2022年1月17日 星期一

Some Restaurants in Kaohsiung 一些高雄的餐廳


As you read this entry please keep in mind three things: 讀這篇文章時,請記住三件事情 :

1. I do not now, nor have I ever lived in Kaohsiung - though I do visit often. 我不住高雄 .  雖然我常常去高雄 , 可是沒有在那裡住過 .

2. Kaohsiung is a HUGE city.  There is always another new restaurant there.  Unless you're talking about something exotic like Mexican food, it's unlikely that anyone has eaten at all the restaurants serving a particular type of food in Kaohsiung. 高雄是一個超級大的城市 , 總是有新的餐廳 出現.  除了像最特別的墨西哥料理之外 , 應該沒有人吃遍高雄的某種餐廳 .

3. Like anyone, I tend to eat some kinds of food more than others.  If you ask me about hamburgers I'm on solid ground, but if you ask me about Turkish food I'm not a good source of information. 我跟大家一樣有偏愛的料理 .  如果你問我漢堡, 這我知道 , 如果是討論土耳其料理, 那我就不清楚了 .

With all of that said, on to the restaurants of Kaohsiung! 三件事講完了 , 開始討論高雄的餐廳 !


1. Hamburgers 漢堡

For the longest time T.G.I. Friday's was my fallback restaurant in Kaohsiung.  This isn't because I love it so much, just that it's a comfortable place to sit and the Dream Mall location is very convenient for me.  I think their food is incredibly average and very overpriced, but if you're trapped in Dream Mall - as I often am - it's a good place to enjoy a burger and a couple beers. 我已經去高雄星期五美式餐廳很多次了 .  不是因為我多喜歡那家餐廳 , 是因為坐在裡面很舒服 , 而且夢時代的位置對我來說很方便 .  我覺得他們的料理還好 , 也很貴 , 如果你跟我一樣偶爾困在夢時代,  可以去那邊吃漢堡和喝兩杯啤酒 . 

Further north, near the FE 21 department store, is a restaurant called Lovss.  I think their food is terrible, and I don't know how that place stays open.  I had a burger there once, got really ill afterward, and haven't been back since. 往北 , 靠近大遠百樂漢堡 .  我覺得他們的料理很難吃 , 不知道他們怎麼維持的 .  我吃了他們的漢堡後拉肚子 , 所以沒有再回去過 .

Someone once recommended Webberger to me, but my daughters ate there and said it wasn't good.  If they don't like it I know I won't either. 有人推薦Webburger , 可是我兩個女兒吃過後 , 都說不好吃 .  如果她們兩個都不喜歡, 我知道我也不會喜歡 .

The Arkansas Diner is near the Aodzedi MRT stop.  It's very popular, and I like their food, but I've had issues with the service.  The foreign guy who runs it seems nice, but I've had puzzling interactions with some of the other people working there. 凹子底捷運站附近有阿肯瑟美式餐廳 .  這家餐廳很受歡迎 , 我也覺得料理不錯 , 可是服務很差 .  那邊的外籍老闆很親切 , 只是我覺得那邊有的工作人員怪怪的 .

Closer to the Athletic Stadium stop are Foster Hewitt's 2, The Lighthouse and Legends.  I've had burgers at all three, and I'd be at pains to say which one is better.  Part of my trouble is that I was drunk when I had the Lighthouse burger.  I ate at Legends (across from Smokey Joe's) for the first time recently, and the burger I had there was very good. 加楓二 , 傳奇漢堡燈塔美式酒館比較靠近巨蛋站 .  我吃過這兩家餐廳的漢堡 , 但不知道哪一家比較好吃 .  部分的原因是我在燈塔吃漢堡的時候已經喝醉了 .   上禮拜第一次去傳奇漢堡吃飯 .  他們的漢堡很好吃 .

Perhaps northernmost of all is Burger King, inside the Xinzuoying Shin Kong Mitsukoshi.  I realize that what I taste in Burger King burgers is the product of chemicals, but this doesn't stop me from wanting them. 最北邊的大概是新左營新光三越裡的漢堡王 .  我知道漢堡王的漢堡滋味來自於化學的成就 , 只是我有時候還是想吃 .*

Typing "American restaurant" (美式餐廳) reveals other options.  There's a cluster of American restaurants in central Kaohsiung, between the MRT orange line and the 85 Skytower, and another cluster near the Athletic Stadium. 在Google地圖輸入美式餐廳的時候, 其他餐廳也會出現 .  有一些位在高雄捷運橘線 和 85大樓中間 , 還有一些在巨蛋附近 .


2. Pizza 披薩

Pizza Rock is... OK.  Like T.G.I. Friday's, it can be a nice place to sit down and enjoy a beer with your meal.  There are several Kaohsiung locations, but I've only been to the one near the Athletic Stadium.  I could eat two of their large pizzas with little effort.  Pizza Rock還好 .  它跟星期五美式餐廳一樣適合坐下來一邊吃飯一邊喝啤酒 .  高雄有幾家Pizza Rock , 我只有去過巨蛋附近的 .  我可以一次吃他們的兩個大披薩沒問題 .

I've only had pizza in two other places: 1) Yangcheng Italian Restaurant near the Sanduo Sogo and 2) Foster Hewitt's.  I remember the duck pizza at Yangcheng being both surprisingly good and surprisingly expensive.  The pizza at Foster Hewitt's was also good, but not nearly as expensive. 我只吃過另外兩家的披薩 , 三多太平洋附近的洋城義大利餐廳加楓二的 .  我記得洋城的鴨肉披薩好吃又貴 , 加楓二的披薩也好吃 , 而且比較便宜 .

Oh, and I forgot the pizza at Cafe Grazie.  Don't bother. 啊 !  我忘了義式屋古拉爵的披薩 .  浪費錢 !


3. Japanese Food 日式料理

The best Japanese food I've had in Kaohsiung was at this restaurant, near the Ikea.  Aside from that I've had a lot of forgettable Japanese food in department stores.  For a while this restaurant, in Taroko Park, was good.  Is it still good?  Is it still there? 我在高雄吃過最好吃的日本餐廳是這家 , 靠近Ikea .  除了那家之外 , 我吃過很多在百貨公司裡不怎麼樣的日本料理 .  有一陣子這家大魯閣裡的日本餐廳不錯 .  還是一樣好吃嗎 ?  還營業嗎 ?


4. Indian Food 印度料理

I got really, really ill the last time I ate at Maharaja, the big Indian restaurant on Jungshan Road.  They've since moved to another location near the Athletic Stadium.  Rawat Indian Kitchen, near the 85 Skytower, is alright. 我上次吃了中山路上的瑪哈印度餐廳後拉肚子 .  他們之後搬到巨蛋附近 .  85大樓附近的拉瓦特印度廚房的料理還好 .

For those unused to eating Indian food in Taiwan, be aware that opinions vary widely.  A Western person will eat at an Indian restaurant, think it's amazing, and be greeted by looks of disgust from the Taiwanese people in his/her party.  Likewise a Taiwanese person will rave about an Indian place, while a Western (or at least non-Taiwanese) person will visit the same place and think it's terrible. 不習慣在台灣吃印度料理的人要知道 , 印度料理的評價不一 .  西方來的客人覺得某家印度餐廳很好吃 , 卻發現與他同行的台灣朋友都覺得很噁心 , 相反的可能是台灣人喜歡某家印度餐廳 , 而國外的客人都不喜歡 .


5. Mexican Food 墨西哥料理

Opinions on local Mexican restaurants vary even more widely than those on Indian restaurants.  There are many, many people in Taiwan who have NEVER eaten Mexican food. 對墨西哥餐廳的評價甚至比對印度餐廳的更不同 .  很多台灣人從來沒有吃過墨西哥料理 .

My opinion?  If you're looking for Mexican food in Taiwan set the bar low.  This way you won't be disappointed.  Occasionally you'll be surprised (I once had awesome Chilean food in Taipei - not Mexican but close), but more often than not it'll be Mexican by way of whatever canned goods they were able to obtain. 我的意見呢 ?  如果你在台灣墨西哥料理, 標準不要設得太高 .  這樣子你才不會失望 .  有時候會發現驚喜 (我有一次在台北吃到好吃的智利料理) , 只是大部分的墨西哥料理來自罐頭 .

The main Mexican place in Kaohsiung seems to be Don Burrito.  I've had it; it's OK.  Across from their location near the 85 Skytower there's another Mexican restaurant, Mi Casita, which is also OK.  I think Don Burrito is a more comfortable place to sit. 高雄最受歡迎的墨西哥餐廳好像是登布利多 .  我有吃過 , 覺得還好 .  在他們的對面, 85大樓附近, 還有另外一家墨西哥餐廳叫米卡希達 , 一樣還好 .  我覺得坐在登布利多裡面比較舒服 .

I've also been to this restaurant near the Yanchengpu MRT stop.  I didn't think it was very good. 我也去過鹽埕埔站附近這家餐廳 .  我不是很喜歡他們的料理 .


7. Hong Kong/Cantonese Style Food 港式料理

This restaurant, near the Formosa Boulevard MRT stop, is now one of my favorites.  Awesome food, but you have to make a reservation.  You'll probably walk up to it and be put off by its exterior, but give it a try. 美麗島站附近的這家餐廳是我最喜歡的餐廳之一 .  他們的料理很好吃, 可是一定要訂位子 .  你走到它門前可能會因為它的外表不想進去 .  但值得試試.


8. Bars 酒吧

Don't ask me about Brickyard.  I walked in there once, didn't like the vibe, and walked right back out.  It could be that I'm just too old for that place, but age doesn't seem to stop a couple other foreigners I know.  I gravitate toward places with less noise. 不要問我紅磚地窖好不好玩 .  我走進去過一次 , 覺得不適合我後就離開了 .  可能是我的年紀太大了, 可是我還有兩位年紀相仿的朋友喜歡那個地方 .  我比較喜歡可以放鬆的酒吧 .

My new favorite place to have a beer is BeerTalk, an ENORMOUS bar in the Pier 2 Art Center.  Be warned, however, that they only sell Belgian beer, and none of this Belgian beer is cheap. 現在我最喜歡的酒吧是駁二藝術特區BeerTalk .  注意, 他們賣的都是比利時啤酒 , 不便宜 .

Other bars?  Almost of all the American restaurants double as bars.  Entering "bars" (酒吧) into Google Maps reveals a cluster of places, all south of the MRT orange line and north of the FE 21. 其他酒吧呢 ?  大部分的美式餐廳也兼酒吧 .  在Google地圖輸入酒吧會看到一堆酒吧餐廳在捷運橘線和大遠百附近 .


9. Coffee 咖啡

There's no end of places to have coffee in Kaohsiung, so I'll just mention the two places I visit most often. 高雄的咖啡廳超多 , 所以我只提自己最常去的那兩家就好了 .

If you're in the Sanduo Shopping District the Starbucks across from Sogo can be a good place to find a seat.  I don't know why, but when all the other coffee places in that area are full that place always seems to have an extra table.  Part of the reason might be the other Starbucks, inside the FE 21. 如果在三多商圈的話 , 太平洋百貨對面的星巴克常常有位子坐 .  我不知道為什麼 , 通常附近的咖啡廳都坐滿時, 那家星巴克還有位子 .  大概是大遠百裡面還有家星巴克 .

I also like Goodman Coffee on Jungshan Road.  Their coffee is NOT amazing, but it's right across from Central Park and there's plenty of outside seating.  If it's not too hot it's a fun place to sit and watch people.  The staff there have always seemed very friendly to me. 我也喜歡中山路上的古德曼研磨咖啡 .  他們的咖啡不是最好喝的 , 可是位置在中央公園對面 , 還有很多室外的座位 .  天氣比較涼快的時候坐在那裏看 "人景" 不錯 .  服務人員也很親切 .


10. Thai Food 泰式料理

I 've never had good Thai food in Kaohsiung.  Maybe I just have bad luck?  The last time I had Thai food was in the FE 21.  It was really bad, and also not cheap.  If you know of a good Thai restaurant in Kaohsiung let me know. 我沒有在高雄吃過美味的泰國料理 .  我的運氣不好嗎 ?  上次去大遠百泰國餐廳吃飯, 又貴又難吃 .  你知道高雄哪家泰國餐廳好吃嗎 ?  請告訴我 , 我改天去試看看 .

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*This is place is so new at the time of writing that it's not even on Google Maps yet.  The link is to the department store where you'll find it.  There are also other Burger Kings in Kaohsiung.

NOTE 1: Vietnamese food?  Korean food?  I'll be visiting this topic again.

NOTE 2: For further reading, check out the Kaohsiung Burger Wars and Kaohsiung Eateries threads on Forumosa.  That site can be hit or miss, but those threads are solid sources of information.

2022年1月13日 星期四

Pingtung in the News 屏東的新聞 (Central 中) 6


There are 29 townships, 3 municipalities and one city in Pingtung County.  It's exhausting to include news from every township, municipality and Pingtung City every time, so what I'll do instead is include news items from eleven different townships or municipalities in each entry.  This way I should be able to work my way through Pingtung County every three entries. 屏東縣包含了29個鄉, 3個鎮還有屏東市.  每次討論所有鄉鎮的新聞太累了, 所以我會每次討論11個鄉鎮的報告.  這樣子我每三篇新聞文章就會涵蓋到全縣內鄉鎮的新聞.


1. Majia Township 瑪家鄉

1a. A residence in Linali Village has been granted approval to operate as a homestay.  Many people living in this village were relocated there after Typhoon Morakot passed through the area, and are eager to operate similar businesses nearby.  The Pingtung County Government is working to simplify the application process and ease restrictions. 首間永久屋民宿啟用  屏東 "大家好部落" 邀賞原鄉美

1b. Aboriginal singer Jhuo Ya-mai, a native of Majia township, has released a new album and has been performing in the area.  His album (and the tour in support of it) was inspired by the trucks selling vegetables in aboriginal villages. 亞麥來了 !  推出第二張專輯開著  "部落菜車"  從家鄉開唱


2. Wandan Township 萬丹鄉

2a. Residents of Wandan gathered to protest the raising of ducks on a large piece of land in Siwei Village.  The township government approved the installation of solar panels on the land, but not the raising of ducks.  Residents are upset at the smell and pollution this duck farm will cause. 抗議萬丹養鴨種電 !  蔣月惠率村民拒汙染  嗆鄉長說話不算話 (1)

2b. A resident splashed paint on another resident's house, probably in response to an ongoing domestic dispute and divorce proceedings.  Police stated that if such an incident happens again the person responsible, already subject to a restraining order, will face prosecution. 萬丹鄉暴潑漆案  警方強力介入依法究辦


3. Wanluan Township 萬巒鄉

3a. A sensible decision.  During the three-day New Year's weekend Wanluan's "pork knuckle street" was closed to cars.  Roads leading into other local attractions were also subject to restrictions. 2022年元旦連假  萬巒豬腳街禁車輛進入

3b. County Magistrate Pan Meng-an was on hand to help Wugou Elementary School celebrate its 100th anniversary.  The school will be remodeled to reflect more of its Hakka cultural heritage. 屏東萬巒五溝國小慶百年  校園改建散發客家文化美

3c. An elderly man, missing the taste of Wanluan pork knuckle, boarded a bus in Kaohsiung and set out for the famous pork knuckle street.  He later got lost, and it was only with assistance from police officers and local people that he found his way home. 老翁為萬巒豬腳搭公車迷路  熱心員警領老翁回家


4. Taiwu Township 泰武鄉

4a. This kind of thing happens a lot.  A 47 year old man fell from a section of trail while attempting to climb North Dawu Mountain alongside two other people.  Emergency services personnel had quite a time rescuing him. 北部人單登屏東北大武山 !  男摔傷手腳發麻  明吊掛下山


5. Chaozhou Municipality 潮州鎮

5a. Bids by potential vendors for spaces in Chaozhou's Chinese New Year holiday market  set a new record.  This market has proven very popular. 創紀錄 !  潮州春節假日市集5天5夜不打烊  特區最高38萬8888標出

5b. Police in Chaozhou put out a fire in a field there. 屏東潮州農地竄火苗  警 + 熱心民眾立即撲滅

5c. Police in Chaozhou also set up special parking zones for Chaozhou's new year concert. 迎接2022潮州跨年晚會  警方停車指引圖出爐


6. Xinyuan Township 新園鄉

6a. Xinyuan and Ligang townships issued 1000 NT stimulus vouchers to help local residents. 春節前的小確幸 !  屏東里港  , 新園鄉發千元振興金 (2)

6b. Residents of Xinyuan, Donggang, Shrdze and Fangshan went without water (or had their water pressure reduced) for 23 hours.  The lack of water pressure was caused by ongoing work along Highway 17. 停水23小時 !  東港 , 新園 , 獅子及枋山鄉9000戶受影響 (3)


7. Kanding Township 崁頂鄉

7a. Two cars collided near the Formosa Freeway.  One of the cars then flipped over and struck a scooter. 屏東崁頂南二高平面道路2車相撞  白車側翻滑行再撞機車


8. Laiyi Township 來義鄉

8a. Laiyi Township plans on promoting itself as a leisure destination.  This effort has included the publication of a magazine, craft markets, the painting of local river embankments and the upcoming PULAVAI Tribal Life Festival. 來義鄉將辦 "PULAVAI部落生活節"  籲大家 "好好休息" (4)


9. Donggang Municipality 東港鎮

9a. A job fair was recently held in Donggang, offering jobs with pay up to 55,000 a month. 屏東東港辦徵才活動  最高月薪達5.5萬

9b. Another New Year's Eve concert was held in Donggang, with an adjacent night market and a stage on the water.  It looks a lot more fun than the concert in Chaozhou. 東港復辦跨年晚會  12/31交管措施出爐

9c. Facing declining birthrates, many township and municipality governments in Pingtung are offering subsidies to those who have children in their respective areas.  Donggang has long offered such a subsidy, but the amount offered was low compared to other nearby townships.  The municipal government recently decided to raise the subsidy to 10,000 NT in the hope of encouraging more local births. 屏東東港22年前就推生育補助  明年加碼到1萬


10. Nanzhou Township 南州鄉

10a. A pagoda/ossuary was recently completed in Nanzhou, and berths were opened to the public.  Some residents were even waiting overnight for a chance to secure berths, and the crowds led some people to complain that the number of berths available to each person should be limited. 搶公有塔位 !  南州民眾頂寒風過夜卡位 (5)


11. Xinpi Township 新埤鄉

11a. No recent news out of Xinpi.  No news is good news?

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NOTE: Next week's entry will be the last this semester.  I'm starting winter vacation soon.  Just a few notes before the Year of the Tiger is upon us:

1. Next semester I might make this thing more about Pingtung AND Kaohsiung.  There are several reasons for doing so: 1) A lot of what happens in Pingtung is a reflection of what happens in Kaohsiung, 2) I go to Kaohsiung a lot, and leaving it out of this blog is starting to feel weird, and 3) I might be moving either Kaohsiung or Tainan in the near future.  If I end up moving to Tainan (or, who knows, maybe Jiayi?) this blog will shift to a more "south Taiwan" focus.

2. These Pingtung in the News entries will end at #9.  After #9 I'll do a #10 for each of the three areas (North, Central and South) which will be a review of everything that came before.  I might start mixing in a "Kaohsiung in the News" entry as well.

3. As for the "Roaming Around" entries I've done 18 out of a possible 33, with 15 yet to go.  I'll probably do Manzhou, Hengchun, Wanluan, Taiwu and Pingtung City next semester.  After that I'd have the north end of the county left to do.  I've thought about mixing Kaohsiung's districts into these entries, but I'd rather wait until I really know where I'll be living next year.

4. "Taiwan 101?"  Those entries are fun for me to write.  I don't like to plan them too far in advance, but I was thinking about convenience stores, the Chinese language and "illegal/naughty things" as possible topics next semester.

5. I enjoy doing translations if they're not common knowledge or represent information readily available on the internet.  I have a book about south Pingtung and its relationship with the ocean, but I've barely read it and I'm not sure if it's worth translating.  I might try to find something Kaohsiung-related as well.

Notes on This Entry

1. I drove around this area recently, and the pictures I took during that drive are in the Roaming Around Wandan entry.  I don't know about the pollution caused, but I can attest to the fact that those duck farms smell BAD.  The waste water flowing from these types of operations flows untreated into the Kaoping River west of Wandan.  The biggest reason for the protest, however, is probably the fact that this particular duck farm is located in Siwei Village, near the most heavily populated part of the township.  Were it closer to the river, people probably wouldn't be complaining as much.

2. There have been many such stimulus vouchers issued by township governments.  Mountain townships like Sandimen and Wutai have been issuing them as well.

3. I'm guessing most of the households that went without water were in Donggang and Xinyuan.  A lot of people in Shrdze and Fangshan are probably still using groundwater.

4. It's an overlooked area for sure.

5. Ossuary... berths... deaths...  There's a joke in there somewhere but it's escaping me.

2022年1月2日 星期日

Roaming Around Zhutian (Jutian) Township 竹田鄉遊記

Zhutian is east of Wandan and north of Chaozhou.  In older times it was one of the Hakka Liudui settlements.  It was known as the Jung (Central) Dui. 竹田位於萬丹東部 , 潮州北部 .  在客家歷史六堆的發展中 , 竹田屬於六堆中堆 .

As you can see from the pictures below, it was a dark, cold day in Zhutian.  It even rained off and on while I was taking these pictures.  Zhutian isn't exactly scenic, but it does look better when the sun is out. 從下面的照片可以看出來 , 拍照當天的竹田又冷又昏暗 , 也零星的下了點雨 .  竹田談不上有什麼景色 , 但如果天氣晴朗的話, 一定會為它加些分 .

According to the last census, 16,342 people live in Zhutian. 上次人口統計顯示 竹田的人口是16,342人 .


The Formosa Freeway (#3) and the 88 Expressway come together in Zhutian.  This coming together divides the township into three areas: a southern area around Angel Gardens, a central area around Zhutian Train Station, and a northern area around Xishr Train Station, closer to Pingtung City. 福爾摩莎高速公路竹田88快速公路連接 .  也因為這個原因 , 竹田被分成三個地區 : 天使花園附近的南區 , 竹田火車站的中部 , 和靠近西勢火車站的北區 .  西勢很靠近屏東市 .

This field is near Angel Gardens, not far from Chaozhou. 這檳榔田在天使花園附近 , 靠近潮州 .


Like other nearby townships, they grow a lot of betel nut in Zhutian. 竹田跟附近的鄉鎮一樣, 種很多檳榔 .


Northeast of Angel Gardens is this temple complex天使花園東北邊的寺廟 .


View from the rear of the same temple complex.  The 88 Expressway, which is pictured here, leads to Kaohsiung. 寺廟後面的風景 .  中間的88快速公路可以通到高雄 .


The area around Zhutian Train Station is more lively.  This train station, built by the Japanese in 1939, attracts many tourists. 竹田車站附近比較熱鬧 .  這個車站是日本人1939建蓋的 , 吸引很多觀光客 .


The old train station, in front of the newer station built more recently.  There's a small museum inside. 舊車站在新車站前面 .  裡面有一小小的博物館 .


Time flies? 有這隻鳥是因為time flies嗎 ?


Near the station are many abandoned buildings.  Not many people get off the train in Zhutian now, but it was once an important stop. 車站附近有幾棟廢棄建築 .  現在沒那麼多人使用竹田火車站了 , 以前這個車站具有舉足輕重的地位 .


Nearby is a lot selling antiques, mostly farm equipment and furniture.  If you see anything you like you can call a number posted near the entrance. 附近有人利用這塊空地賣古老的 農具跟家具 .  如果你有找到喜歡的東西, 可以打入口處的電話號碼連絡賣家 .


Some of the furniture inside the building. 建築裡的一些家具 .


Same area, closer to Central Zhutian同一個地區, 比較靠近竹田市區 .


It's a lot quieter near the Xishr Train Station further north.  Parts of this temple look very old. 在北邊的西勢車站安靜多了 .  這所廟的部分看起來滿古老的 .


And this ceremonial money furnace looks oldest of all. 這座亭好像是最古老的 .


Behind the temple are statues of various dieties/mythological beings. 廟宇後面的神像 .


Central Xishr. 西勢市區 .


More fields, more pigeon coops, and more crumbling houses.  Goodbye, Zhutian.  I'm off to Pingtung City to see a movie! 充滿農地 , 鴿舍 , 古厝的竹田再見 !  我將前往屏東市看電影 !

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