November 2023

All the info we had about Kiaohsiung implied that interesting sites were within walking distance. What we didn’t count on was the heat and humidity.

We may look fairly fresh in that first photo, but after four hours of hoofing it, we were both sweaty messes.

At one point, we strayed from the harbor area to seek skyscraper shade along a street in the financial district.

Stately lions crouched in front of a bank along the way. I find it interesting that one lion had its mouth open, while the other’s was closed. It reminds me of Okinawa’s Shisa Lions; the male keeps his mouth open while the female keeps hers closed. Wonder if there’s an intermingling of mythologies here?

The next building boasted a pair of Chinese Fu Dogs. The male holds a sphere under one paw to represent his dominion over the world, while the female has a baby under her paw to denote her dominion over home and hearth.

I was surprised to see a container garden tucked near a sunny alley on this same street. Wonder which plant needs eggshells to help it grow?

As we neared the Pier 2 Arts District, artsy touches began to crop up. At first glance, I thought the car in the last photo was a spaceship.Read more