So we arrived early this morning and the big question what time would we get off the ship.
One had to go down to the photo gallery and get a number to get off to go through Immigration.
Once we did this we were off to see what was in Keelung. We opted this route as we didn’t feel that going to Taipei City would be a great way to experience things with such a late start in the day.
Now I am going to preface this with something most people do in life. We tend to paint people the same all over the world. In this case I was thinking how those from Taiwan would be like those Asians from Hong Kong and China.
This was by far the farthest thing from the truth. The people were very friendly and welcoming and wanted to help you if they could.
We headed around the city doing a few Geocaches along the way.
The first stop was a Cache called Signal Tower that was built in 1918 and was the train signal tower for the north and south station.
From here it was a walk to the Zhongshan pedestrian bridge cache. The problem was there were workers rebuilding the bridge right where the cache was located and they had left fresh cement behind. I took a picture of the work area and was allowed to log the cache.
Exploring the city while we worked our way to find the restaurant that was recommended to us in the heat we stopped by a tea shop that proved interesting as it was point and order until the clerk turned the menu over to give us a side with English on it.
We both ordered Chinese Ice Tea (peach for me) and they custom make it for you then they seal the cup so it is leak proof. Pucnh the straw through the cover and you are good to drink.
Now finding this place was a real adventure. We followed the map but the problem was we had the English name of the place not the Mandarin name which proved interesting. We stopped a young guy to ask for help and he told us it was around the corner. Around the corner we went and no luck. Claudia went into a local store where the owner came out and grabbed my arm and walked us the the restaurant. It turns out it was across the street from where we asked the young guy for help.
Let’s say walking into this place proved interesting as we the only non Asian in the place and no language skills. We sat down in a booth on one side and tea was brought to the table. Then the menus came with no English version available. It was going to be Google Translate for this lunch and hope for the best.
There was a family across from us that proved to be a life saver. The young girl was seeing us have problems and she spoke English and back home from California visiting her parents. Well we told her what we were hoping for and she showed us what to order. We ordered a couple of dim sum dishes followed by a vegetable filled pancake.
The Pancake
Dim Sum
Dim Sum
Mission completed
I have to say the first dish was very good. Then the pancake came and it also was good but a bit messy. The last dish was the shrimp dumplings which are boiled and also very good.
This by far was more than enough food.
The family was leaving and the whole family said goodbye to us and the father said he will see us again. It just showed us how welcoming the people are here.
Oh and the total cost of this meal $13 USD.
The Restaurant -聚川園餡餅粥 基隆店
From here it was a walk across the street to the Temple. There was this long stair climb to the top that was not going to happen. A little looking and I found a Bomb shelter which turned out to be the way to an elevator to the top. The things you find in bomb shelters. I can say I have never thought of looking in a bomb shelter to go somewhere.
Fo Guang Shan Ji Le Temple
Fo Guang Shan Ji Le Temple
inside a Defence Shelter
Once we arrived at the top we found an equal amount of stairs which we passed on and proceeded to do the Geocache up here called Xin 2nd Rd Bunker. Once done is was back down and have a further look in this shelter. I can say I hit my head a few times due to low ceiling’s, don’t think it knocked any sense into me because of the number of times I did it.
More Stairs?
From here it was time to head back to the ship with another stop for a virtual cache called Port of Keelung. I had to take a photo with my stamp in it of the terminal.
Cruise Terminal Building, but we were on the “other side of the harbour.
From here it was back to get some tea at the same we stopped at before. A sit and watch along the water front proved very nice.
The one thing we did notice on the way back was the many families out for the day being Sunday. It was a constant hello from locals all the way back.
Also I could not believe the number a arcade claw machines we passed while walking around. There were also video game places that were lined up with locals waiting to play.
Zhongzheng Park
Zhongzheng Park
The Port as we left – notice the lights spelling out Keelung.
This port turned out to be a great port after my initial thoughts of what it would be like. I just wish we had more time here.