Day 28 - From Xuejia To Tainan, And Walking Around Tainan, The Long Walk South In Taiwan
Day 28 - From Xuejia To Tainan, And Walking Around Tainan, The Long Walk South In Taiwan
We got up early again today, in order to start walking before it got too hot.
The friendly host of our guesthouse recommended that we visit the Jingzaijiao Tile-paved Salt Fields, located west of the city of Xuejia, in which we spent last night.
This was a 20 kilometer detour to get there and back, which would not be possible to do in a day by foot.
She suggested we take the bus and come back and walk south.
We agreed to go.
But this morning as we waited for the bus, we read some reviews of the salt fields and learned that they are no longer in use, and are actually a tourist attraction.
Some people who had come by bus, said that it wasn’t worth the bus journey because it was a smaller place than they had thought and very touristy.
By 8 am, the day was already hot and uncomfortable for walking, so we decided to skip the salt fields and start walking south.
For a while, we walked on the main road that was shaded on one side, which was pleasant enough.
Then on some stretches of the road where there were no buildings, it was sunny and very hot.
The effective heat index temperature was 98 degrees.
After an hour and a half, we stopped at a convenience store to sit down and cool off.
I confessed to Jules that I was feeling so unattractive and unkempt.
Day after day I look in the mirror and I hardly recognize the person I see reflected there, as myself.
I am not a good spiritual master.
I am vain and I like to look good.
I need to treat my hair, sit with a face mask for an hour, and maybe feel a little better.
Jules kindly said that it is not possible to look glamorous while walking a pilgrimage.
I had to agree.
My hair is always sweating under my hat, and my skin collects so much pollution from the roads that we walk on.
Every time during the day when I wipe my face with wet wipes, the wipes become grey, even though I had cleaned my face that morning and applied sunscreen.
Some of the convenience stores have a large cosmetic section.
They sell all sorts of beauty products made in Taiwan.
They make great face masks in Taiwan, and because we were heading towards the city of Tainan where we will stay for three nights, I bought a package of good quality face masks.
The package was heavy, but I reasoned that I would be using it and having Jules use it too, before we would leave the city.
At the cash register, the sales woman told me that there is a sale of two for one, and urged me to bring over another package.
I have never been more reluctant to accept a discount before…
No, I am just joking, I took another package and thanked her.
We kept walking,
The area that is now north Tainan used to be comprised of many small farming villages.
We passed by a village that had statues of two bulls fighting.
A sign said:
“Bullfighting in Taiwan started here in the year 1969, when Yang Shiliao and Wang Zhisan from Dawan Village, in Tainan County created it.
It was called "Dawan Bullfighting".
It was a local battle created by the Taiwanese farmers, using humor, fun and acrobatics to realistically convey the fun of rural life in the past.
The rough characters of the local people, the strong stubborn bulls and their shepherds, were vividly portrayed.
Currently, the community is trying hard to cultivate new talents, hoping to revive its past glory”.
We arrived in Tainan tired and hot.
We walked to our hotel for the night, and were happy to see our spacious room, fluffy bathrobes and soft pillows and beds.
We showered and the first thing I did was to condition my hair and put one of the masks on my face.
It felt so good, almost like I was at home luxuriating in my own bathtub.
Later we changed our clothes and walked around to see the city.
At night, the city comes alive.
Every place is open late, and many people walk around dining and shopping.
We walked around the city to see the outdoor sculpture parks, the shallow water ponds that stretch across a few blocks, and the beautiful historic Hayashi department store.
This five story department store building was built in 1932 during the Japanese Colonial era.
It was in a very busy part of Tainan, but after the end of the Japanese Colonial Period, the owner returned to Japan, and the Hayashi Department Store was left empty.
In 2014, its status as a department store was restored, with a great many limited edition Hayashi goods on sale inside.
The elevator's floor indicator is the old style dial type, now probably the only remaining one in Taiwan, which preserves the authentic feel of the place.
There is a lovely cafe on the top floor where we sat to enjoy a refreshing drink.
We also bought some locally made cookies in the beautiful store and a small essential oil air refresher, that I will use to spray inside our hats after every day of walking.
We tried to eat at a popular vegan ramen bar, but it was so small and so popular, that the eight seats they have are always full, with a long line of people waiting outside.
Instead, we walked to a charming restaurant a few blocks away, that served us a delicious vegetarian dinner.
The thing about being a pilgrim without a home is that the places we choose to eat, are as important as the food.
We could eat yummy food in night markets, sitting on a plastic low chair, but it is not as relaxing and enjoyable as eating in an air conditioned restaurant with nice music and nice decor.
Luckily the city of Tainan has many lovely restaurants for us to enjoy.
Our feet were very tired, but we wanted to see the smaller streets in the area, including the famous Shennong Street that is decorated with brightly colored hand painted lanterns, and lots of boutique retail and cafes.
I figured that at night it would be nicer to see the street because the lanterns would be lit.
All in all, it was a hot day of walking, but a charming afternoon and evening in Tainan.
With love,
Tali
Today’s Stats:
Steps - 26,256
Daily Distance - 28 km.
Total Distance To Date - 441 km
