The first two stops today were the Eternal Golden Castle and the Anping Fort (Fort Zeelandia). Both were originally built under the Dutch and then renovated under the Qing Dynasty. Construction began in 1624 and finished in 1634. The Dutch were in control of the west of Taiwan for only 38 years. They had hoped to build a stronghold for trade with China directly. The Dutch East India Company’s presence had a great influence on the aboriginal tribes of the area. It forced them to shift away from their traditional farming techniques and to turn to increased hunting. This led to over hunting and greatly decreased the population of many species on the island. Overall, my impression was that the Dutch were not great for the native people here, but were not horribly abusive. They brought African slaves for the heavy labor, and really looked to the locals for food and assistance with trade.
The current Eternal Golden Castle was built in 1876 over the Dutch ruins in response to Japan’s invasion in 1874. The Qing emperor sent an ambassador to oversee the construction of the defense system and to hopefully negotiate a Japanese military withdrawal. The Eternal Golden Castle is Taiwan’s first modern fortress. It really only requires a 30 minute visit. Remember your International Student Identification Card (ISIC)! It gives you 50% off at most sites.
The Anping Fort was much more interesting and warranted a nice stroll. The courtyards are littered with deep rooted banyan trees and make for some really nice photos. Anne explained that the original Dutch structure was actually built with water, rice, and seashells.
We visited the statue of Matsu. Each region has its own patron god. Since Tainan is on the ocean, its patron god is the goddess of the sea. The story says that her brothers were out at sea during a large storm, and that she prayed and prayed for their safe return. She was so upset and concerned for their well-being that she herself almost died. She is now remembered for her dedication to her family and to the gods.
We checked out a famous traditional street with several homes built in the Fujian style (the people from southern China who first immigrated to this region). The best part of the day was meeting up with Anne’s aunt Amanda at the Anping Tree House. The house was originally built by British traders in 1867 as a warehouse. During Japanese occupation it was used to store salt. After WWII Tainan’s salt production decreased and the house was abandoned. For 60 years the only resident in the house was a large banyan tree. The house is now completely overtaken by the thick roots and branches of the tree. The city has built a walk way that allows you to get a nice view from above the house. While exploring the house, a huge group of high schoolers arrived. With Anne’s assistance I asked the head teacher if I could take a jump shot with the students. They were excited to do so and wanted pictures on their own cameras as well.
Amanda after having already treated us to the tree house also bought us salt souvenirs and some yummy goodness dessert! The establishment they took us to is very famous in Anping for their Douhua. Douhua is like pudding with a variety of toppings. You can pick red bean, lemon, or pearl jellies. I have become a huge fan of red bean, but also enjoy the refreshing taste of the lemon. It was a pleasure sitting down with Anne’s Aunt and discussing her automotive business and our future plans. Her generosity will definitely stick with us. We spent some time at the beach before heading home for the evening. Some other strangers joined us for a nice jump shot.
The current Eternal Golden Castle was built in 1876 over the Dutch ruins in response to Japan’s invasion in 1874. The Qing emperor sent an ambassador to oversee the construction of the defense system and to hopefully negotiate a Japanese military withdrawal. The Eternal Golden Castle is Taiwan’s first modern fortress. It really only requires a 30 minute visit. Remember your International Student Identification Card (ISIC)! It gives you 50% off at most sites.
The Anping Fort was much more interesting and warranted a nice stroll. The courtyards are littered with deep rooted banyan trees and make for some really nice photos. Anne explained that the original Dutch structure was actually built with water, rice, and seashells.
We visited the statue of Matsu. Each region has its own patron god. Since Tainan is on the ocean, its patron god is the goddess of the sea. The story says that her brothers were out at sea during a large storm, and that she prayed and prayed for their safe return. She was so upset and concerned for their well-being that she herself almost died. She is now remembered for her dedication to her family and to the gods.
We checked out a famous traditional street with several homes built in the Fujian style (the people from southern China who first immigrated to this region). The best part of the day was meeting up with Anne’s aunt Amanda at the Anping Tree House. The house was originally built by British traders in 1867 as a warehouse. During Japanese occupation it was used to store salt. After WWII Tainan’s salt production decreased and the house was abandoned. For 60 years the only resident in the house was a large banyan tree. The house is now completely overtaken by the thick roots and branches of the tree. The city has built a walk way that allows you to get a nice view from above the house. While exploring the house, a huge group of high schoolers arrived. With Anne’s assistance I asked the head teacher if I could take a jump shot with the students. They were excited to do so and wanted pictures on their own cameras as well.
Amanda after having already treated us to the tree house also bought us salt souvenirs and some yummy goodness dessert! The establishment they took us to is very famous in Anping for their Douhua. Douhua is like pudding with a variety of toppings. You can pick red bean, lemon, or pearl jellies. I have become a huge fan of red bean, but also enjoy the refreshing taste of the lemon. It was a pleasure sitting down with Anne’s Aunt and discussing her automotive business and our future plans. Her generosity will definitely stick with us. We spent some time at the beach before heading home for the evening. Some other strangers joined us for a nice jump shot.
