Located a few km northwest of the central Taiwanese city of Chiayi is the city of Beigang, where the flamboyantly exotic temple of Chaotian is situated. It’s one of Taiwan’s most important temples dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, the deity of one of the major folk beliefs in the coastal provinces in Taiwan and […]
Read the rest of this entry »Archive for the 'Historical Buildings & Temples' Category
WoWasis visits Taiwan’s Sanxia Zushi (Sansia Zushih) temple near Taipei
The Taipei area is known for its beautiful temples, but for us here at WoWasis, none was more striking than Sanxia Zushi, 30 km southwest of Taipei. It’s a fairly close taxi ride away from the Yingge Ceramics Museum, so our suggestion is that you see both on the same day. In our opinion, […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits historic Lin An Tai House, Taipei
Like many other nations, Taiwan has done a great job of tearing down its old houses in its surge to create a modern country. Aside from its venerated temples, there’s precious little left of Taiwan’s architectural past. Fortunately, Taipei has preserved a very old house that was built in 1785 by Lin Chin-Ming, and moved […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis book review: Amy C. Liu’s ‘Taiwan A to Z: The Essential Cultural Guide’
Amy C. Liu’s Taiwan A to Z: The Essential Cultural Guide (2009, ISBN 978-957-97847-6-4)is the book we wish we here at WoWasis had read prior to visiting Taiwan. Amy C. Liu was born in Taiwan, but came to San Jose, CA when she was 13 years old. She attended high school in the U.S., got […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Lugang, a picturesque Qing Taiwanese coastal city
Lugang (or Lukang) is a historical town featuring wonderful temples, a historical walk through old Qing-era shops, and a museum well worth seeing. It is located approximately 110 km southwest of Taipei, on the west coast of Taiwan. The Lukang Historic Preservation Area comprises a number of old market streets, and centers around Putou Street […]
Read the rest of this entry »Want a quick getaway from Taipei? Take a one-day excursion to the spa town of Beitou and historic Danshui
If you’re like us at WoWasis, you love cosmopolitan cities like Taipei, but have to get out once in a while. And maybe you don’t want to have to rent a car or take a bus to do it. From Taipei , you can take an excursion that will bring you to the historical seafront […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Taiwan’s National Palace Museum in Taipei
The National Palace Museum, located in Taipei, is Taiwan’s marquee museum, and should be at the top of the list for every visitor. Additionally, one block away is the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines, well worth the visit. These two museums have combined on a special rate for a ticket to both museums. […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis travel clothing field test review: The tough and versatile Timberland 30003 Men’s 3-Eye Classic Lug shoe
Here at WoWasis, we think no one’s harder on shoes than we are. We tear them up while climbing over volcanic pumice. We beat the hell out of them on the terrible so-called sidewalks of Bangkok and Phnom Penh. We totally stress the upper part of the shoe above the heel because we constantly slip […]
Read the rest of this entry »Thousands flee Surin as new Thai-Cambodian skirmish erupts
Early Friday morning, in the sleepy Thai village of Kopcheung, some 500 residents awakened to the thunderous sounds of rocket fire and machine guns as Cambodian and Thai troops fought nearby. It’s a new skirmish, but the same old story, this time taking place 150 miles west of the disputed territory encirling Wat Preah Vihear. An […]
Read the rest of this entry »Making merit: Tham boon at a Thai temple
Many — and here we’ll take the risk of saying Most — Thais make merit at a wat (temple) periodically. Making merit is the act of taking a small gift to the wat, presenting it to a monk, reflecting on good wishes in the name of others, and receiving a blessing from the monk. Everyone […]
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