Palmy Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, 2014

 Las Palmas:  palm tree and the palm

As soon as we docked and got over our sea legs we made a quick walk to the ‘center’ and was it truly a centre! The road sign painted on the tarmac in various coloured radii each terminating with a balloon indicating what to expect in each of the directions is the literal road map.

As usual, we choose to visit the furthest part from the Pier and work our way back. That means we first go to the old town of Las Palmas called Vegueta. Clearly, walking there would eat up most of the time we have in the port. The alternative is to take the local bus and we do. Rain clouds loom as we drive by  the beautiful esplanade and the marina aflutter with sailboats.

Theatres galore

We get off at Triana, starting at the beautiful huge wrought iron spiral, a street lined by a gorgeous mix of old and new buildings filled with shops and cafés.  The street leads towards Teatro Pérez Galdós. The classic, stately,historical facade of intricate columns and sculptural details certainly distinguishes it for what it is – the most important venue for opera and classical performances in the city. Imagine what it would be like inside to so endear it to the Canarians!

The unconventional, modernistic building that we next come across is Teatro GuiniGuada. Appropriately, originally a cinema, it has adapted to changing audience demands. It now also hosts stage performances!

Within a short walk an attractive, graceful building stands before us. It's all a powder blue, with windows and details painted white, punctuated by brown balconies. This is none other than The Palacete Rodríguez Quegles. The story is that the mansion was built for a wealthy businessman. So it was a residence for nearly 70 years before the city bought it. It then housed the music conservatory until it evolved into a cultural centre. Had the building been open, we would have seen its stained glass windows.

 

Passage into discovery

We have by now crossed into Vegueta, stepping onto cobbled streets in the oldest neighbourhood of Las Palmas. The Plaza San Antonio Abad oozes history. San Antonio Chapel is an unassuming building. For a fee we could have gone in  to admire richly decorated carvings. But it suffices us to learn that Christopher  Columbus  may have prayed here before he set off on his voyage across the Atlantic.

Casa de Colón (Museo Canarias) is just next to it. Its focus is on Columbus's voyage, but it also claims to have the largest collection of Cro-Magnon skulls in the world! We choose to skip it. 

The piece de resistance 

We've been having glimpses of orthodox,  pinkish bell towers all along. As we saunter into Santa Ana Plaza, there standing before us is the iconic 16th century, gothic style Cathedral of Santa Ana , the very first church (built in the 16th century) of the Canary  Islands. Inside, the towering columns seemingly branch out into the vaulted ceiling, creating an impressive shape of palm fronds. Was las palmas named after palm fronds? The building is surrounded by colonial style historic buildings with wooden balconies. Going by the mixture of locals and tourists relaxing and soaking in the atmosphere it is highly popular, indeed. Though enigmatic, the eight bronze dog statues in the square have become the symbol of Las Palmas . It is a popular gathering place for locals and tourists and often hosts concerts and festivities.

Plaza de Espíritu Santo: triangular square

A stone's throw away we encounter a triangle, not a square. Its attraction is the covered Hispanic fountain, one of the few of its kind. The flora in the ‘square’ is an illustration of the link between the Canary Islands  and the Americas.. The square is surrounded by stately, colourful buildings. 

Our next stop is  Plaza de Santo Domingo,named for the 17th century Church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Again stately houses and trees contribute to the serenity and loveliness of it all. We're almost where we started our walk of discovery.  

Suggestive names 

Gabinete Literario ( literary cabinet)? Your guess is as right as mine. It is a library as stunning as its name.

Plaza de las ranas ( frog square):

Yes, lots of foliage and plenty of frog sculptures.

Walking through quiet and quaint alleys and catching sight of the city skyline from afar ends our visit to the historic quarter. A few hours immersed in the historic but vibrant atmosphere is enough to seal our admiration for Las Palmas's pride in its heritage and its subtle adaptation to modernity.

Sand art with the help of palms

Back at the pier and after a quick meal there's still about two hours before we set sail. It's begun to drizzle. Will there be time to explore the other side of the city? I decide to take a gamble. A brisk walk takes me to the mercado and the eateries that seem not so busy.  Taking peremptory peeks between the buildings I get glimpses of a sandy beach. A short street takes me there and I am stunned. Before me is a wide expanse of beach all full of Biblical scenes carved into or built of sand. The landscape is often Canarian. They are incredibly huge. Certainly not the work of just one artist per scene. The elaborate, large-scale artistic creations definitely involve professional sculptors.

Trivia:

Las Canteras beach is one of the best urban beaches in Europe notably for  the great weather and proximity to a bustling city.

It has more that 200,000  visitors a year

The first sand sculptures were made at Christmas in 2006

Prestigious artists are often involved.

Everyday life

On the way back to the ship I make a quick visit toThe Mercado del Puerto,  the very first food market in the Canary Islands. It Was once a very traditional Spanish fruit, veg, meat and fish market but has transformed into a fashionable bustling night scene. The colourful Christmas stalls both outside and inside are bustling with souvenir hunters.

Closer to the ship is a mall. Another stunning display of nativity scenes in dioramas. Capping it up is the glittering pumpkin carriage drawn by a reindeer.

 

Keelung,Taiwan: from dawn to dusk

 

What a welcome

The second time we called at Keelung Port it turned out to be a bright, dry day. Having been there before and chosen to make a day trip to Taipei, it is time to explore the ‘rainy port’ as it is often called because of its record rainfall, to the tune of nearly 200 wet days a year! What will the 2nd largest Taiwanese seaport port have to offer? 

As we sail in, engulfed in golden liquid light, a tall bright-orange tower stands out for it looks like any port crane but a bridge extending like a finger from it draws our curiosity. Definitely something to explore.

Auspicious 

As we walk out of the pier in the general direction of the city we notice the gracefully upturned eaves of a Chinese temple. The laughing Buddha seems to greet us with much glee. Ascending the stairs through the arches we are met by a pair of smiling cheongsam clad temple greeters.

Aesthetic coalescence 

Within is an awesome sight. This temple has embraced modernism as well as adapted different styles for its interior– motifs on the ceiling, modernistic murals  depicting the buddhist creed, chandeliers, and patterns of colored marble on the floors. There's none of the incense smoke traditionally associated with Chinese temples. A good place for quiet meditation.

The stairs not taken

Geographically we are at the foot of the three tall pagodas atop a hill that forms the park. We have to hunt for the path that will take us to the top. A short exploratory walk around the temple helps.  A gap in a grove of trees is a giveaway. It leads to a little path on a slope. We hope it is the right one. It is, as we find out after what seems like 100s of steps alternating with sloping windy paths through the trees. Walking through the copses and lush vegetation we breathe in the scents of the foliage speared by the sun's rays. Drink thinks he's had enough so he finds a shady spot to sit until I return. I have an hour. I'm not giving up. So, up I trudge with a sense of adventure. There are quite a few different diversions by way of short flights of stairs but many have been cordoned off. 

I have now reached Zhu Pu Altar, the 3 pagodas seen from below. This is the famous temple associated with the Ghost Festival. But,it is cordoned off just as the alternative routes had been blocked. It's because some part of it has been considered unsafe and therefore undergoing repairs. 

Elevated

As I work my way up even furthur, at one point I face huge steel cylindrical supports and bright orange beams and girders. These belong to none other than  the crane-like structure we spotted from the pier! A little more huffing and puffing takes me to the entrance atop the Keelung Tower which has a long viewing platform. It actually has lifts from the ground floor. Sadly, it wasn't open. The vantage point offers panoramic views of Keelung City and the harbor. If you can identify the various places you've seen all of Keelung. Slightly down below, on the opposite side, a huge Confucius statue forms a roundabout for vehicles.

The Magpie connection

A bridge, called Magpie, leads to the next hillock where I hope to visit the acme of Zhongzheng Park. I meet a couple of women, one with a professional camera, walking about taking pictures and wondering if the roughly cut stairs before us would take us up to the park. At the same time a couple walks down the same stairs, encouraging us, “only 150 steps more!”. Again the path alternates between flights of stairs and sloping windy trails passing through vegetation punctuated by little altars. Finally after nearly 250 steps I'm at the peak, mercifully at the foot of the Buddhist Goddesses of Mercy. She is 25 metres tall, protected by the Big Buddha and two gigantic dragon guards. This statue is said to be the tallest of its kind in Asia.

Inside the statue, a stairway leads to the top, providing an even more stunning vantage point. I am quite satisfied with the wonderful views I've had so far and therefore turn to the airy pavilion for a breather and then bounce my way back to Drink who has been waiting patiently in a shelter armed with a water bottle and snacks. We jaunt back to our liner for lunch.

Miaokou Night (and day)Market.

And then we are back on the streets again. We shouldn't miss the night market so we are told. I felt we were walking into a temple after negotiating some of the old streets for we are surrounded literally by row upon row  of tasseled bright red and yellow lanterns.

And then we see it. A temple entrance to a small 100 year old shrine . This is the DiajinTemple. The night market is called Miaokou Night Market because ‘miaokou' means temple entrance.

The  ‘night’ market,  a foodie heaven, is open throughout the day! 

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Creepy remains

Having read something about an old mansion in the vicinity we begin to try and locate it with the rudimentary tourist map we have. It turns out to be a hunt for we are hampered by unmarked alleys and difficulty in judging distances, recognising hidden restaurants, etc. We have been walking along Jiufen Old Street. We find a potential short narrow windy staircase,  along which are homes (a definite privacy problem there with tourists inadvertently wandering into their yards) and even tinier restaurants.  At the top of the stairs we stand in a reasonably large square that leads to  broader, more colourfully tiled stairs with twists and turns. Looking up from there we get our first view of the ruins of a 1913 house which belonged to a local politician during the Japanese colonial period. The  abandoned house is overgrown with vegetation, making it quite picturesque. Just sidling up the sides gives me the creeps, so walking into its damp and mossy bowels is a no no. It is obvious that this Taiwanese building had elements of the Chinese and the West – red brick walls, bamboo windows, and tilework. Since the derelict is high upon the hills it gives us another panoramic view of the city.

Have metro will go

Since we are close to the Metro station, why not try the system? We get a day pass from the automatic ticketing machines. The Red line takes us to Formosa Boulevard Station whose  "Dome of Light" in the concourse ranks among the top 50 most beautiful subway systems in the world. We hear music as we enter, and lo and behold, there is a school orchestra performing. A feast for the eyes and ears indeed. We sit for a while on the thoughtfully placed chairs and enjoy the music. A walk around the vicinity is also sensory. The glass shell structures at the four corners of a junction are subway entrances. One particular street is devoted to wedding dresses. We realise that we've run out of time and risk missing our boat and so return to the station to be overwhelmed by the number of busy stalls, selling toys, trinkets, clothes, etc..at the concourse. 

 

Dome of light

Railway museum bonanza

A discovery. Back at the Port we find we have a few hours to kill and we still have a valid metro ticket. Why not take the Green line to the far end of the art pier?  Almost at the end of the line is the Takao Railway Museum. The interior replicates Kaohsiung station during the 60s and 70s, its golden days, replete with antique cabinets for tickets and documents, a ticketing machine, the station master's room with a route map under curtains to keep it from spying eyes. The Station master's hats are available to try on

Pier2 art centre is worth more than a peer

Walking towards the cruise dock several stations away takes us through the Pier 2 Art Centre.  Located at the sides of the pier are the artistic warehouse clusters. The warehouses are now a cultural centre hosting a series of exhibitions all year. All around me I see creativity, imagination and animation in murals, installation art and statuary. It is fascinating to see lots of people appreciating the quirky works. Many stalls selling art and craft and artisan food are just closing up perhaps because the exhibition of the day is coming to an end. 

The Pop Music Center stands out for its architectural beauty. Called ‘Great Wave’, the ensemble is rounded off by ‘Coral’, a roof composed of hexagons on branching steel pillars.

More wonders

The Great Harbour Bridge, a pedestrian bridge,  happens to be the first rotating bridge in Taiwan. It's also the longest cross-port rotating bridge in Asia.

Walking through the old streets we pass through rows of yellow claw machines both on the five-foot ways and within shop houses. Hundreds of them each with a glass case enticingly loaded with soft toys and what-nots, prizes that would delight a child and the child in you.

A farewell that matches the welcome

When our ship berthed at the dock we were ushered in by dragon dances. As we leave, a whole lot of visitors line the pier to wave us as we sail off into a beautiful sunset. 

Note: 

Keelung is especially festive during the 7th Lunar Month (around July or August based on our calendar), which is unusual in the rest of the Chinese world for it is an inauspicious month when hungry ghosts roam free.

The wooden promenade by the harbour is a vast open space with plenty of benches to simply sit and absorb all the beauty of the skyline and liveliness surrounding it.

An Amalgam of cultures: Taipei, Taiwan 2015

 From Keelung to the historical and contemporary city centre 

We sail into Keelung Harbour in the early hours of the day. It is raining 

We have been warned that taking the train from Keelung to Taipei involves one transfer which could turn out to be complicated and so we opt to try the bus. The Marine centre where our liner has docked is not too far from the intercity bus station. Finding the correct bus and getting the tickets Is child's play. We are pleasantly surprised that only one other couple from our ship is on board. The rest must already have booked tours or shore excursions. As we cross the Keelung river we get a beautiful view of Taipei’s skyline softly veiled by the mist. Once in the central bus station we get a day pass and then board a train to the historic and contemporary part of the city, the Longshan Temple Station.

History Bopiliao area: charmingly old and new

Just as we exit the station onto the closest street a huge board greets us.

The road signs are clear and informative. More importantly, they are also in English. In a few meters we will be in the Bopiliao historic lane. The blocks, are made up almost completely of one or two story brick buildings, many more than 200 years old, is,  consequently, one of the earliest commercial districts in northern Taiwan. The street houses have been repurposed into museums, shops, cafes, and art exhibitions. The friendly staff beckon us towards an art exhibition. We climb ancient stairs and walk through historic wooden doors. We even have a glimpse of the earliest printing blocks. All in all it's an unforgettable, rich and immersive experience into the blend of the old and new. Tribute to victory and remembrance of  tragedy

Only a short walk away is Liberty Square. The pleasant tree lined avenue, one of many in the city, leads into it through a fabulous arch made up of five arches. Greeting us is a marble building with a brilliant peacock-blue tiled roof. 

It's the Chiang Kai-shek memorial hall. A controversy surrounds it because it commemorates an  authoritarian ruler. As we are contemplating examining the lower levels for the various rotating art and historic exhibits our attention is drawn to the fact that the crowd has grown and it is drifting towards the edges of the hall. Perfect timing in every way. It is the hourly changing of the guards. The clicking and stomping in unison with the swinging of arms and raising of knees and several other precision military moves certainly awed the audience. 

From the memorial we see the two Chinese-temple style buildings with red pillars, and red-tiled roofs with upturned eaves. 

They are the National theater and the concert hall at the entrance. It is no wonder the vast and impressive expansive landscaped spaces of the square are said to be perpetually hosting some kind of immersive activity.

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Engineering marvel: dizzying but sturdy

From the enormous museum beneath the statue does not disappoint. The comfort we found in the fully air-conditioned building came to and end when we find ourselves in the concourse of a multi-level level shopping centre whose maze dizzies us out into the wet puddled streets whose broad streets are lined with government buildings

A slight tilt of the head is enough to get our bearings. We are right next to Taipei 101, just outside  the World Trade centre metro station. Named For its 101 stories it is statistically an engineering marvel and the first building of its kind in the world. The architectural features combine traditional Chinese, Asian and  modern. It is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes which are common in Taiwan.

From one marvel to the next

It doesn't take long to reach Longshan temple with its unmistakable incense smoke and smell. The smoke does not deter worshippers and believers from participating in traditional rituals like lighting joss sticks and sticking them in the sand filled urns,or seeking fortune tellers. The altars, the chapels, the gongs, the shrines all displaying exquisite artwork in vibrant colours and intricate carvings, lacy designs along the eaves, the huge cast iron sculptured pillars, the red wooden pillars painted with Chinese emblems  and their wooden joinery were all overwhelming.There's more: carp pools, fountains, and little courtyard gardens. It is obvious that Longshan temple is cherished by the Taiwanese for it has been restored several times after being ravaged by war and natural phenomena. 

Photo opportunity

We are walking along the entrance to city hall flanked by the traditional lines. It affords a photo opportunity. The Rain has left a sheen in the form of a thin layer of water that looks more like a skating rink, right on  yet another spacious avenue,  reflecting the important government buildings around it.

Surprise surge: double 10

Just as we approach Sun Yat Sen memorial we see tents, moving multitudes, flags, etc. We try to weave our way to the main entrance to the hall which contains a statue of Sun Yat-sen. Every hour, there is a formal changing of the guards, which is a popular tourist attraction. So, are the people waiting for it? No one speaks our language. A few days later we find out that it was a double 10 day( 10th October) which happens to be Taiwan's National Day. Thus the celebrations.

We decide to explore the gardens and the exhibition centre and then weave our way back to the road that would take us to the famous red brick building.

Japanese  Buddhist temple

A small Japanese type entrance gate calls for exploration..three serene guided Buddhas face the rows of long tables covered in gold coloured satiny material. Had we more time we would have perused the religious exhibits in the upper levels. In the near distance is the stadium still under construction.

‘Pedestrian’ but intriguingly chaotic

Xi men ding can be thought of as the counterpart of New York's Times square. Besides it is the oldest district in Taipei which means the oldest buildings and temples are found here. Yes it is quite close to the Biloxiao historic area.

And this is where the octagonal red house, taking its name from the red brick walls, is. it is actually made up of an octagonal building and a cruciform building. Adapting to changing needs, a cultural transformation has made it a trendy bustling market.

The surrounding area is so busy with traffic and filled with high end boutiques and cafes that it's hard to believe that chaos sits right next to the quite landscaped governmental district.

As we amble about a row of red lanterns hung above a narrow entrance sparks curiosity. It is the serene Tianhou temple tucked between modern buildings..  Had we more time we would have explored it further 

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A sight to watch

We have seen quite a bit of Taipei city in spite of the intermittent rain. But we have to make our way back to Keelung. We simply cannot afford to miss our boat. So there comes out our day passes again at the central station. At the turnpike there's a sight to behold. Visually handicapped masseuses in orange jackets are eliciting oohs and aahs (never mind the sceptics) from their clients.

The rainy city that didn't dampen spirits

On the journey back we pass by two other landmarks, the post office and the North Gate to the city. The third building, we're  guessing , is the railway museum. It is still  raining in Keelung. After all, this city is well known for ,at least 200  days a year.

The marks of colonisation and concord

The Keelung River  offered access to northern Taiwan for various colonisers, which explains why Taipei's indigenous culture has blended with those of China, Japan and southeast Asia.

We sure would have loved to visit the 11 storied presidential office building  known for its red and white facade resembling Japanese character..