How did I get to Keelung and heard about Pudu? Six months ago, I decided I wanted to travel to East Asia. I didn’t know where I wanted to go, but with a newly earned bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies and an interest in conducting research, I knew I wanted to immerse myself in a culture I had never experienced … Read More
Guiding the route in English I was slightly worried that I wouldn’t get anything out of the experience because I don’t speak Chinese, but I was very wrong. The tour guide, Ilun, speaks wonderful English and was able to tell me a lot. The group i was in were all Taiwanese, but I never felt out of place. As it … Read More
Ultimate Travel Guide for Keelung Keelung City is a port city located in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It’s about 30 minutes from Taipei by bus, which makes it perfect for a day trip. The most common reason why people visit Keelung is to eat their way through its famous Miaokou Night Market. I assure you, it is a VERY … Read More
The Keelung Night Parade takes place two weeks after the end of the Ghost Month. When the time comes, huge dancing figures take over the streets of Keelung. The entire city gets wrapped by the smoke from firecrackers and the smell of incense. The usual noise of the motorcycles is replaced by melodies from trumpets and drums. And people of … Read More
I recently had the privilege of joining a very special walking tour with Keelung For A Walk: The Ghost Festival Tour. Despite the fact that there are currently no English tours happening (and likely won’t be for some time as COVID-19 has meant such restrictive travel measures), I was able to accompany the group for a Chinese tour, of which … Read More
There are only a handful of countries in the world that have survived to the modern day while having been coveted by so many major powers. Some famous ones like Poland springs to mind. Sandwiched between larger neighbors and even disappearing off the map for a good century, they’ve had a less than enviable history. Or Vietnam, a country that’s … Read More
Visiting Keelung History Up Close Before we get to the Ershawan Fort in Keelung, let’s talk history. If you’ve ever been sightseeing in Taipei, you’ve probably noticed that there are hardly any pre-World War II sites left. Taipei is, generally speaking, a city that was deprived of its historical shape by the politics Kuomintang Party governing after the war. It … Read More
In an earlier article, I made a call for establishing a red light district in Keelung. Controversial as it sounds, I believe that Keelung City has the potential to be the Times Square of Taiwan — provided the city is willing, and able, to overcome its taboos and culture of conservatism. During the 1970s and 1980s, New York’s Times Square was the site of … Read More
The hospitality of Taiwanese People “Taiwanese people are the most generous and kind people we’ve ever met.” I’ve heard this statement from several people who have visited Taiwan previously. Many also said that the people of Taiwan are some of the most amazing people they’d ever met. I was very fortunate to experience two overwhelming experiences of this myself, both … Read More
Are Aboriginal Taiwanese the ancestors of Polynesians? I explored this claim during my recent visit to Keelung. I’ve been traveling with my family for two years around Asia and the Pacific. Learning about history and culture while we travel is always an interesting way to know more about a place. Coming to Taiwan presented me with the opportunity to explore … Read More
