Day 8 - Kaohsiung

Today we travel from Kenting to Kaohsiung. When Brad asked the people at the surf shop the way to take a bus, we were told that it's actually less expensive to take a taxi – or that's what Brad thought she said. Turns out she was suggesting a mini-bus. Which was great, as the guy picked us up right outside the shop. It was pouring rain when we left. He then made 3 stops to pick up more people to fill the bus. Only issue as that the people sitting near the a/c vents closed them, so the 2.5 hour ride was quite stifling. We arrived across from the Kaohsiung rail station and a taxi took us to our hotel.

Our Hotel is the finest hotel in the city – Ambassador Hotel. Doormen, Concierge, restaurants, etc. Now we're living! All for less than the cost of a Holiday Inn back home though!!

When we asked where to get Regular food, after much back and forth the Concierge suggested we go to the department store as there were restaurants and a food court there.

We ate lunch in a nice Japanese Restaurant as Brad was craving curry. I had a dish of fried pork over rice with a spicy meat sauce. It was served with a salad, sliced pickles and a marinated sliced fungus of some sort, along with iced tea. Quite good. Lunch for 2 was around $500. We were in a nice upscale kind of place. I'm liking the good life...

We then walked around a bit, stopped into a Starbucks and Brad enjoyed a beverage while we sat upstairs enjoying the view of the traffic below.

We then found the metro and went to Lotus Pond, as suggested by the guide book. Frankly it was quite lame.

We then went back to the metro and instead of going to where we got on, Brad suggested we get off where the 2 lines intersect. Good decision – he knows how to travel and find stuff! It put us near a busy area – Bridal Cake Street and the Night Market.

The Night Market was just getting started, so we walked to the end.  Saw some chicken hearts on a stick and just had to give them a try:

By the time we got to the end, it was dark and we were in a nibbling mood. We tried candied fried squash,

stopped at a seafood market ordered a plate of clams and beers,

then tried squid balls – yuk – tossed them away, which was a first for me on this trip.

Brad ordered a “Mexican” Burrito, strangely good and I ended with some dumplings.

We then made out way back to hotel with the intent to walk along the River Promenade, but it started to rain so instead we went to the top floor lounge and had a few adult beverages. Brad had ordered Johnny Walker and it was served with 1 ice cube – shaped like a small baseball thoguh, perfect size for the glass. Very cool.

So that was Kaohsiung, on to Tainan next...