Daliao is very working class. It sits right on the industrial saturated rural edge of Kaohsiung city.
Our immediate neighborhood is made up of ordinary working people. The type Australian politicians like to call “battlers”. They are also a wonderful mix of young and old. They are mostly native Taiwanese but a few KMT immigrants, Indonesian and Philippine maids and Vietnamese brides as well.
Taiwan in general and Kaohsiung particularly is not renown for its architecture. There are some worthy modern buildings and some nice old ones but for the most part, Kaohsiung is full of ceramic tiled, rust stained concrete boxes.
Most of Kaohsiung has been built in the last 60 years. The first half of that period people were poor and the national identity characterised Taiwan as a temporary refuge before returning to the mainland. There was neither the money nor the pride to build beautiful houses.
The last 30 years Taiwan has increased its wealth but I contend it is yet to find a pleasing national style that combines concrete, steel and ceramics beyond simple functional boxes.
On a couple of recent outings I captured a number of interesting houses in Kaohsiung. [Read more →]
After our very successful Jinshui camp trail hike I convinced fellow hiker Joel to climb the mighty Beidawu (North Dawu) mountain that looks over the Pingtung plains and Kaohsiung city.
Time exposure looking west to the setting New Year moon. The twin urban glows of Pingtung and Kaohsiung shine up through the sea of clouds.
