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Abstract: Forward, backward, forward, backward. What can Changhua offer to its visitors? A Great Buddha and Lukang town are just some of its unparalleled destinations. Forward, backward, forward, backward. From morning till night I kept exploring Changhua. The city, the scenery and the sea. Everything was just perfect. Forward, backward, forward, backward. I just followed every beat. Enjoy the sights and sounds of this two-day “Changhua Special” as I travel to the tune of Cha-Cha-Changhua.
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| The bus ticket: Taipei West Bus Station B to Changhua for NTD 290 |
Changhua is a province in Central Taiwan. Buses going to the south of Taiwan pass by Changhua and a make a stop to Changhua City. The more than 3 hours of travel time by bus from Taipei to Changhua makes the travel a torture. If you have lots of money, you can take a bullet train to Taichung High Speed Rail Station from Taipei Main Station. The travel time will be 1 hour and an additional 20-30 minutes by bus you will be in Changhua City.
It is less modern than Taichung but not older than Tainan. Changhua made me wonder what can I see in that place in Central Taiwan. Will I see historic temples? Or how about a nice beach facing the Taiwan Strait? The hot weather was just perfect for a travel adventure in Central Taiwan. I boarded a bus from Taipei to Changhua and the adventure started at the Fan-Shaped Train Garage of the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) which was built in 1922.
Orange trains of the TRA were resting at the garage and visitors were allowed to enter the area by just registering in the logbook. A viewing platform was constructed to see the real beauty of the circular train garage. A large metal 'rail-bridge' was very noticeable. My research about this place have led me to a blog describing that the 'rail-bridge' rotates when a train is needed to be taken out of the garage. Interesting!
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| at Changhua Station |
It was around 1pm that I decided to leave the train garage. My next destination was the Great Buddha in Baguashan but talking to people in Changhua was difficult. I said a I few Chinese words and one woman pointed the direction to where the Changhua Station was located. I managed to find Changhua's main train station and have some nice photos. The Changhua Station was just plain and simple unlike the classic Baroque style structure of the Taichung Station.
I passed by a museum about Japanese resistance in Taiwan. However, there was no English guide so I just looked at the photos and but I still understand a little bit what the displays were all about. At the top of the 97 meter high Baguashan was a Great Buddha built in the 1960s. It was very majestic and as I climbed the stars I noticed one thing. I was looking on its eyes and it seems that it was also looking at me like a living 22 meter high creature. Wow! Could it be just my imagination?
The Great Buddha is the icon of Changhua just like Taipei 101 of Taipei City. What's fascinating about the Great Buddha is that you can enter inside and learn about the life of Buddha. The Great Buddha also faces Changhua City. Its place in the Mt. Bagua is perfect to see the sunset and nigh-time scenery of the whole province. I took a selfie with the Great Buddha and also Changhua City using my very reliable tripod. I need to document my encounter with the Shakyamuni statue.
I explored Baguashan to the fullest and after having fun I decided to go to historic Lukang. I need to find my hostel and take a rest for tomorrow's jam-packed activities. I took the Lukang Route of the Taiwan Tour Bus until I found myself in the charming town of Lukang. I successfully found my hostel and I was warmly greeted by barking dogs. After paying, the hostel owner led me to a room where I was introduced to my two male roommates. They were Taiwanese and there was something special about the two of them. (To be continued...)
THINGS TO DO IN TAICHUNG - CENTRAL TAIWAN
Sakura Series - Taiwan
2025 Forecast
Taipei 101 first flowers
Tianyuan Palace backyard
Taipei Flower Test Center
Pingjing St. Lane 42
Broadwood Park
Sunshine Sports Park kawazu sakura
Wuling Farm (武陵農場)
SYS kawazu sakura
Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village
CKS Memorial Hall
Shibafen Yoshino Sakura
Hope River
Dongfang Temple
Tianyuan Palace
Neicou Stream Trail
Orange Garden Cafe
Yangming Park Visitor Information Center
Yangming Park Service Center Bus Stop
Huashan Road
Qianshan Park
Zhongshan Hall Entrance
Tenglong Sakura Farm
Flower Test Center Shōwa Sakura
Neihu Creek Trail
Shulin Land Office
Xióng Kōng Cherry Blossom Forest
Lung Yen Sakura Forest
Yangming Park cherry stream
Yangming Park fountain
CKS Memorial Hall Tairyō sakura
Wugu District Tianyi Road
CKS Memorial Hall yaesakura
Loving Farm
Yong Long Farm
Zhongbaling Sakura Road
Sun Link Sea
Tai'an Police Station
Cherry Hill Slope
Hsinchu Park
Taipei 101
Kāng Gào Kēng Creek
New Garden City
Broadwood Park
Tianyuan Palace backyard
Pingjing St. Lane 42
Alishan Ranger Station
Alishan House
Alishan Police Station
Alishan Forest Railway
Alishan Station
Alishan Entrance
Alishan Gou Hotel
Alishan Magnolia Garden
Wulai tour
Wun Chang Elementary School
Bishanyan
Sanzhi Sansei Trail
Sakura Series - Taiwan
Nei Cuo Stream
Orange Garden Cafe
Sansei Trail
Tenglong Sakura Farm
Yangming Park Cherry Stream
Yangming Park Fountain
Flower Test Center
Broadwood Park
New Garden City
Yinghua Park
Pingjing St. Lane 42
Yangmingshan Visitor Center
Taipei 101
Tianyuan Palace backyard
Sakura Series - Japan
Kamonyama Park
Near the Nippon Maru Memorial Park
Shinko Park
Minato-mirai 21 area
Tokyo Tech Suzukakedai Campus
Onda River
Tenryuji
Byodoin
Kiyomizudera
Himuro shrine and Yakushi-ji Temple
Hōryū-ji Temple
Nara Park attractions
Tokyo Tech Ookayama Campus
Sumida River
Tsuruma Park
Gion
Maple Series
Taipei Aowanda
Shimen Dam
Alishan
Aowanda
Shanlinxi
Taoyuan Valley Garden
Fushoushan Farm
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| Yehliu to Jiufen? Yehliu to Shifen? Cheaper than yellow taxis |
The "Taipei kong mahal" (My beloved Taipei)
Always in my heart
MRT birdman
Valentine's Day
Tulips Festival
2018 Taipei Lantern Festival
City of Azaleas
Linji Huguo Temple
Nanjichang Night Market
Gudetama Chef restaurant
Dalongdong Bao'an Temple
Shilin hollyhocks
Ningxia Night Market
Ximending graffiti
Discovery Center of Taipei
Chunghwa Postal Museum
Double-Decker Bus
Shilin Cold Balls
Jingimoo
GomanMango
mud volcanic ice
Fire and Ice Dumpling
Opium Fen-Yuan
Ichiran Ramen
Liu Shandong Beef Noodles
hydrangea flowers
National Palace Museum
Other attractions in Taipei
Taipei on a budget
Japanese buildings
Dāoxiāomiàn beef noodles
Presidential Office Building
Yongkang St. and Elephant Mountain
CKS and SYS Hall
City tour
Beitou ramen
MRT Monopoly Game
Winter city tour
Zhicheng Park
Shilin Plum Blossom
Art museums
Shopping in Taipei
Summer desserts
Qingtiangang
Qixingshan hiking
2015 Calla lily
2016 Calla lily
Beitou tour
Beitou-Zhuzihu tour
NTU
Confucius Temple
2015 Dadaocheng Festival
Puppet Museum
Fantasy Ice World
2016 Bread Show
Strawberry picking
2015 Rose Garden
Modern Toilet
Shilin Night Market
NASA Exhibit
Raohe Night Market
Longshan Temple
2013 Taipei Zoo
Maokong Gondola
Lupin flowers
Taipei 101 day visit
Taipei 101 night visit
Tiger Mountain
Din Tai Fung
Taipei Story House
2014 Flower Show
Chrysanthemum Show
Miramar Ferris wheel
Miniatures Museum
Archery
1600 Pandas
Wulaoguo hot pot
Upside Down House
2016 101 Fireworks
New Taipei
Tamsui Pumpkin Tunnel
Shifen Waterfall
2017 Sand Sculpture
Dragon Caves
New Taipei tour
2016 Kite Festival
Pingxi Crags
Bitou Cape
2016 Sand Sculpture
2015 Christmasland
Juming - Jinshan
Houtong - Pingxi
Sandiaoling Waterfall
Jiufen foodtrip
Guanyinshan hike
Yehliu Ocean World
2014 Kite Festival
Pingxi Rail tour
Jinguashi tour
Vigor Kobo Pineapple
British Consulate
Yehliu Geopark
2014 Sand Sculpture
Paragliding
2014 Christmasland
2014 Pingxi Lantern
firefly watching
Yingge Ceramics Street
Jiufen tour
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