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Few visitors to Keelung miss the hilltop
Chungcheng Park , crowned by a white 23-meter statue of Kuan
Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Visitors can enjoy the view
of the city from
windows inside the hollow statue.
Keelung's most popular dining spot for local food is Miaokou (Temple
Gate), a
large cluster of food-stands selling fruit, seafood, chicken rolls, and
other Taiwanese snacks and desserts.
The temple is Chenghwang Temple, which
enshrines the Divine Ancestor of the people of Changchou in the
Fujien Province, the area from which a major portion of Taiwan's early settlers came.
Keelung was a base for the 16th century Japanese pirates, and was later
invaded by the Spanish, Dutch, and French.
A few traces of this turbulent past remain. Seagate Fortress, built
between invasions during the 1840s, lies on a hill overlooking the
harbor's eastern side. A hilltop on the western side offers fine views
from the remnants of the Dutch Fortress.
Nearby is the Cave of the Immortals, a narrow natural cleft in a
hill containing Buddhist shrines and sculptures. Keelung's 200-year-old
Pingan Temple contains images of the Earth God and his wife, their faces
blackened by centuries of incense smoke.
Hoping (Peace) Park, on an island at the harbor's eastern edge, has
fascinating natural stone sculptures and is popular for picnicking,
fishing, and rowing.
Keelung, a 40-minute drive northeast of Taipei, is one of Taiwan's
international seaports and transportation hubs. |
