Traveling is difficult at times. As long as I can move, I am determined to see more of the world each everyday.
On what I walk to see...
"Objects do not have any intrinsic meaning- that meaning is conferred on them by us- and that different people, and the same person at different times, may confer different meanings on the same object." (Hammersley, 1989, p. 135)
Feeling like to pay St. John a visit these two day but... alas, with my physically capablility, it might be a bit too far for me to walk down there-- since 13 hours time difference and an ocean and a continent apart with me sitting in Taipei, typing this note. 8-O lol
So I went back to some pictures I took and came across the white peacock leisurely strolling alone in the park.... all aloof and paid nobody no mind... on August 9th.
There is this nice fancy clock right above the east main entrance of Sogo Department store on Zhongxiao East road. At around 4-5 minutes before the hour, little people would come out and sort of perform to the music of "It's a small world."
How cute!
Yet, somehow I have this feeling that they seemed to have remodeled the clock and it doesn't look as exciting as before.
The most interesting thing, though, is that I saw a group of 4-5 Caucasian-looking foreigners came out of the door right beneath the clock as I was waiting impatiently for the show to start... I looked at them and thought... "Wow... foreigners..." as if I have never seen non-Taiwanese before... (although, God knows, maybe they are also Taiwanese).
北門-承恩門 is one of the four remaining gates of the old Taipei city. The adjacent 北門郵局 Beimen post office has also been there for almost a century or so.
Following are the pix of 北門-承恩門 Chengen Gate as per the model of the East Metro Mall.
In my senior high school years, for three years, the bus trips would take me to where Beimen is but I apparently only saw an old building. 8-O lol
The most memorable story I had was that, one day in my senior year, I got on to the bus, woke up maybe an hour or two later, and saw the building. I thought I had missed my stop only to realize that, because of the demonstration on the street, the bus didn't move much. 8-O lol
12/6/2011
Since I was in Keelung, I had to go to the Miaokou Night Market where one could find all types of nice eats and a whole lot of them are traditional Taiwanese dishes.
I would love to test them all out except for... man... only have 1 stomach and there's only so much one can eat!
Though it is called night market, many of the venders start to run their business during the day time.
In my much younger and ignorant years, when I heard the term "Miaokou," which means the entrance of the temple, I thought it referred to the Mazu temple next to my uncle's clinic. Guess it was because, when I go to the market, my focus has always been on food and most of my blood would be busy rushing to my stomach-- leaving little in the air.
Then, one day, I realized that there was another temple there.
奠濟宮
It was not until yesterday did I pay the temple a visit for the first time--- and came out with this question in my mind-- whose temple is it? 8-O
After some research, I realize that 奠濟宮 is a temple dedicated to general 陳元光 (Chen Yuangguang). General Chen was from the Tang dynasty. He had led the Han people to settle in 漳州 (Zhang-zhou), a region in the Fujian province and contributed greatly to the development of the region. After his passing, people in Zhangzhou call him "開漳聖王" or the "Sacred Prince, Developer of Zhangzhou."
Because a lot of early immigrants in Keelung were from 漳州, the 奠濟宮 temple was built in 1873 so that the people could continue to worship and seek spiritual support from "開漳聖王" or the "Sacred Prince, Developer of Zhangzhou." And, because there were so many worshipers visiting the temple, street venders started to gather around the entrance of the temple (Miaokou) and eventually formed the market as we know today.
Gotta say sorry to the Sacred Prince for not knowing who he was until today.... and... especially when my ancestors also came from 漳州 (Zhang-zhou).
At least, now I know.... better late than never... I guess.
I also saw for first time how the night market is set up. I have been going to night markets alike my entire life but it never occurred to me, sort of, how venders set up their stands and form the night market...
I have been to Keelung so many a time but never knew that there are eagles hanging out at the harbor... speaking of the lack of observational skill... 8-X
Just so happen-- yesterday, I was thinking to myself... bye bye hawks... don't know when I shall see ya again.
Today, I went to see my uncle who owns a clinic in Keelung for my sinusitis and throat problems. Didn't get to see him because he happened to be going overseas today. Instead, I saw them big birds flying low above the deck...
So I asked this gentleman, "What are those big birds?"
He responded, "They are eagles. They are like migrating birds and you get to see them in winter."
