台中行 TAICHUNG [ plus 高雄 KOAHISUNG ]

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We went back to the city at night to dine at  Tripod King (鼎王). A hot pot place which was very good value. Food was very good but we cannot order too many dishes as there were only two of us. It would be a good hotpot place for party. Their famous pot was Super Spicy which I dared not to try. 

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Next day morning, we went to Rainbow Village (彩虹村). This is a village full of colourful graffiti. The painting was made by an old man who is somehow Hong Kong related. His aim was to cheer up the childer thereby. I found that his paintings are colourful, with childish brushtouch, quite interesting.

[hangchoi]

After that, we went back to hotel and took our bags because it was time for us to go to Koahsiung by train. I took a picture of Tai Chung train station at night-time last time. This time I took it again, but in day time. You can still see trace of Japanese style in architecture.

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It took us 2-3 hours to Koahsiung. We checked in the hotel, then went to eat. My wife's friend recommended a place to us and it turned out that the place was wonderful for hanging out. The place was MLD. This is a building complex which is divided into 3 parts. MLD reading, a big big big book store, which I found it even better that Eslite (誠品). MLD food, a food plaza with fine restaurant, coffee shop and food court. MLD cinema, a movie house.

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Night market was almost a must-go place for visiting Taiwan. Instead of going to the tourist spot night market, we went to a more local night market. This market is full of localist and the goods / foods are very local as well. I found that it has stalls for food, cloths, accessories, and even game.

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Before we headed back to hotel by MTR, we specifically stopped at Formosa Boulevard station (美麗島站). The ceiling of this station was famed by its beautiful mosaic glass ceiling, which a lot of tourist would go to this station merely for seeing the ceiling.

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Last day morning, we went visit Westbay area (西子灣). There was a long queue waiting for ferry to Chichin (旗津) so we decided not to go there. We toured around various spots with some historic or cultural value. This first stop was the Takao Railway Museum (打狗鐵道故事館). The old train station now turns to a museum. It is quite large with some obsolete rail tracks, now a place for the residents to hang out.

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Second spot was called Wude Martial Arts Center (武德殿). Built in Japanese-occupied period, this place was for the people learning Kendo. The disciple of Miyamoto Musashi (宮本武藏) once stayed here to teach. You can still see the Kendo class there.

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There is a statement talking about the meaning of Kendo. The next pictures are the entrance stone pole. Some words are engraved at the back.

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The next stop was Takao British Consulate (打狗英國領事館). It is a famous tour spot with its history about the dealing between Qing Dynasty and British Government. The consulate building was not big but the living place of the ambassador was huge. You have to walk up the hill to reach the ambassador's house.

The first two pictures shows the existing decoration of the consulate. There is an air-raid shelter next to the consulate.