means the steering wheel on the car's right hand side (which makes passing a potentially tricky maneuver). The speed limit is posted in mph (max posted speed is 30 mph), the car records its speed in kph. Gasoline is sold in gallons. The US gallon is approximately 0.83267 of an imperial gallon. The Canadian equivalent, at current exchange rates, is ~ $2.70/liter.
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| $10.21/gallon Cdn (May 29/26) |
What I thought was a simple hike to a 217m (712ft) waterfall became a minor debate about whether I should make the hike. The previous night's rain, along with the trail's reportedly steep descent, had me concerned about the trail's condition - was it too muddy? The woman in the ticket office ($10 - cash only) was concerned for me given the trail's condition. My newest friend, Vanessa, came to the rescue. After about ten minutes of discussion with the ticket agent, Vanessa appeared from the trail to share her experience. Her advice - trail was in good condition with a rope onto the trail in the steep sections. Her husband was making the full hike to the falls; she turned back because of her concern with ascending the steep trail with her newly (six months ago) replaced hip.
With the drama now resolved, I set off to experience the waterfall. The photos below capture the adventure. Overall, it was an interesting hike. I benefited from the exercise. Visiting the waterfall is a nice to do.
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Ticket agent suggested taking a photo for
safety |
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| Waterfall from rest area |
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| Waterfall with forest |
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| Trail's steeper section |
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Walk the plank to cross a small creek
|
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How I dislike walking on these
type of surfaces! |
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| Short boardwalk to the rescue |
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Suspended bridge to enter waterfall
viewing area |
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| Waterfall |
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| Waterfall |
Next stop on the island tour was the stone monoliths. The link in the section title above provides info about the stones. Agnes, the ticket agent ($5 cash only), was sitting at a large canopied concrete table. She suggested the receipt she gave me would be a memento of my visit. Nice thought.
BTW - Agnes, originally from the Philippines, had lived in Palau for the last 28 years with her Palau husband.
I did travel a little further past the monoliths to visit the lighthouse built by the Japanese during WWII. The lack of photos gives you an idea of how underwhelmed I was.
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| Read all about it! |
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| More steps; shorter hike |
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| Beautiful vistas |
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| More natural beauty |
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| And the stones |
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| Two rows of stones |
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| Stone with some character |
The constitution required the country to move the capital from Koror, where 75% of the people live, to this 'remote' location within a set time frame. In fact, Palau has the only capital in the world without any inhabitants. Koror is only 33 km from the capital The size of these buildings (and associated expense to build - $45,000,000 USD) for a population of 17,691 citizens is hard to reconcile. Welcome to the surreal world of Palau! The above link is an interesting/entertaining read about the country and capital.
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| National Congress - based on US Whitehouse |
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| Supreme Court (proceedings are still in Koror) |
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| Executive building |
Koror State Night Market
Friday night was all about the night market happening from 5 - 9 pm.
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| Food vendors |
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| Fruit/vegetables as well |
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| Local dancers |
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| Modern vs traditional dancing |
Friends
Mustafa and Sunny
My newest Taiwanese friends and I met while we were both exploring the Black Devil Cave on Xiaoliuqiu Island. Mustafa, a Paris suburb native, and Sunny, a Taiwanese native, were a married couple living in Taiwan. They had previously spent several years living in PROC (Chinese mainland). Mustafa was passionate about encouraging me to revisit China given how much more accessible it has become since my first (and only) visit in 1995. Sunny was far less passionate given her Taiwanese roots and the ongoing tensions between the two countries. On the subject of visiting Palau, Sunny was keen to visit whereas Mustafa was convinced (rightly so) that they could get much more holiday for their money in other destinations.
Barbara and Bradley
I met Barbara and Bradley while waiting for my flight to Palau in the international airport's Plaza Premium lounge. My newest friends were on route to Japan to visit with friends and look to buy a house. Their game plan was to spend six months in Japan and six months in their home in a Los Angeles suburb. Barbara was a real estate agent who had done her homework regarding buying a Japanese home. What they were hoping for is that their friends living in Japan would sell their home to them and then build the custom home they really wanted on the lot just across from their current home. The friends could stay in their existing home (ideally sold to B&B) while their new home was being built. Masterful plan! Bradley had quit his job giving him more flexibility to travel.
Vanessa and Mark
I met Vanessa at the waterfall ticket office while I was vacillating about hiking to the waterfall. I discovered Vanessa grew up in the Etobicoke area near Toronto and subsequently moved to Calgary, Aberta, where I also once lived. She was familiar with Lac La Biche, my hometown in north central Alberta. She was married to Mark and was living in Perth, Australia for the last twenty plus years. They decided that Perth's climate was better than the year round climate in both Calgary and England.
Vince, Vice et al
I met Vince, Vice and four other men (names I'm unable to recall) who worked in conservation area after I returned from my hike. The convo started when I walked over to the covered area where they were lounging about listening to some good tunes. I complimented them on their music sparking further conversation. Among the questions I was asked was if it was true Muslims were taking over Canada. Unusual question which I should have followed up with asking the source of this question. They shared that Friday was a chill day at work so that's why they were just hanging about. I also got a brief lesson/demo on
chewing betel nuts from one of the guys. They cautioned me to avoid trying if I was driving given the light headed impact of the nut's active ingredient.
Next Week
I'm back to Taiwan for one night layover before flying to Osaka, Japan on Tuesday morning. I've booked three nights in Kobe as a starting point. I'm planning to return to the jazz club I enjoyed during my visit last year.
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