Old Street sights in Asia
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Anping Old Streets
Anping has some of the oldest streets in Taiwan, including Siaojhong Street (效忠街; Xiàozhōngjiē), and Yenping Street (延平街; Yánpíngjiē), both of which are to the right of Anping Fort as you face the entrance. Siaojhong St is the more interesting and leads to a number of back alleys with restored brick buildings. Yenping St, site of the first market in Taiwan, has been turned into a dull tourist lane, although it's worth a visit to sample traditional Tainan foods.
As you wander about, look for stone lion masks (劍獅; jiànshī) with swords across the mouth. These were once used to both protect a house against evil and to identify it. There are a few dozen…
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Breast Touching Lane (Mo-Lu Lane)
The narrowest alley in Lukang, also called Gentleman's Lane (Mōlǔshàng), gets it comical label from the fact that a man could not pass a woman down the narrow inner passageway without her breasts brushing against him. The true gentleman would always wait for a lady to pass through first. Take a stroll through the lane with someone you love – or hope to.
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Jishan Street (Juifen Old Street)
Narrow, covered Jishan St (基山街; Jīshān Jiē) often leaves lasting impressions. It's really just one long, narrow covered lane, but spending a few hours here browsing the knick-knack, curio and craft shops is a lot of fun.
One of the most popular activities on the street is snacking. Some distinctive snacks to look for include yùyuán (芋圓; taro balls), yúwán (魚丸; fish balls), cǎozǐ gāo (草仔糕; herbal cakes) and hēitáng gāo (黑糖糕; molasses cake).
Jishan St begins just to the right of the 7-Eleven on the main road.
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Nine-Turns Lane (Chinseng Lane)
Don't bother counting the turns as you wend your way past some of the oldest and most charming residences in Lukang on Nine-Turns Lane. The number nine refers to September, the ninth month. Cold winds blow down from Mongolia at this time of year and the turns functioned as a natural windbreak, giving new meaning to the phrase 'clever by turns'.
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Old Market Street
The merchant streets of old Lukang are well represented by the shops lining both sides of the curved, red-tiled lanes of what is now called the Old Market St. Almost all the shop fronts have been restored and interiors decorated with antiques. You can shop for traditional items, try some local delicacies or just enjoy a stroll through history.
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Yingge Old Street
The Old Street (鶯歌老街; Yīnggē Lǎo Jiē), although not really old, is rather quaint, with its cobbled roads, traditional street lamps, red-brick facades and a walk-in kiln. Dozens of pottery shops and stalls, large and small, compete for your business, and you could spend hours just browsing. Prices start at around NT$30 for a cup or saucer, but these will most certainly be mass-produced in China. Quality handmade Yingge pieces can cost tens of thousands. A good compromise for the budget shopper (who still wants something nice) are teasets, coffee mugs, and earthenware jars and vases that can be purchased for NT$1000 to several thousand dollars. Most shops close between 6pm…
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Yong'an Street
This was the first street in Meinong, and some of the oldest family residences can still be found in the narrow back alleys. It's a good place for photographs but don't expect a solid row of traditional buildings.
Just behind the East Gate (東門; Dōngmén) at the end of the street is a famous Bogong shrine (伯公神壇; Bógōng Shéntán), Bogong being the distinctly Hakka designation for the earth god. In old Hakka style no statue is used, just a stone tablet and incense. There are over 400 Bogong shrines around Meinong although this is the most valued. Bow three times to this or any other shrine to bring peace to your life.
Meinong residents have long placed a high…
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