Kaoshung, Taiwan, Jan.22 – 24, 2026
High speed rail, Hamasen area and Dinner of O-lien(Oden)
I arrived at Songshan airport just two hours ago this morning. The airport is located in the Northeast part of Taipei city. This is the airport I arrived when I came to Taipei first time some 50 years ago. First forward fifty years, I am now in my 60’s. I’ve been to Taipei many times since I visited Taipei first time with my dad and young brother. All of the the other flights landed at Taoyuang airport, which is located approximately 40km west from downtown Taipei . This is the first time I landed at Songshan since then. I still remember the DC8 I was on board was landing into the airport surrounded by small mountains. I wanted to take a picture of the city from the aircraft this morning. However, taking pictures of the city is prohibited. The passport control was very smooth. As soon as I went out of the customs, I exchanged money at the bank, bought a sim card for my phone at Chunghwa telecom counter, both in the airport building, and an easy pass for MRT at the station. It was just twenty minutes to Taipei station by MRT. I was on the platform of the high speed train by 13:20. The train 133 left the station at 13:31 for Zuoying by way of Banqiao and Taichung. My seat was on the window side of the left. I spent one hour and 34 minutes watching the flowing beautiful scenery of the cities, farmlands and high mountains on my left. I missed a chance to eat Bento boxed meal as I was not able to buy one before the departure. Maybe I would have a chance next time, I hope.
I changed to MRT to get to Hamasen station transferring at Formosa Boulevard station. At the platform of Zuoying station, an old guy on my back talked to me. I turned to him and realized he was a guy waiting with his wife in the queue behind me at Taipei station’s platform. They were on their way to Formosa Boulevard station. He has been to Japan for business many times. It seems he had worked with Nippon Life Insurance. Their son has grown up and they are enjoying their lives. They said they are going to Osaka for pleasure soon. We got off at Formosa Boulevard. He said ” God bless you!”. I made a cross in front of them by force of habit. They looked surprised. ” I am a roman Catholic” I told. ” Miracle! We are, too. ” they replied. We exchange some words and I walked to the Orange Line. I would never see them again. But I would never forget this encounter.
The hotel “The Harbour” I stayed was located in Hamasen, a small town on the inlet of Kaoshung harbor, the largest seaport in Taiwan. During Japan’s colonial rule, there was a railway to transport passengers and freight called Hamasen or Harbor Line. That name remained as the name of the area even after Japan ended the colonial rule. There is a ferry terminal and ferries are going and coming between Cijin Island, the opposite side of the inlet frequently. The Hotel is on the inlet. There is the former residence of British consular and its office near the hotel. The park near the hotel is famous as the place you can see beautiful sunset. From the hotel room on harbor side, I was able to see ships coming and going. However, the area was very quite. I was never disturbed with noise during my stay. There was a small restaurant behind the hotel. The signboard reads O-lien in Chinese characters. I learned it is Oden, Japanese dish of stewed fried fish cakes and vegetables. It was brought to Taiwan from Japan during the Japanese rule. It has changed to suit the tast buds of local people and became one of their food culture now. I ordered fish meatballs, Daikon raddish, cabbet roll of fish cake, atsuage fried tofu, a fried tofu pouch of boild egg etc. The owner of the restaurant chopped them and served them in a plate. They all tasted good. It was interesting to me that they eat with condiment like hilly sauce ketchap. I would like Japanese hot mustered. I found similar restaurants in the streets of Hamasen. I later would see the dish served at the breakfast hall of the Holiday inn express Taipei.
I wrote the railway line Hama-sen, harbor line, had been installed on the dock in this area to transport passengers and freight. Now the area turned to a park to exhibit train cars. Some of them are stream locomotives used from Japan’s colonial rule. There is a little museum which was the former train station. Old warehouses were renovated as a museum, shops, and restaurants. Newly inaugurated Light rail train line is running near the part as if it were encircling it.
