A Year in Tainan City: March 2007

World's longest painting

A colleague from Franklin College recently shared this web site. You will find an amazing piece of art accompanied by Chinese music of a painting found at the National Palace Museum in Taipei. It truly is amazing in its scope and detail. I was able to see this painting when I visited the museum as well as a replica found at the Light of Buddha Mountain that is made of real hair.

http://myweb.hinet.net/home7/s661tang/river.htm

Currently, there is an exhibit at the National Palace Museum titled "Treasures of the World Cultures--The British Museum after 250 years. Some of the beautiful pieces that I hope to see are below.

A birthday to remember

This week I celebrated my birthday in style. It started last weekend with a lasagna dinner in Douliou with Rochelle and Karen followed by a great bike ride around JiJi. Today, my actual birthday, I received flowers, a chocolate cake, cards and gifts from my students and lovely singing of "Happy Birthday". It was a surprise and quite wonderful. Thanks to all for making this a birthday that I will always remember.

A day exploring JiJi

Saturday, Rochelle, Karen and I took the train to JiJi. The original station was leveled by the 921 earthquake. We rented bikes and had a great day exploring the area. All along the way we saw statues honoring the farming community and beautiful mountains in the distance.

Wuchang Temple in JiJi

On September 21, 1999, a terrible earthquake hit this region of Taiwan. The Wuchange Temple callapsed leaving the temple in ruins. A new temple is in the planning stages, but for now a temporary temple has been erected across the street.

Bananas are found everywhere in this farming community. We tasted several varieties, fresh and deep-fried. One was called the apple banana w

hich was reddish in color and tasted like apple.

Here we are riding our bikes under a canopy of camphor trees. This is called the Green Tunnel of Nantou.

An old fort with lots to explore

As we entered a cute shopping area, we noticed wishes made by visitors. Bells were attached to make a gentle ringing.

We stopped at an old fort with lots to observe. We were glad that we were not riding the bike found at the fort nor wearing the very warm looking peasant gear.

Sights seen along the way

Along the bike path was this wildflower garden that you could enter for a mere 10NT. I could see the elderly owner in the distance tending her garden. You were free to roam and cut a sunflower to take with you if you wished.