Sunday on Cijin Island

It was Sunday, not that days really matter when you are on the most amazing trip, but I wanted it to be more relaxed than other days. And what can be better than spending sunny Sunday near the ocean?

The view from Former British Consulate at Takow

Kaohsiung Port

While I was planning this trip I read so much about how Taiwan is too industrial and how it doesn’t have the charm of some other more popular Asian destination. But then I also found this building – Former British Consulate at Takow. It is the oldest Western mansion and the first British Consulate in Taiwan. Built in 1865 in the British colonial style architecture with red-brick archways and surrounded by beautiful garden is now a national historical site. Sitting on the top of the hill it gives you the most wonderful panorama of the city and ocean beneath. You can even get yourself some English tea here if you want.

We took a ferry to the Cijin Island, but didn’t make it far there, because of all the yummy seafood that occupied the Cijin Old Street. I truly cannot resist fresh seafood, especially not in the lunchtime. From that huge selection of fresh food we picked squid and some fish, not really knowing what kind of dish we will get. We were in for a true treat. The squid with vegetables had the most amazing sauce I have ever tasted (when we finished with the squid and vegetables I poured it over our rice) and fish was so good that we ordered one more. While stuffing our mouth with food we noticed everyone taking drinks from a lady outside. We thought it was just ice tea, but it was actually aiyu jelly. As we found out latter when googling this strange fruit, aiyu jelly comes from seeds of awkeotsang creeping fig (on the third photo below in the back). This drink was mixed with plum vinegar which doesn’t sound really good but the mixture of sweet and sour made this the perfect drink to fight the heat.

 

Seafood heaven

Squid with vegetables and fish

Aiyu jelly

Filled with lots of energy we went straight to the beach and through the Cijin Star Tunnel. On the other side of the tunnel you get another beautiful view of the ocean and a you can go all around the hill admiring lush green bushes and trees with more view of the sea (I just love sea).

 

We did not go swimming, just walking in the water, dipping our feet, sprinkling water around us like little kids. The sand on the beach was dark, almost black when wet and we had to really rub our feet and legs under water afterwards to get rid of it. It is not the most beautiful beach I have ever seen, far from it, but I didn’t come here for the beaches, so I was just happy to be able to get my feet in the sand and sea water.

Nonetheless Cijin Island is an Instagram paradise. Art installations here are colourful, different and very popular among locals and tourists. During the time we waited to take a photo here, we saw at least 4 couples taking their wedding photos here at Cijin Rainbow Church. A bit further from here is also Cijin Sea Pearl.

 

Cijin Rainbow Church

Cijin Rainbow Church

The sun started setting and we headed to the port to take the ferry back into the city. But once again Cijin Island’s charm stopped us few times to take more photos.

 

 

I even tried my very first coconut, but unfortunately did not like it very much. I love coconut flavour, I love coconut flakes and coconut milk, but coconut water is not my thing. I had to try really hard to finish it.

Sea is my safe haven, it is a place where I feel most relaxed, it fills me with energy and how wonderful it is to watch sunset at the beach? There is so much more to Cijin Island than what we saw on that day, but I just want to remember the feeling of sun on my face, sand under my feet, salty water, delicious seafood and that friendly boy who helped us pick our lunch in English. These little things are what made this day special to me, seeing everything else was just a very nice bonus.

Goodbye Cijin Island, I really hope to see you again! ♡

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Do you love sea and ocean? Or are you more into mountains or cities?

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