Taiwan - Day 2

Today was more of the same. A walk around the streets visiting temples and trying the local food.



Morning Street Market


While walking to the subway station we came across this early morning street market. It was only 10 am but some vendors were already packing up for the day.



Longshan Temple

 Longshan Temple was our primary destination for the day.



Food offerings left by the faithful

Like many temples in Taiwan, it's a mixture of Buddhist, Taoist and folk deities. Lots of people leave offerings of food on the tables.

Morning prayers

Chinese Dragon on the roof - Longshan Temple

After the temple we took to walking the streets. Etsuko was after the famous "China Shoes" shop. Perhaps it's just famous in Japan but it sells cheep Chinese made shoes. We found it and she bought two pairs.

Wide, clean streets in Taipei

However I was more interested in the streets. Taiwan's quite clean, with spacious main streets. Quite different to main land China. I could imagine living here. It feels very similar to Japan.

Police scooters!

Even the police ride scooters. I'm not sure I'd have the same respect for the officer, if they pulled me over while riding one of these.



Etsuko trying Taiwan's steamed dumplings

We finished the day off with steamed dumplings. Personally I preferred the fried dumplings but the steamed ones are more famous in Taiwan.

Taiwan - Day 1

Etsuko and I are on a 5 day vacation to Taiwan. We're mostly visiting places around Taipei.

Since our flight to Taiwan left really early in the morning our holiday actually started last night as we slept at Hanada airport. There weren't enough trains in the early morning to allow us enough time to check in before our flight leaves. I got a good sleep but Etsuko didn't.

Flying out of Japan we got a good look at Mt Fuji in the early morning sun.



Mt Fuji from 30,000 feet



We arrived in Taiwan to what the locals called a very cold day but comapred to Tokyo 10 degrees C was a warm and welcome change.

Without much of a plan we just wandered the streets near our hotel. One thing that becomes very obvious very quickly is just how popular scooters are here. In Japan these would all be bicycles.




Scooters, Taipei - Taiwan



We soon found ourselves at Xing Tain Temple. I'm not sure what they were all lined up for but we just walked on in. I think they wanted candles or incense.





Xing Tain Temple, Taipei – Taiwan



Main gate Xing Tain



Later that day we found ourselves at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Those who know their Chinese history will know he lost the civil war with the Chinese Communist Party in 1948 and retreated to Taiwan taking most of China's art treasures with him.




Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall



Statue of Chiang Kai-shek himself



Taiwanese Honour Guard,

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

In the late afternoon, the sun broke through the clouds, showering the National Concert Hall with what photographers call sweet light.



National Concert Hall, Taipei - Taiwan

 

After that we headed back to our hotel stopping along the way for some dinner. One surprising thing I found in Taiwan is that most older Taiwanese speak good Japanese. I never really used English in Taiwan. When I needed to communicate with the locals I spoke Japanese to them.

Korea - Day 4

With Eva and Geoff gone, I had the day to myself. Well almost, I had to fly back to Japan in the afternoon so I spent the morning visiting another palace to have another look at Korean architecture. However I arrived just in time to see a re-enactment of the Changing of the War Guard.



The Band Arrives

 

Standing Guard

 

The Ceremonial Drum

 

Captain Of The Guard

 

Flag Bearers Leave the Palace



Korea - Day 3

It was a short trip for Geoff and Eva. They had to catch a flight to Mongolia this afternoon so we spent the morning touring the back streets around our hostel.



Back Streets of Seoul



Korean Delivery Vehicles

Insa-Dong - Seoul


Insa-Dong is one of Korea's famous market streets. It's not so busy in the mornings but comes alive after dark.


Geoff and Eva - Insa-Dong


Geoff and Eva debate whether to buy some strange fruit or not.



Bolts of Material for sale - Insa-Dong


More merchandise for sale in Insa-Dong

Korea - Day 2

On the second day the three of us visited the DMZ. Perhaps not the best idea since only a couple of months before, a South Korean warship sank and the South strongly suspects foul play from the North.

I had been here before but took a cheaper tour that didn't visit Panmunjeom where we get a real close look at the north Koreans and get a chance to step across the "line".



Joint Security Area

There is a lot of security around here and many areas are off limits for photographs, but this was one area we could take photos. Three South Koreans stand guard with one North Korean watching us from the other side.



ROK Soldier Stands Guard - Joint Security Area


We had two ROK soldiers taking care of us while we were in the conference room that straddles the border between the two countries. For a brief moment we could stand on the North Korean side.



Plaque for the Axe Murder Incident - DMZ


A plaque commemorating the loss of two American Officers killed in the infamous Axe Murder Incident.



Statue of a pioneer - Korean War Memorial


Later that day we visited the War Memorial of Korea to get a greater appreciation of Korea's military history in general and the Korean War in particular.



A statue of brotherhood - Korean War Memorial



Korea - Day 1

My brother and his wife Eva started their 6 month travel through Asia today. Their first stop was Korea and since it's a short flight from Japan I thought I would join them for a few days. Actually, They have to fly All the way from Australia so they won't arrive until late tonight so I got a few extra hours to look around Seoul.

I've been here several times before but this is the first time I had a dSLR and wide angle lenses. I met another solo traveller at the backpackers we were staying at and we headed off to the nearby Chang-Deok Palace for a look at Korean architecture.




Chang-Deok Palace Parade Ground




Korean Architecture




King's Residence - Chang-Deok Palace




Eaves - Chang-Deok Palace

Korean architecture appears so much more colourful than typical Japanese architecture.




Sundial - Chang-Deok Palace




Padlock - Cheng-Deok Palace



Hawaii - Day 8 (O'ahu)

Our last full day in Hawaii. This time we took a road trip south and west. First stop was Diamond Head, so called because it sparkles like a diamond. Sadly they are not real diamonds, just calcite crystals embedded in the rock.

Waikiki Beach and Honolulu

Diamond Head was used as an Artillery Observation Post in 1908. Relics still remain like this observation bunker.

Old Artillery Observation Post - Daimond Head

From the car park inside the near perfect circular crater, the trail to the summit takes about 2 hours. It passes through parts of the old artillery fortifications. A flashlight is handy for the tunnel sections.

Switchbacks inside Diamond Head Crater

After Diamond Head we drove along the southern coastal road around the island. The seas were rougher on the south but beaches were few and far between.

Breaking Waves

A lone ligthhouse watches over the rugged south coast.

Lone Lighthouse

After driving around the southern coast we cut back across the island to Honolulu and went for a obligatory swim at Waikiki beach. I took the waterproof Olympus camera for a swim too.

Hnonlulu and Daimond Head

Later that night I took a few long exposure night shots of Honolulu from our hotel.

Honolulu

That's it from Hawaii. We fly back to Japan early tomorrow morning. Just one short week here. However it's a fascinating place that I would like to come back to some day. Etsuko really wants to visit Maui next time.