Lugang

Saturday, August 21st 2010

We had planned to go to another city, but didn't know how to get there with out Devin (who woke up sick) so we went to Lugong on a quest to find 'The Fan Guy' and 'The Lantern Shop,' (neither of which we actually found . . .)

Luckily, Meg had her guide book and we hit a few touristy places (although this time I was far less touristy ;)

We took a taxi from the Train station in Chungwa to Lugong and he dropped us off at the north end of the main road that 'everything' is on. When trying to discussing if we should wait for a bus and pay 46NT or take the very persistent taxi driver's 350NT offer (which I definitely preferred) somehow we figured it was only a little more so we took the taxi (honestly, I didn't actually do the math, but I knew we were way off in our figuring, but I wanted to take the taxi so I went along with the 'basically the same' figuring ;) . . . . Well, there were only 4 of us . . . yep, we paid almost double ;)

Our first location was the one of the 'famous' temples (there really are temples EVERYwhere!)

I thought the neon light in the middle of all the old ornate decorations was funny ;)

It was really close to 'Ghost Day' (well the whole month is actually Ghost Month . . . ) so there were a lot of people there burning incense and money, offering their ancestors stuff, and praying to the different gods representing the aspect of their lives they need help in.

At the bottom is a koi pond (those are everywhere too!).

Me by one of the big incense . . . burners . . . holder (it seams a little big to be called that . . .)

I love the roof at the top of the picture!!!!

From left to right: Meg, Katy, Erin

When I finally get my perfect house I will give it a Chinese name and put in on one of these at the entrance gate!

Kay, I saw that in a Korean drama, but these things are also . . . well everywhere ;) I love them! (I wish I knew what they said . . . )

Me standing in a doorway trying not to look suspicious.

FamilyMarts are everywere in Taiwan, but I really never expected there to be one inside the gate of a temple . . .

We shopped around a bit after that and I bought weirdly good pastries (I still don't know why they were purple . . .) a very odd lime-aid (surprisingly too sweet) and a very beautiful fan (which will be shown later ;)

Meg's tourist guide took us to many places. The next was 'Breast-touching Lane.' Supposedly so narrow that two people passing couldn't help but touch. . . . Well we never saw the part that was that narrow, but it was very quaint and also known for it's cooler temperature (it's also called Nine-Turns Lane, but that's by the conservative Taiwan tourism bureau ;).

This part of the lane is apparently about 5 feet wide

As you can see it definitely has a distinctly different feel from the surrounding city.

This is a pic (from the museum we would visit later) of the narrowness of the Lane. Again, I don't think we ever saw this part . . . .

Well we proved that four people couldn't pass without touching.

Left to right: Kristi, Meg, Katy, Erin

Erin: "Do not touch my breasts!!!"

Next we headed for the Lugang Folk Arts Museum. But first we saw this 'park' (you can't actually play in it hence the quote) with a random dragon canoe in the middle of the . . . grass?

Right to left: Katy (with odd lime-aid), Kristi

Me in front of the Lugang Folk Arts Museum.

It was built by a Japanese architect for a prominent Taiwanese landowner in a distictly western style during the year 1917 (CE ;).

MOM!!!

I found the same flower that randomly appeared in our kitchen!!!

I had to take a picture! (or 3 ;)

I love the sun-flare!

This is just a great picture in a general sense!

(thanks Kristi!)

This gazebo was an amazing relief from the heat and walking of the day!

Me with the beautiful fan I bought (a white paper fan with hand painted black bamboo motif).

My first souvenir! The lady who painted it bragged that they export the fans to Japan, "Made in Lugang!"

I feel like I should be wearing an elegant gown ;)

A great contrast of Asian and European found withing the grounds of the museum!

Me standing next to a random red door found at the back of the grounds.

We finally went inside to the actual museum ;)

A display of different shoes worn by Chinese women with bound feet. I wish it was easer to see just how small they are. Those read ones are probably only 3 inches long (this size was considered the perfect 'Golden Lotus').

Can you tell that the inside is stone?!

A view from the second floor.

(the gazebo under the tree was our little respite)

Kristi took this picture from the other side of the inner . . . courtyard?

Through the door I'm standing near is a golden Buddha.

So I though it was cool to see Chinese people playing Chinese-Checkers, but I didn't want to be obvious . . . so I pretended to take a picture of Kristi (hence the thumbs-up)

(did I mention I was really tired?!)

From Left to Right: Meg, Erin, Katy, Kristi

Our next stop was another famous temple (this time famous for it's architecture which is from the . . . 1700's?)

From Left to Right: Kristi, Katy, Meg

Funny story. . . . So I was just waiting, tiredly, and all sweaty (in the current stance you see me), for the picture to be set up. I wasn't really paying attention and then I hear Kristi (who had been standing right next to me) say, "Oh, I guess we're gonna stand all cool . . ." Thus came about the theme of this picture ;)

I love that Kristi got a pic of this grandpa looking at the inner building of the temple. It really was beautiful!

The inner-inner building (the trees are 'famous' I guess)

in the back of which was:

Me sitting on the bridge over the koi-pond at the back of the temple.

On our way to who-knows-where we came across another great, if not small, temple, that I guess just called to us! It is so ornate it was fascinating!

I guess I couldn't wait until I was on the other side of the road . . .

Near most temples (and often on their own) are these neighborhood gods.

There were people working on it (behind my head) so we, again, tried to be inconspicuous . . .

You can also see that I got a little burn-line . . . see that heart-shaped necklace . . . yep it left a heart-shaped burn-line/heart!!! (^o^)

Can you tell just how gold it is?! or how intricate the stonework on the outside is?!

WOW!

And then there's the roof!

Well after that we got lost . . . finding . . . some academy that housed 300,000 or 3,000,000 (or something like that) sacred texts (I never found out of what) . . . . either way we got lost and were in this little town within the city, and two of us were feeling sick . . . so I prayed . . . . Then God put in our path not just one, but two random people who had lived in the Americas and got us (one literally walked us) to the bus station (of which we really would never have found on our own)!!!!