Taken at a temple across the street from the Kishu An Forest Literature Park in Taipei. Kishu An and this temple are both located on Tongan Street in Taipei. Tongan Street is just outside exit 2 of the Guting MRT Station.

After visiting Kishu An, I noticed a temple across the street. It was about four stories high. The main temple part was on the roof. The other floors, including the main floor, consisted of recreation areas and kitchens and dormitory rooms. I wasn’t entirely sure the temple was open to the public, but I went inside to try to make my way to the roof. Some older men were playing board games in the main room on the main floor. I took a staircase to the left and made my way up to the roof. At one point, I had to go down a hallway with rooms on both sides. Shoes were sitting outside each door, and I could hear movement and sounds from inside each room. I don’t know if these were permanent residents or visitors. I have heard that temples provide accommodation for travelers, but I don’t know how that works or how common it is.

On the roof, I found a number of interesting plants growing in pots of dirt. This tree had an interesting look and I took a picture using a 25mm lens on my Olympus. I used a large aperture to see how the “bokeh” would look, and I think it is pleasing. As always, I was surprised at the incredible detail the camera captured. It’s possible to zoom in on the original picture and see every bit of these tiny green growths.

Tags: Taipei, temple, Tongan Street