Walking through the villages surrounding Keelung all the way from Yehliu 野柳, Heping Island 和平島, and Badouzi 八斗子 to Longdong 龍洞 and Aodi 澳底, the golden braids of suntanned “stone flower vegetable” 石花菜 cover the empty street corners. Occasionally, there is a sign by the road advertising “stone flower jelly” 石花凍, sold by the enigmatic “sea women” 海女, whose “culture” … Read More
The memories of Keelung’s traditional market | Grocery shopping in Keelung Mian Jie Fish Stall is situated within Huilong Market. Because the lady boss does not know how to ride a motorcycle, she has struck a long-standing deal with the ice merchant to deliver the fishes that she picks early each morning from Kanziding Fish Market to her stall alongside … Read More
Koufu food & Huilong Market The second generation owner of Koufu Food, Chen Yuan Yuan On a cool afternoon in Keelung, Taiwan, the aroma of freshly baked bread fills the air as we make our way to Koufu Food (口福食品) on Ren’er Road, where fried twisted dough and buns have become synonymous with the bakery. However, the second-generation owner, Chen … Read More
Swimming in Winter? I arrived in Keelung at the start of winter in Taiwan (January), and I was told that it would be too cold to swim in the ocean just outside of my window (more or less). I, of course, felt an inconsolable sadness after hearing this as one of my favorite hobbies was to swim with aquatic … Read More
In large and small ceremonies, Taoist priests wearing Taoist robes can be seen performing pujas on the spot, chanting words. In the eyes of ordinary people, Taoist priests are at different levels from us “Muggles”. “The hot man, shuttling through one puja after another, is there any secret that is unknown? In their eyes, what kind of existence is … Read More
For musician Chen Wen-Ji, Beiguan music was a chance discovery that led to a lifelong love affair. Origins of Beiguan Music In a cramped room with no heating or light, I sat with my friend Mila across Chen Wen-Ji in an informal interview setting. Distant suonas (嗩呐) cut through the air with its uniquely loud screeching, gus (鼓; drums) … Read More
The Keelung Heartbeat series is based on snippets of conversations we hear from the amazing Keelung locals when out and about in the city. We love telling you about the beautiful places in our city, its culture and its food—but what makes Keelung Keelung is the people. By capturing short moments of interaction between Keelung locals in an everyday setting, … Read More
The Keelung Heartbeat series is based on snippets of conversations we hear when out and about in the city among the Keelung locals. We love telling you about the beautiful places in our city, its culture and its food—but what makes Keelung Keelung is the people. By capturing short moments of interaction between everyday people in an everyday setting, we … Read More
Visiting Keelung’s Kanzaiding Fish Market In 1975, the west side of the Asahikawa River began to leave its mark on local culture. Located in the most prosperous business district was a consignment store and the largest fish auction in northern Taiwan at Kanzaiding Fish Market. Maybe it’s hard for visitors to imagine, but during the daytime, all the fish stores … Read More