Episode IX: Deep Blue

(05/12/2006)

Kaohsiung people should be proud of their city. Love River, in the past also known as a smelly river, was cleaned. Now serves as a symbol of the city and is a wonderful place to go for a walk. It’s a great thing but I mean something else. I mean the fact that Kaohsiung is the sixth biggest container port in the world. Unbelievable is an amount of goods that go through it. It’s hard to imagine.
I believe that harbour is very important to the city. Mainly because local government plans lots of investments, modernizations and development projects. This part of the city is always under construction at the moment and will be great when accomplished. Entertainment area with many attractions and venues to spend time at. Also other useful facilities that will bring some learning opportunities to the people of Kaohsiung. There are a lot of things happening here.

By the way, last week I had a pleasure to visit Kaohsiung harbour while having relaxing boat ride during warm and sunny noon time. To see all those big tankers and other cargo ships was highly exciting and truly interesting. Their size is impressive. Long as a football pitch. Wide as the widest road in Taipei. Heavy as steel and iron. How those giants can sail and not sink? I know it’s a question that small boy would ask, but things like this will always be a mystery for me, although I’m not a small boy anymore!
Seeing the names of the countries on the sterns of the ships made me imagine untold adventure stories that happen onboard and during travels across the oceans.

Sea is mesmerizing. It’s hard for me not to look at it and just remain silent for a moment. I wish the waves embrace me with its merciless and humming arms. Their melody and voice make a man follow it into the blue depth, in pursue of the unknown miracle of the ocean.

As the part of the Kaohsiung port, Cijin Island is a place worth of paying a visit. Sweet barbeque squid is not a thing to miss there. Cijin beach does not compete with Kenting beach, but Cijin lighthouse offers a wonderful viewing point. Definitely it’s a right place to go and take some photographs of the city.
If we need some exercises, why not to ride a bicycle around the island. It’s easier than in the city because of a smaller number of the cars and scooters on the streets.

Kaohsiung is the city of an ocean. Let the ocean to ourselves. It’s on our side.