Keelung

I don't know why it took me so long to visit Keelung. It's a whole city to explore, less than an hour away by train. It's got decent seaside views, and reputedly some of the best food in the country.
Our plan was to: a) climb a hill to see the Guanyin statue that watches over the city, and having thus worked up an appetite, b) visit the night market, quite possibly the most famous in all of Taiwan, for dinner.
Some kids were shooting off fireworks in a little park on the way up and this dog was going absolutely crazy. He'd circle around after the kids lit the fuse, and then bark like mad after it went off. Seemed like a dangerous game to us. Of course, he could have run and hid if he'd really wanted to.
During the seventh lunar month, this is where the Keelung Ghost Festival is based. During the rest of the year, it's home to a modest little museum with Ghost Festival-related displays.
Lots of potential hilarity for Westerners who don't realize what the swastika means in Asia.
When we got to the Guanyin statue, we found what can only be described as a whole Buddhist theme park. There was cotton candy and other snacks. There was a souvenir shop. There were little motorized cars that kids could drive around in. Those portholes in Guanyin's back are for you to look out of. Apparently you can climb all the way up to Guanyin's head. It was closed by the time we got there.
We could ring the big bell for a 50NT donation.
Views of the city from the top of the hill.
Sunset.

We went to the night market, where we had: a) meat on a stick with a crunchy, delicious batter covering (mine was supposedly beef, but I have my doubts), b) some very good vegetable rolls, and c) creamed crabs. Not bad. And then Taipei was just a quick train ride back.