cultural confusion in Kaohsiung

the Lotus Pond in Kaohsiung contains some of the more unique [and confusing] temple sites I've visited in Taiwan. the Spring and Autumn pavilions are no exception - winding pathways over water, almost cartoon-like statues, towering pavilions, a dragon you can walk through, and bright yellow lanterns.

traveling through Asia can give you access to many ancient and beautiful temples. some sites, however, are a little more modern. Taiwan has experienced a huge amount of growth in the last century, and most of that in the last 30 years. many of the main "attractions" in the Lotus Pond area were built in the 1950s and 60s. Lonely Planet calls them "fairly garish" - and I can't exactly disagree.

I'm not well enough informed to know if this is simply what the style of art was at that point in time, if these sites have legitimate cultural or religious significance, or if they are merely here to entertain the tourists. but they're bright and colorful, and at the least make for interesting photos. [even if they make me feel a bit culturally ignorant.]

and here I am awkwardly standing in the jaws of a dragon. the Spring and Autumn Pavilions are located just north of the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas [another unique site where you walk through both a dragon and a tiger.] but this dragon was quite long - its body made up a twisting tunnel, innards painted with murals. we walked a few steps in and then I realized I was a bit too claustrophobic to make it all the way.

further to the north, we encountered... this.

you enter through what looks like a temple gate. walk down the pier which is lined with stone carvings in a more traditional style. and then in front of the 24 meter tall statue of Xuantian Shang-di [Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven and guardian of the north] there was A CHICKEN.

one of those machines where you put change in and receive a golden egg filled with - a fortune? a prize? I don't know, but now I wish we would have found out. off to the sides were pavilions filled with kiddie rides. [you know - the kind that usually sit at the front of grocery stores in the US.] which makes it so convenient when you want ride a mechanical pony or train or racecar for 2 minutes while overlooking the koi pond.

I don't want to come off as being disrespectful, but this was just a confusing experience for me. was this a temple of religious significance? or an amusement park? or maybe it's acceptable to blend both of these things in one place.

one of the struggles of expat life is learning the culture. after almost 3 years, I'm still working on figuring it out and it's hard not to feel like I should know more than I do. Taiwan is so opposite of everything I grew up with that I experience some level of cultural confusion almost every day. I'm sure there are some things I just won't ever get. but even if I can't fully understand a place, I still try to appreciate it.

have you ever visited a place that was so culturally different it just baffled you?

Read more

the temples of Lotus Lake

the Lotus Lake area of Kaohsiung is packed with temples, pagodas, and pavilions. [I've already shown you the Confucius temple and the Dragon Tiger Pagodas - but there are plenty of temples not marked on the tourist map that I still found beautiful and photo-worthy.

I've said it before and I'm sure I will say it again a thousand times over the course of living in Taiwan: one of my favorite things is that you can find temples while wandering just about anywhere.

all of these temples were visible just by walking around the lake path - and we could spot plenty of dragon-topped roofs just a few blocks further back. just another reminder to keep your eyes open and look beyond the guidebook.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

and now I'd like to introduce you to my featured sponsor this month. Olivia is the Australian traveler behind the blog Halfway Somewhere, where she shares her travels and tips on everything from taking photos while traveling solo to how to survive an overnight train journey. I'm also in love with this clever DIY project she imagined - turning leftover foreign coins into magnets. read on to get to know her better, then stop by her blog for more!

I'm Olivia. I'm an International Studies student from Melbourne, Australia, although I try to get out of the country as much as I can. I like to move overseas and spend 6 months or more in a place as opposed to taking trips where you're constantly on the move, so that's what I write about the most on Halfway Somewhere - moving overseas, studying overseas, taking a gap year, all that fun stuff.

what are some of your favorite posts, and why? I recently wrote one called An Australian's first impressions of America that was both really fun to think up while I was in the States this year and seems to have resonated with a lot of people, both Americans and visitors, which is always nice.

Another one I really like is Can Harry Potter teach you a new language? I grew up on Harry Potter and basically love everything about it, so using it to learn Spanish was a lot of fun. Turns out it's not an uncommon thing to do, which is awesome.

what is your favorite trip you've ever taken? While I've never had a bad trip yet and I love all the trips I've done for different reasons, my favourite is probably my first big one when I moved to Ireland after high school. It was the first time I was on my own and out of my parents' house and I was living and working with some great people who I still see as much as I can, even though we're all spread out across the world now. I'd always wanted to spend my life travelling and that trip was like confirmation that this is what I want to do.

where would your dream trip take you? My dream trip is to buy an old Winnebago and spend months (years?) driving slowly around the world. I'll have to get it in the States since they're so cheap over there, so I'll explore Canada and America for a while and then bring it home to Australia somehow. That's probably two years away now, but I talk about it all the time. I try not to write about it too much since it's not happening soon, but every now and then I can't help it and dedicate a post to that dream.

learn more about Olivia on her blog: halfway somewhere

or follow along with:

bloglovin + twitter + instagram

Read more

Kaohsiung // dragon and tiger pagodas

have you ever wanted to stick your head in the jaws of a tiger? or know what it's like to be swallowed by a giant, scaled beast? our visit to the dragon and tiger pagodas at lotus lake in Kaohsiung let us do both in the the span of 20 minutes.

[warning: this is going to be a photo-heavy post... because you know how I love my dragons]

these twin pagodas are perched on the south end of lotus lake, seven stories tall. you begin by walking a winding bridge path, then enter through the enormous dragon. climb a few levels of spiral staircase and you'll find yourself face to face with dragons on a smaller scale [but no less fascinating.] this was the second time I've gotten up close and personal with my scaly friends. I love how they are always similar but not quite the same.

both pagodas are decorated inside and out with elaborate carvings, paintings, and tilework. they aren't exactly ancient... the pagodas [and much of the other attractions in the lotus lake area] were constructed in the 1950s and 1960s. but then again, much of Taiwan is not any older than that either.

you exit through the tiger's mouth, since "entering a dragon's throat and coming out a lion's mouth symbolizes turning bad luck to good fortune." or at least according to this website. the tigers done up in tilework were also pretty amazing. I've seen a few creatures other than dragons, but these guys with their stripes were a unique sight. [or maybe this is just because I love cats?] we also enjoyed the breeze from a few levels up, since it was well into the 90F range.

if you are in Kaohsiung and looking to spend a few hours, you can walk around the lotus lake and visit these pagodas and several other attractions, including the Confucius temple. this area is definitely touristy, but still fun to explore. [I mean... how many opportunities will you have to walk through the belly of a tiger?]

Read more

Kaohsiung // Confucius Temple

even after living in Taiwan for 2.5 years, I don't consider myself an expert on the culture or religions here. my knowledge of temples [for as much as I enjoy photographing them] is still pretty limited. part of the confusion is due to the blending of beliefs that happens here in Taiwan - some temples are places of worship for over 80 different deities. and many people here have created their own personal mix between Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese folk worship.

some of the temples even blend Taoist and folk deities [these are usually the colorful ones topped with dragons.] these are the ones I most often stumble upon, because they seem to spring up between buildings and around alleyway corners. and... a roof full of dragons is hard to miss. Buddhist temples are still colorful, but usually simpler and focused on the Buddha, obviously.

temples dedicated to Confucianism are the most plain, and I never really went out of my way to visit one. the Confucius Temple in Hsinchu has been under construction since we moved here, so when we had the opportunity Confucius Temple on Lotus Lake in Kaohsiung I was extremely curious.

we walked up to the front door and two old ladies seated at a table waved us in. I gestured to my camera and they nodded yes, but then repeated something that sounded to me like "you can only take six." I always hesitate because I don't want to be rude, so I resigned myself to not taking pictures if I couldn't understand the rules. thankfully, a young family was exiting the temple and the wife explained to me that the rule was "pictures are ok, but no flash."

I can't believe I almost didn't have any photos of the details inside this fantastic temple. the patterns in this place were amazing. the carvings, the hand painted details... everything was so symmetrical and repetitive. I could have taken a thousand pictures. [but, I had guests with me and we had other things to see.]

I still love my dragons, but from now on I won't be dismissing Confucian temples as potentially plain and boring.

the cup of coffee that fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Jenn. she drinks her coffee with Truvia + almond milk and blogs about lifestyle + home improvement over at Near and Far Montana.

linking up with Bonnie, Camila, Jessi, and Amy for Travel Tuesday.

Read more