Tainan: Anping District

Our plan for today - Anping District. Tree house, The Anping Fort Museum and Eternal Golden Castle were our condition for seeing today. And we've fulfilled our plan - yes!

Our tour around  Anping District

In the morning we've had a breakfast close to our hotel and then we've decided to take a taxi to our first stop. Amping Tree House. We had some options, how to realize our day - walking around, taking some public transportation or rent a bike. I've chosen the third one and I think it has been the best choice for me. Bogdan (cool trainee from Ukraine) and Poli (Taiwanese cool exAIESECar, who is helping with our tour) have decided for bicycles too. It has been some special offer, where you have included three entrances, bike and some food in the city. So our day has begun.

Our special offer :-)

Anping Tree House has been the first place, where we've stopped. It's an old house from 19th century, which has been "eaten" by banyan trees. It has been crazy, the tree grows very fast and everywhere – sometimes through the windows, doors, walls and even roof.. There were some possibilities to climb some stairs and see the tree monster from different view.

Branches of the tree are everywhere

Sometimes you cannot use door

Branches are everywhere :-)

Even on the roof

To our next stop we've used our bike. It has been The Anping Fort Museum. We've got to know the history of this place. We've climbed to the top of the tour and observing a little. Originally Tainan has been colonized with Dutch. But later one fighter, his name is Success, had set Taiwan free (you can see the statue on him on the picture) and made it as a part of Mainland China. Later we’ve visited Fort Zeelandia Museum. In this museum we’ve realized, that earlier this city had been an island. Around this buildings had been sea. This city has actually been for a while also a capital city..

Anping Fort Museum with Polly and tour :-)

The view from Tower

Big fightor for Taiwan (rescuer from Dutch)

We've been there!

Battleship

Taiwanese Weapons

Historical view of Tainan in current map

The third place has been little bit far away. On our way, we've seen some parks or we've enjoyed the view to the city and the sea. 

Lin Mo-Niang Park with Lady Sculpture

The view from the bridge to the city

Biking is fun!

City through the bike :-)

Finally we've arrived to the Eternal Golden Castle. We've entered with famous entrance and then we've been wondering around for a while. There have been quite a lot of cannons and again banyan trees. We’ve also made some funny pictures :-) I’ve enjoyed it a lot.

The style of all these three places is different than in other places, we've visited in Taiwan. I think it’s because of the Dutch colonization. The architecture is a little bit like in Europe. But the nature, air and atmosphere is still Taiwanese :-))

Horay! Eternal Golden Castle

Cannon and the view to the Garden

Polly has shot me!

Relax in the tree

Our next goal has been to collect all of the food included in our ticket. It has been pretty good fun :-) Something likes a secret mission. We've drunk bitter melon tea, eat sausages and shrimps and finished with tauhwa, sweet cake and the oyster egg, which we've kept for a dinner. It has been pretty hot whole day, but this trip has been really great.

Let's go to find our food and drinks :-)

Driiink!

Tauhwa

After finishing some of our food, we've decided to visit The First Green Temple in Taiwan. Inside it has been like normal temple, but from outside it has been green. I’ve bought in this Temple two bracelets for luck. I’ve wished secret wishes and then I’ve made a three times circle around the place, where people put their incense sticks. I believe it will bring me luck, otherwise it’s at least nice supplement.

Entrance Gate

I've been there..

..not alone :-)

After our amazing journey we've returned back, checked the Museum close to the Tree House. You can see there some parts of Taiwanese history.

Histrical Tainan with explanations

Traditional way of makinf sugar

We've rested for a while, because the weather has been very hot. We've actually burned ourselves on the hands, legs, faces. Funny things - our hands. Because we've been driving for some time a bike, we haven't burned our fingers. Our hands have been red and brown except our fingers :-D

And about our trip - mosquitos are everywhere. We've been again eaten by mosquitos today a lot. I hate them, my legs have so many itchy dots and I want to scratch it all the time.

After some while I've decided to walk a little around the place, where we've rested. I have walked a lot, because I haven't paid so much attention for the road.. I've actually went to some river and then I've realized that I've passed by the place I've wanted to visit. I've returned and tried to read some name of the streets. One lady has stopped by me, if I need any help. I probably look very desperate, when I get lost :-) She has been very kind to me. She has asked for me and showed me m direction. I've also asked her about some idea about a place, where I can buy a drink. She said, she would look for it. I went to the Anping Oyster Shell Cement Kiln Culture Chamber. I've seen an ancient kiln for oysters and I've got to know, that you can make a cement from this creatures. Even thou I thought I know most of the ways of creating cement I've learnt one new more today.

Process of making cement from shells

Shel Kiln

Later I've been walking around and I've seen some Temple. Temples are everywhere. This one has been new - everything has been new. Maybe someone has built it for own need :-) Anyway I've met the lady again and she has actually bought me something to drink and we’ve spend some time together. During my way back to our meeting place, I've remembered, that I haven't asked her about her name. Maybe she'll let me know one day :-)

Temples are everywhere

This one has been pretty new

Anyway our day has continued to see the Sunset on the Beach. We’ve arrived earlier, so we've used our time to climb to lighthouse. It has been pretty high, but the view has been great. Later I've finished my oyster egg and we're expecting the sunset. It takes about 30 minutes. I think I've never seen whole sunset. It has been wonderful. Listening the sea, feeling the wind and watching the sun.. Our day has finished with a beautiful moment.

We've enjooyed the sunset together

Peaceful moment..

Amazing sunset