Kaohsiung Harbor

Today, I received a little treat. The teachers and volunteers at Wu Fu got to go on a tour of Kaohsiung Harbor. This is one of those things that you say you want to do when you live someplace but never actually get around to doing. I was happy to spend my afternoon on a boat in the harbor. Even though I might say I'd do it on my own, I know that, in reality, I would probably never get around to it.

Kaoshiung is one of the busiest port cities in the world. The majority of those items you have around your home that say "Made In Taiwan" make their way through Kaohsiung Harbor. Today, I might have just seen the container with your new computer or your next pair of shoes. You can read all the details about the port in this Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Kaohsiung

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day for a boat ride in the harbor. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and only a light breeze. The late afternoon sun shone brightly overhead. At first, I wasn't sure I'd find such an industrial tour interesting. In fact, I didn't understand a word of the actual tour because it was all in Chinese (hopefully, that'll change with a few more Chinese classes). I enjoyed the company of my colleagues and the scenery instead.

I remembered to bring my camera along and I hope you enjoy the pictures I took. This tour provided some of the best views of Kaohsiung 85 that I've seen since moving here. Kaohsiung 85 is the tallest building in the city and overlooks the harbor. It's certainly the most distinctive feature of the Kaohsiung skyline. I bet you can't guess how many floors it has?

We finished our tour around 3:30 and some of us stayed at Fisherman's Wharf to talk and enjoy the view. The wharf is just a string of trendy restaurants, bars and coffee shops. It's an amazing place to see the sunset over Cijin Island across the harbor. I got to watch the light of the sun make the water glisten as it slowly disappeared in the sky and thought about who I would like to share this view with.

Fortunately, I got pictures of that sight so I'll be sharing remotely with all of you in the blogosphere.