Kaoshiung

My trip south took me further to the industrial and harbour city of Kaoshiung (高雄). One of my uncles on my mum's side lives there. It's always a pleasure to visit, as my uncle has two little boys, who both remind me of when my brother and I was young. Just their looks, their characters, and playful nature are like mirrors into my childhood. Playing monopoly and poker card games, lying in bed talking late into the night about anything and everything. Though I'm much older, being around them makes me feel like I neverreally grew up. Somehow, part of that is true.

Reputedly the third biggest port in the world (in terms of volume) a few years ago, Kaoshiung was built on the banks of a natural deep-water port. Already in the maritime era, European powers set up base in the port, which was previous strangely known called'Hit-Dog' (打狗). The Japanese furthered the importance of the city by expanding the port, and in order to various agricultural produce and industrial goods back to the Empire. In the Cold War, American naval battle groups were stationed here to deter China from invading. As a result, the city is much more organised and well-planned than others in Taiwan. And as a result of the port, in the years when the country was still poor, this was the only place where rare foreign commodities, foodstuff and luxury goods can be found. In recent years, the city has become the industrial centre of the country, where many goods from other countries arrive, to be processed and value-added, before it is sold elsewhere. Special economic and industrial zones in the surrounding regions drive this important indsutrial pulse, which since the 1960s has powered the 'economic miracle' of this resource-poor island. Taiwan today thus holds the third largest foreign exchange reserves in the world.

Though a large harbour city, there are beautiful beaches further along the coast, like Si-zi Wan西子灣. Shame though, when I arrived, the previous typhoon had just knocked a dozen cargo containers into the sea. Those containers were seen beached on the sand, and its contents litter the beach, making it impossible to access.

No matter. A harbour cruise, under the boiling heat and cool sea breeze on a cloudless summer's day, then followed.