Temple Food

On the 4th of 5th day of the New Year ( I lost count!)

certain foods just HAVE TO be eaten.

The sun was out after a week of bitter cold, and everyone

had the same idea I had:

Go to Bagua Shan and eat eat eat!

The Taiwan Pork Sausage.   Its sweet. With hints of 5 spice.

You can have it on its own, or as the dog of a hot dog.

The smell drives one crazy!   Next to the bbq was a heap of fat garlic cloves.

She asked me if I wanted some. 

I nodded eagerly.

She peeled the garlic clove with a cleaver that could chop beef ribs into shards.

I thought she was going to push the garlic into the sausage, or rub it like on toast.

But then she offered me the whole clove, and gestured that I should eat it raw.

No thanks, just give me my sausage!

Can you imagine biting into one of these?

I just took the photo and went to the next temptation.

A traditional snack that you will always find on Bagua Shan, come rain or shine.

I tasted it once before in Lukang, and it really is wonderful.   Like clams or other similar seafood, 

and the garlic and chillies are very fragrant, but with a kick.

Next to the chillies dish you find the most intriguing collection of eggs.

From big to small. 

Ostrich, Emu, duck, chicken and quail.

The traditional Taiwan HOT DOG.

The bun is a rice sausage, split open, with a sprinkling of some pickles.

Then the dog is put on top.

These little bbq stalls  are found everywhere in the streets.

The chillies, the eggs and the squid or cuttlefish.

Bagua Shan will not be the same without them.

They are there every day.

Now why can't they make boerewors or biltong?

These steamed rice cakes are traditionally eaten on the 4th or 5th day.  They are beautiful, each individual one a work of art.   Like snow compressed into bricks.

yum yum yum yum yum

sweet potatoes

two ways

The little tea shop faces the Big Buddha.

I had a contemplative cup of milky green tea, in the rays of the setting sun.

A come-full-circle moment.