Taiwan Tuesday #3

Welcome to Kenting! It is pronounced cun (as in cunning)-ding. When we want to get away and relax, this is where we go. It is located on the southern most tip of Taiwan and so much fun! What do we do first? The beach of course! Because we normally go down when the kids are on fall or spring break, and the American school they attend isn't on the same schedule as local school, we normally get the whole beach to ourselves! This is the western side of Taiwan and the best place to get your feet wet!

Oh, man, look at that water! Kenting is a beautiful place and the water is incredibly clear, that is, unless a typhoon has just came through. Then, it is all sandy and brown.

Then we grab some food. Squid on a stick anyone? I am just kidding, I have never eaten this! But it is quite popular to see it being sold and eaten in Kenting or really at any night market here in Taiwan.

At night, the main road through Kenting city turns into a night market. You can throw darts at balloons, buy anything from t-shirts to sunglasses, or get something to eat at the many restaurants. Abbey and Ethan love the ice cream vendors, of course. Chris and I like the Starbucks. Yes, even Kenting has a Starbucks.

Venture a little bit off the beaten path and you can go to this place. Gas is naturally seeping out of the ground, but the quality is too law to make it worth anyone's trouble. So, what did they do? They set it on fire and it burns continually. People love to go there and roast hot dogs, marshmallows, jiffy pop popcorn and of course, squid on a stick!

This platform is the southern most point of Taiwan. From here, you can see the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea collide. The Pacific is blue and the South China Sea is green. There is a distinct line going from the point of Taiwan down through the ocean because the waves do not crash into the shore, but into each other! It is so weird to see the waves crashing parallel with the shore. If you ever make it to Kenting, do not leave without seeing this.

This is Sail Rock. It is a natural formation completely formed of coral. It is about 18 meters or 59 feet tall. See that tiny little ledge about halfway up? I have watch Chris and his brothers climb up to it and jump off into the ocean.

The main attractions of Kenting are on the western side of the island, but if you drive around the tip and up the cliffs, you can get a great picture of the east coast. Most of Taiwan's East coast is just like this, mountains that drop straight into the ocean. Beautiful, but mostly uninhabited. This is a perfect place for a picnic during the day or to watch the stars at night.

I am sorry, but none of these pictures are mine. I haven't been down there since I got my new camera and I can't get the pictures I have on my old camera off because the usb cord ran off of its own accord. BUT, I do have pictures just like these! I hope you enjoyed a little sunshine here in the middle of fall!