Keelung’s a city full of colour, with its vibrant side streets, rainbow houses, lush landscape, and colourful culture. Here I’ll introduce some of the myriad ways colour shows up in Keelung. Side Streets Keelung’s side streets are awash in colour, lined with drawings of cartoon characters and bustling, glowing snack bars. I personally love stumbling upon a neon-lit restaurant on … Read More
Finding a little quiet time for yourself in Keelung After a full day of visiting Keelung’s Renai day market, the E-square mall, and the many stores, cafes, and little restaurants in the downtown core, you might want to find a little place to sit down and have a little quiet time for yourself. Recommend: Keelung’s Lido Butterfly Garden Keelung’s … Read More
Lighthouses exist in a liminal zone on the border between the elements, between the known world of houses, streets and hills and the dark, unknowable depths of the ocean. One one hand, they are expressions of man’s noblest ideals: structures whose sole purposes are to save lives, to reassure the lost, and to let societies prosper. On the other, they … Read More
4 Historical Lighthouses in Keelung Lighthouses have long had a unique hold on the human imagination. They are neither of the sea nor of the land. They exist in a liminal zone on the border between the elements, between the known world of houses, streets and hills and the dark, unknowable depths of the ocean. On the one hand, they … Read More
There is so much to see and do in and around Keelung. The city itself is home to a lively fish market, bustling night markets and a long multicultural history. One place of particular interest is the lovely Heping Island. There are so many things to do on Heping Island. With its beautiful coastline, park and fort, it is worth … Read More
Similarities in Faraway Places It is a rare wintry sunny morning in the oft rainy port town of Keelung. I ascend the rooftop of Keelung For A Walk, sticky aromas of coffee and cigarettes clinging around me as I gaze upon the hills that cradle the town and welcome in the sea air. The morning sun graces us with her presence like an … Read More
Just a few blocks down from Keelung Miaokou Night Market, you can find the red light district of Keelung. Here the lights are dim, storefronts are partially shuttered and people passing through walk hurriedly with umbrellas hiding their eyes. Rocky ledges of storefronts create a barrier to distance its owners from the street hustlers and scantily clad women; motorcycles zoom … Read More
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Keelung port is undoubtedly the heart of Keelung. In summer, when it’s less hot in the evening or after dinner, you can take a walk along Maritime Plaza and enjoy the boats, the colours, and the lights on the water. It changes every few seconds, like a sort of disco for … Read More
Out and about in the middle of the Keelung night, my friends gave me weird looks when I drove across the road to the deserted part of the port at 3AM, looking for a fish soup shop. “Where are you taking us? There can’t be any food stalls in this dark and desolate place!” We went all the way to … Read More
The window of Keelung is always facing the ocean, and over the past few centuries, the oceanic culture of the region has accumulated rich and diverse imprints and experiences. In the mid-nineteenth century (1863), Keelung Port opened, and it served an important role in the strategy and trade that attracted attention overseas. During the Japanese colonial period, Keelung Port was … Read More