Keelung is a major
port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei with which it forms the Taipei–Keelung
metropolitan area, along with Taipei itself. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is
Taiwan's second largest seaport (after Kaohsiung). Taipei
City is the robust capital of Taiwan. The
skyline of this modern metropolis is crowned by Taipei 101, which was once the
world’s tallest building.
We had each been given a yellow,
disposable poncho to help shield us from the rain. Our first stop was the Giwado Chinese
Medicine United Clinic, where we were each given a 45-minute foot massage by an
accomplished masseuse. First, our feet
were soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes; then we were given 30-minute
foot and lower leg massages. Sally
enjoyed the massages, while Jesse thought they were a waste of time.
Our next stop was the modern Chiang Kai-shek
Memorial Hall, an octagonal building that reflects the fact that the number
eight is considered a symbol of fortune and wealth in China. Chiang Kai-shek was a Chinese
politician and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic
of China between 1928 and 1975, first in mainland
China until 1949 and then in Taiwan until his death. He
was recognized by much of the world as the head of the legitimate government of China until 1971, during which the United
Nations passed Resolution 2758, recognizing the People's Republic of China as "the only legitimate representative of China to
the United Nations" and removed the collective representatives of Chiang
Kai-shek and the Republic of China from the United Nations.
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| Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall |
The 88 steps leading into the hall are symbolic
as the president was 88 when he died. While
browsing, we saw statues of Chiang, his personal memorabilia, and the
bulletproof Cadillac that he used as an official state car. There was a large photo of Chiang with
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, and another with Ghandi. The main hall houses a large bronze statue of
Chiang protected by military personnel which change hourly. We were given time to watch the elaborate
“changing of the guard ceremony.” The
guards are a select group and train for several months before being allowed to
participate in the actual ceremony.
Our last stop was
the Longshan Temple, which was founded in 1738 and dedicated to the Buddhist
Goddess of Mercy. The temple is one of
largest and oldest temples in Taiwan. Since
its construction, Taipei residents have continuously renovated and improved the
temple and the surrounding grounds, with the temple coming to represent the
pride of Taiwanese temples and worship houses, worshipping a mixture of
Buddhist, Taoist, and deities like Mazu.
Although rebuilt numerous times in the wake of natural disasters, the
temple is still an architectural treasure.
The sweeping roof is decorated with mythical creatures. During World War II, the temple was badly
damaged by American bombers during the raid on Taipei after
an accusation that the Japanese were hiding arms inside the temple. The main building and the left corridor were damaged
and many precious artifacts and artworks were lost. The temple was rebuilt a few months after the
end of World War II.
We were back on the
ship by 3:40 PM, about 20 minutes before the Waves Grill closed. Sally napped after lunch, so after dinner, we
danced for 30 minutes in the Insignia Lounge.
We
set our clocks
ahead by one hour before retiring for the night.
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