Taiwan 09-26-2011

We decided to go Penghu (澎湖) last night.  Morning, we took the 9:30 flight from Kaohsiung to Penghu.

30 minutes later, we arrived in Penghu.  It was a windy and cloudy day.  

Penghu has many islands.  These islands have a total of 320 kilometers of shoreline.

We rent a motorcycle as our transportation to tour the whole island.   

We first stop Zhongtun Wind Power Plant (中屯風車).  The wind farm sits in Zhongtun Village (中屯村) of Paisha Township, and it was the second wind farm to be built in Taiwan.  It has been in operation since August 2001. 

We ate lunch under an possible more than 100 years old tree.  The old tree provides shadow for people. It is hardly to tell that they are all from the same trunk.  Lunch was OK.  But the place for lunch was incredible.

We crossed Trans-Ocean Bridge (跨海大橋) and headed to Hsiyu.  Trans-Ocean Bridge is the bridge between two islands, Paisha (白沙) and Hsiyu (西嶼).  

Walking in Erkan Old residence area (二崁古厝聚落) was like walked back to the century.  People are still living in these ancient old houses. Erkan old Residence is situated in Erkan Village, Siyu Township, Penghu. The century-old residence was roughly built in the late Guangxu (光緒) years in the Qing Dynasty (清朝). It is a 3-section courtyard house situated in the east facing the west with “two wings with wells and eight ridges” and it has combined the local characteristics and the Baroque architectural style of the Japanese colonial era. 

Lighthouse of Hsiyu Island (西嶼燈塔) was our last stop.  Unfortunately, it is closed to military are and we were not allowed to take photo around the military area.  I just took a photo of the Lighthouse. 

Penghu has a very special ice cream.  It is made by the fruit of Cactus. Very interesting.

Taiwan 09-24-2011

Morning, after our traditional Taiwanese breakfast, we continued to tour Kenting National Park. We stopped at Eluanbi (鵝鑾鼻).

The Eluanbi, lighthouse was completed in 1883, following requests from the American and Japanese governments to the Chinese government after several shipwrecks occurred in the 1860s. Chinese troops had to be sent to protect the lighthouse during construction from attacks by local tribesmen, and the lighthouse was surrounded by a fort with cannons and a ditch for protection.  It is one of the rare examples in the world of a fortified lighthouse. The lighthouse itself is 21.4 metres (70 ft) high and its light is 56.4 metres (185 ft) above the tidal high water. The light flashes every 10 seconds and its range is 27.2 nautical miles (50.4 km).

After Eluanbi, we decided to have Pork Knuckle for lunch because today is Pork Knuckle Festival. The Pork Knuckle tasted wonderful.  We enjoyed the food.  

There was a beautiful white dog sit next to me.  She was so quiet, so cute, and so behalf.

On the way to Kaohsiung (高雄), I saw a dog standing on the moving motorcycle.  The dog has super balancing skill!!

After arrived in Kaohsiung, we went to a department store and Liouhe Night Market (六合夜市).  The night market snack food is a unique food culture of Taiwan and many travelers and locals come here specially to enjoy the cheap and delicious foods, such as papaya milk, oyster omelet, fried chicken cutlet and stinky tofu.

We had stinky tofu, papaya milk, and other special food.  I love to eat more, but … I can’t!!  Sad!

Taiwan 09-23-2011

Morning, we enjoyed the hot and cold springs in the hotel's 5 different spring pools: three hot spring pools  and two cold spring pools.

It was so fun when we were jumping between hot and cold springs.

After enjoyed the hot and cold springs, we were heading to Kenting National Park (墾丁國家公園).

Kenting National Park  is a national park located in the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島). Established on January 1, 1984, it is Taiwan's oldest and southernmost national park, covering the southernmost area of the Taiwan island. This national park is well-known for its tropical climate and sunshine, scenic mountain and beach, and has long been one of the most favorite resort places in Taiwan.

The landscape boasted by Kenting National Park is divided into two parts by the long and narrow Hengchun Longitudinal Valley Plain that extends from north to south. With coral sea cliffs teemed with fringing reefs along the west coast, the park features a large number of mountains in the north, and coral tablelands and foothills in the south. 

In the evening, we jointed a tour to see the birds, frogs, deers, and other living animals in the night.  We learned how birds and frogs were sleeping in the night.  We also learned many different kinds of plants.  Very interesting.

We are staying Kenting Youth Activity Center tonight. Kenting Youth Activity Center situates next to the Frog Stone Seashore Park in Kenting. It is a traditional Fujen(a province in southern China, also called Min) style building with red gate, white wall and red tile roof, and is often reputed as the Museum of Southern Min Style Architecture.