THE CHANGE OF THE GUARD AT C.K.S We missed it the day with our free walking tour as we had to leave a bit earlier. We walked from the campsite to C.K.S memorial hall (8km return). Always impressive! LUNGSHANG TEMPLE TOUR AND NIGHT MARKET – 19th FRIDAY The tour started in a former prosperous area in Wahnua, visited the herbal market then went to visit the temple where we were taught how to pray with 3 incenses sticks, how introduce us to the gods, to make wishes, ask a question and finally the bowing. We went quickly to the "Tawainese Red light distric" (prostitution is illegal but this street is tolerated) and ended up at the night market. Lungshan temple It was founded in 1738 and dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy – Guan Yin in Chinese and Avalokitesvara in Sanskrit. Immigrants from China came to Manka (today Wahnua) and erected the same temple. She is the goddess of the marine voyage, fishermen, sailors. It is a Buddhist and Taoit temple where lots of deities (health, love, study etc) were included due to the course of history. The temple was destructed three times: earthquake, typhoons and war. The main shrine was never survived the weathers conditions and the bombing at the end of 1945. Lungshan temple has become a masterpiece, combining fine stones, wood carvings and stone carvings, beige and green granites, 2 bronze columns (the only two in Taiwan) OLD CITY TOUR - 20THSATURDAY After three months, it was time to get a closer approach of the Taiwanese history, reading is one thing and experiencing it with locals is "same same, but different"
HAPPY TAIPEI HOSTEL 21ST SUNDAY We left our campsite after 9 days of survival. We have to admit the first days were not easy but at the end we enjoyed our independence and being outside! It was time to check in to do our laundry, catch up with the blog, to call our family. It is funny how common things like sitting on a chair can become a luxury! The hostel is like a maze two buildings with a connections. What stroke us most in Taiwan is the hostels. The concept of a hostel differs from what we know in Europe, it is based on quality and design. Little things that made the differences, prices can be very cheap: 11€ included breakfast and laundry! PINXI SKY LANTERN FESTIVAL – 22nd MONDAY
SHILING AND TAOYUAN – 23rd Tuesday One day left and we made it! On our last day we explored Chinese history at the palace museum, one of the 5th biggest museum in the world. About 700 000 artefacts, two exhibitions hall and too many people! The palace museum was founded in 1925 in the Forbidden City in Beijing, thus the word “palace” in name. Due to the impending Japanese invasion in 1933, the palace museum moved its collection to Southwest China. In 1948, the civil between the Nationalist government and the Communists intensified, the government sent about 600000 precious objects to Taiwan. It occurred in separate shipments. During 2 hours, we went through one of the biggest Chinese art and culture in the world.
Lantern festival in Taoyuan After a short rest, we headed of to Taoyuan where the lantern festival took place. This year the event is under the theme “the Golden Monkey offering peaches”. 3 hours to get there, what we did not know, we enjoyed the show during 90 minutes although the weather conditions were miserable. It belongs to an unforgettable memory! BYE BYE TAIWAN – 24th FEBIt was time to pack and leave Taiwan after 3 months travelling, volunteering and camping around the island. We arrived 4 hours in advance at the airport… At first it seemed to be a long time but time flew so quickly. Our last hours at the airport could have been easier. After spending our last NT in food and bakery stuff and a last Oolong tea we had time to relax!
But NO! Our CS declined us two hours before boarding, he was expecting us to arrive before 10pm as he was sick and needed to go to work early and we should have taken a taxi - 20 km! He wrote us that it will cost only 4000 Yen (32€)! At the end without notice he turned us down… Once again we had at the last minute to plan a stay in hostel! Then it was time to check in… It came with lots of stress. We were told off as we were not queuing properly in a straight line! A security lady even parked our cart perfectly straight! Then we left our camping gas bottle, the fine is up to 4500€ if you carry them even in checked luggage. I asked the stewardess to be sited at the window, the answer was straightforward: no, ”you can choose your seat!” After checking, our bags were X-rayed. There, people checked and discussed over a mosquito spray during 20 minutes! We could not wait any longer since our boarding time was in 30 minutes! We left it there with travelling book about Japan! Travelling is not easy sometimes, this time we had enough and could have gone home … but where is home???
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