Time in Tainan.

After having decided that we'd had enough of driving the scooter for miles and miles every weekend, Martin and I took the train down to Tainan for a cultural weekend of temples and travel books.

We arrived quite late on Saturday night, quickly found a cheap hotel near the train station and set out for what we hoped would be a lovely Western meal at the Greenhouse restaurant - recommended by our Lonely Planet book. Not again will we go there however... we had to walk up 3 flights of dodgy metal stairs and the meal wasn't Western, it was more like Chinese/Western. Ok but not what we were looking for.

After supper we wandered around the city, saw some temples and enjoyed the park near the Confucious temple. Tainan is really a pretty city - lots of trees and greenery everywhere (quite different from Yuanlin).

We spent most of Sunday morning enjoying the Caves Bookshop, which was right next door to our hotel. We sat at the coffee shop there and read newspapers and books for hours. Lovely. (We also found a big "Let's Go China" - plans for travel next year are hotting up)

Later on Sunday we found the Matsu temple and did some more wandering. We ended the day with a delicious meal at an Austrian/German restaurant (this time we weren't disappointed with our Lonely Planet book's suggestion!)

Martin wiles away the time at the Greenhouse restaurant before pudding arrives.


These are the stairs we had to walk up to get to the restaurant - not fun!


The smile disguises the fear he feels trying to negotiate the stairs.


Can you see how high up we are?


One of the many temples we saw that weekend.


Martin strikes his sexy temple pose.


Well, it is the Year of the Rooster after all!


A cool big tree.


Cute old couple walking down a festive looking street.


Taiwanese Kate with guard dogs (according to feng shui, these wierd looking lion/dogs guard and protect your house or property).


Pretty trees in the park surrounding the Confucious temple.


Sexy boyfriend.


Cool shadows in the park.


Cute aren't we??


OK maybe not.


Sunday afternoon, and I'm reading all about the oldest Confucious temple in Taiwan.


And here it is....


I like dragons.


Martin outside the Matsu temple later on that day...


And I'm upstairs.


Smile!


On the balcony of the Matsu temple.


Martin really really likes my green handbag (mmmm...??)


Sunday night, eating a lovely Austrain meal before taking the train home.


Home James...