Dawn to Dusk in Tainan

Tainan is probably the most photogenic of the cities on the west coast plain. Here are 90 or so photos I took the other day while strolling around the area near the train station.

As we near election season, candidate pictures are starting to fill up public spaces everywhere. Here a bus hosts election advertisements for the DPP candidate, with their mortally stupid slogan "Taiwan, Go! Go! Go!"

A morning market sets up.

A fruit vendor waits for the day's first customer.

Looking down a main road toward the train station in the early morning.

I'm still trying to get that perfect empty sidewalk shot.

Tainan hosts innumerable temples great and small.

Sex sells.

In addition to the temples, small shrines like this one may be found all over the downtown. I spotted three on my walk that day.

A side street.

Going out for breakfast.

Tainan's train station.

It's the year of cultural tourism, thus permitting the central government to hand out plenty of cash to local governments for spending on cultural activities.

The tallest building in Tainan, empty. That fate was also suffered by the tallest building in Taichung, until a couple of years ago.

A girl on an advert watches a taxi driver watching his cellphone.

The underpass connecting the front and back of the train station.

An apartment complex where military veterans' families live.

The real measure of civilization is the extent to which breakfast is available 24-7.

A vendor hard at work.

A vendor eyes a street, waiting for business.

Still trying for that perfect alley shot.

Still trying for that perfect alley shot.

A back street near NCKU filled with students seeking food and recreation.

Tainan is filled with alleys.

A strawberry vendor helps a customer.

A flower shop sets up a lovely corner for itself.

The ability of vendors in Taiwan to use public space helps keep costs down by giving them free display space that, even better, is right in the area of the traffic flow.

"Just do it", practically a local mantra now.

Dusk envelops a Tainan street.

A conclave of mannikins.

Taking a break from the brutal pressure of school life in Taiwan.

One of the things I love about Tainan is the red faux brick paving used in many of the alleys and side streets. Such a small thing, but it gives the town a great feel.

Girls at a high school line up to leave after school.

An elementary school wisely located right across from two large high schools, for maximum traffic smoothness.

The old east gate of Tainan city.

Global Village, a prominent local English teaching chain.

A family owned appliance store, an ubiquitous sight in Taiwan's cities.

Cookery God? They've obviously never tasted my homemade spaghetti sauce.

Two video stores compete on a local street. In many cases businesses selling identical products located next door to each other are actually owned by two members of the same family.

Taking the wedding photos, a tradition on the island....

.... in front of a local Christian Church.

A betel nut stand. Not every stand is run by slinky babes in minimal gear.

Still trying for that perfect alley shot.

Older storefronts.

He showed me who was cock of the walk.

A clean, well-kept work environment.

A blacksmith, forge in the background, uses a machine to shape a piece of iron.

Just down the street from the church is a lovely temple.

Dog and man study each other.

Still trying for that perfect alley shot.

Hong Kong democrats?

One of Taiwan's little-known traditions is the veneration of big trees in Taiwan folk culture. If you look around, you'll see many small shrines right next to large old trees.

The inside of an old temple.

A Christian hospital in Tainan.

The Tigerish Rag Doll restaurant.

Soon I shall have my name on absolutely everything......

It's hard to get people to pose, so I was gratified by cooperation from these two lovely young girls.

Buying electronic stuff.

As you approach the train station from the south, the density of vendors climbs alarmingly.

Chops on the market.

It is a well known fact of economics that there is no place so small it can't use another shoe store.

Still trying for that perfect alley shot.

North of the train station is a collection of Thai and Indonesian restaurants and services, aimed at the foreign worker population.

Dogs frolic behind the National Tax Administration buildings.

There's an old temple at the end of every alley.

Taking my order at 85C.

Just looking at these makes you fat.

Stores that sell to foreign laborers make a good living from phone cards.

An empty doctor's office.

Night in front of the train station.

Lining up for tea.

Recycling.

[Taiwan] [Tainan]