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- London’s 8 oddest museum exhibits
- CNNGo in Kaohsiung: Taiwan's largest port and coolest art
- 10 reasons to love Kaohsiung
| London’s 8 oddest museum exhibits Posted: 15 Jan 2014 02:00 AM PST Bored of Buckingham Palace? May we introduce you to an overstuffed walrus or Churchill's chamber pot? Another day, another gallery of supposedly edifying objects huddled under glass -- museum fatigue can strike even the most enthusiastic traveler. Where to cure such an affliction? Well, London has not only some of the best museums in the world but also some of the oddest museum attractions. The only risk in tracking down these bizarre and often fascinating exhibits is that you might replace museum fatigue with another potential syndrome -- "museum shock." 1. Cricket casualty: Bowled-out sparrowWith its byzantine rules and glacial pace of play, cricket seems antiquated enough without requiring a museum to highlight its long and distinguished past. It isn't all fair play, polite applause and cucumber sandwiches, though. The museum attached to London's hallowed Lord's cricket ground exposes the game's violent side with an exhibit of a stuffed sparrow. The poor bird was killed in mid-flight by a cricket ball bowled by the Pakistani cricketer Jahangir Khan during a match at Lord's in 1936. Its taxidermied corpse now sits atop the projectile that killed it. Come for the sparrow, stay for … the Ashes -- a tiny urn that's one of cricket's most coveted prizes. MCC Museum, Lord's Cricket Ground, St. John's Wood Road; +44 207 616 8658 2. MermenHalf-man, half-fish, the male equivalent of a mermaid crops up in no fewer than two London museums. The first, a menacing-looking thing in the eccentric Horniman collection, has been exposed as a creation of wood, fish and bone rather than -- surprise, surprise -- an actual merman.
Closer examination revealed it to be half a monkey sewn on to half a fish -- but it's still nasty enough to give you sleepless nights. Come for the mermen, stay for … the Horniman's legendary overstuffed walrus, wrought by someone more than 100 years ago who'd probably never seen a living specimen. Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road; +44 208 699 1872 3. Jeremy Bentham's skeletonBentham was a child prodigy who grew up to become a giant of British political philosophy and social reform at the turn of the 19th century. He demanded in his will that his body be dissected and preserved as an "auto-icon." And so it was -- although he was given a waxy new head after his real one was rendered terrifying by the preservation process. MORE: Toilets and chicken coops -- 10 strange tours In 1850 the relic was acquired by University College London, the South Cloister of which he imperiously gazes upon to this day. Come for Jeremy Bentham, stay for … the jar of moles (see 8, below). South Cloister, UCL, Gower Street; +44 207 679 0664 4. Ram's head snuff 'mull' -- on wheelsNot content with making a snuff dispenser out of the head of a large ram, someone in 19th century Scotland thought it would be a good idea to put the whole affair on wheels. Presumably if your eyes weren't watering enough when this satanic sight coasted across the room after dinner, they soon would be after you'd snorted up a good dose of its contents.
Come for the ram's head, stay for … the vicious Chinese torture chair. More at home in a snuff movie, perhaps. Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road; +44 207 611 2222. Check website for details of reopening. 5. Digestive and respiratory systems of a sea cucumberYou read that right. This unsurprisingly stringy offering is just one of the incredible array of unusual animal and human body parts on display at the intriguing Hunterian Museum within London's Royal College of Surgeons. Each container of pickled organs is more confronting than the next (there are jars of pickled jaws, too). Behold, the nasal passage of a minke whale, the anus and urethra of a hyena and a wince-inducing display of syphilis-ravaged human penises. Come for the cucumber, stay for … the labyrinthine internal organs of a "hellbender" salamander. Hunterian Museum, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields; +44 207 869 6560 6. Churchill's chamber potDuring World War II, Britain carved out a subterranean command center where military leaders and politicians could safely mastermind operations as bombs pounded the streets above. These dank corridors and chambers filled with Bakelite telephones and bulky filing cabinets hosted the country's wartime leader, Winston Churchill, overnight on three occasions.
Given the then prime minister's predilection for hosting morning meetings while still under the blankets, it must be hoped that someone was employed to empty it promptly. Come for the chamber pot, stay for … The Map Room -- once the buzzing heart of the bunker. Churchill War Rooms, Clive Steps, King Charles Street; +44 207 930 6961 7. The 'Elephant Man's' skeletonAnother skeleton, but this time with a more woeful story than Jeremy Bentham's above. The unfortunate life of Joseph Merrick, a Victorian man whose severe deformities led him to be known as the Elephant Man, has been well documented, not least in the Oscar-winning David Lynch film of 1980. His story remains fascinating, partly for the continuing scientific disagreement on what caused his condition, but also as a disquieting window on attitudes to disfigurement. READ: 15 of the world's weirdest hotels For that last reason, the Royal London Hospital maintains a museum display about the man who became one of its most celebrated patients. The centerpiece is an exact replica of Merrick's skeleton created by Gentle Giant, a special effects company that has worked on movies such as Hunger Games and Iron Man. The exhibit also features the hat and shroud Merrick was obliged to don in public to avoid shocking those around him. Come for the skeleton, stay for … the alarming medical tools: hemorrhoid clamps, anyone? Royal London Hospital Museum, St. Philip's Church, Newark Street; +44 207 377 7608 8. Jar of molesThe UCL's Grant Museum of Zoology is home to possibly the oddest thing on display in London. There isn't much you can say about a glass jar inexplicably rammed with 18 dark-furred and pink-footed moles other than it is truly a thing of bad dreams. Or terrible delicatessens. The jar has, however, earned cult status via a well-followed Twitter account on which it appears to rail against government spending cuts and the insidiousness of stuffed fish. Come for the moles, stay for … the massive anaconda skeleton. Gripping stuff. Grant Museum of Zoology, Rockefeller Building, University College London, 21 University St.; +44203 108 2052      |
| CNNGo in Kaohsiung: Taiwan's largest port and coolest art Posted: 14 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST Art center, cultural park and Taiwan's best seafood. Kaohsiung isn't just another dull port city  Once known mainly for its industrial harbor -- or as a layover spot on the way to somewhere else -- the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung has grown into a hub of art and culture. It's now one of the most attractive destinations in Taiwan. A warehouse-turned-art center. An ancient-village-turned-cultural-park. An influential two-day outdoor music festival. CNNGo explores how Kaohsiung has evolved so rapidly while managing to preserve its tradition. Here are five episode highlights. Pier-2 Art Center
Every year Pier-2 hosts events as part of the Kaohsiung Design Festival and Rainbow Bay music festival. The two-day Rainbow Bay Festival is one of the biggest music events in Taiwan. Pier-2 Art Center, 1 Dayong Road, Yancheng District, Kaohsiung City; +886 7 521 4899 MORE: 10 reasons to love Kaohsiung 3080s Apartment
The owner pays close attention to details that honor the history of the owner's family and of Kaohsiung itself. The 1930s and 1980s -- significant decades in Taiwanese history -- get special attention. 3080s Apartment, No.226, Wufu 4th Road, Yancheng District,Kaohsiung City, + 886 7 521 5938 Hongmaogang Cultural Park
The park includes exhibitions on the Hong Mao Gang community and replicas of old village houses. The park is a great place to view the harbor. Hongmaogang Cultural Park, No.2808, Nanxing Road, Xiaogang Distrist, Kaohsiung City MORE: 10 things Taiwan does better than anywhere else Da Dong Arts Center
A model of architecture and a home for art, the center is home to performance halls, exhibition space and Taiwan's first art library. Da Dong Arts Center, No.161, Guang Yuan Road, FengShan District , Kaohsiung City
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| Posted: 13 Jan 2014 06:40 PM PST Taiwan's second biggest city is a fascinating mishmash of Buddhist ethics, outlandish nature and surprising art For too long, Kaohsiung has been known to the world as Taiwan's largest port city -- it's time to give attention-craving Kaohsiung the love it deserves. Taiwan's biggest night market, sexiest restaurant and coolest metro station -- these are just some of the superlatives to heap upon Kaohsiung. As lifelong Kaohsiunger and radio DJ Hugo Wu tells CNN: "The weather is almost always good, the pace of life is slow and the city is free. Who would want to leave Kaohsiung?" 1. Biggest night market in Southeast Asia
It's been the hottest debate in Kaohsiung since last summer. The rivalry between Kaisyuan and Jin-Zuan -- two adjacent night markets -- began from the week they opened, only three days apart. Both claim to be the biggest market in Southeast Asia. Each has hundreds of night market stalls. Kaisyuan boasts a 30,000-square-meter space with 300 stalls. Jin-Zuan stretches 23,000 square meters but is packed with 500 stalls. Jin-Zuan wins over fans with delicious beer shrimp, handmade, pan-fried noodles and luxury, lounge-like toilet facilities. Kaisyuan wows night market goers with a mini Phra Phrom (four-faced Buddha) and Bin Bin lemon juice hand-squeezed by muscular vendors. Both are gigantic -- walking through either takes at least an hour. Jin-Zuan is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 5 p.m.- 2 a.m. Kaisyuan is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 5 p.m.- 2 a.m. Both are located on Kaisyuan 4th Road. MORE: 40 Taiwanese foods we can't live without Fresh gourmet food
Locals love Meinong for authentic Hakka cuisine, such as sticky rice with pork wrapped in leaves. Meixing Street (Meinong District's main food street) is dotted with Hakka noodle shops called Ban tiao. Old New Restaurant serves the best taro sago sweet soup from the Jiasian District. The restaurant changes its menu daily using local specialties such as cuttlefish rice vermicelli, oyster soup and sashimi. Taro and pork dumplings, aboriginal sausage and rice wine are aboriginal dishes made by various tribes in Kaohsiung. Religious park where visitors exit from a tiger's mouth
But Lotus Pond is a real attraction. Officially opened in 1951 (some temples in the park are more than two centuries old), the Lotus Pond consists a man-made lake with more than a dozens temples, pavilions and pagodas. The Dragon and Tiger Pagodas are two seven-story pagodas guarded by crouching tiger and dragon statues. Visitors enter through the dragon's mouth into a tunnel (inside the dragon's body) with walls embellished with carvings. Visitors exit via the mouth of the tiger for good luck. Restaurant that offers sex education
Living up to its name, Funny Sex Restaurant is a humorous and erotic place to hang out -- the chocolate pudding comes in the shape of a penis. "Our founder spent a long time collecting the erotic objects in the restaurant," says manager Chen Yu-qi. "It's not easy to choose, as they have to be decorative and not repulsive." Apart from dozens of sexualized miniature figures, the most embarrassing decorations include a custom-ordered two-meter-long wooden penis shrine and soap dispenser shaped like a pair of breasts. There's also a blow up doll hanging about. "We'll let her (the sex doll) join a table to lighten the atmosphere while customers are waiting for food," says Chen. "A lot of our guests have heard of these sex toys, but they've never really touched them. It's a good and fun learning experience for them." Informative posters list average breast and penis sizes for different nationalities. Funny Sex Restaurant, 2/F, 446 Zhongshan Road, Lingya District, Kaohsiung; +886 7 333 6598; open Monday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday and public holidays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. READ: 10 things Taiwan does better than anywhere else Taiwan's prettiest metro station
The three-story station was designed by Japanese architect Takamatsu Shin. The above-ground glass entrance is designed to resemble a pair of hands clasped in prayer. But the real treasure is underground -- the 2,180-square-meter Dome of Light, a glass mural built into the ceiling of the station. The colorful ceiling was created by American-Italian artist Narcissus Quagliata. It's the largest such glass installation in the world. Quagliata also built the Dome of Light for Rome's Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs. Enormous art
Labor and Fisherwoman are the cartoon-like statues found throughout the park, each with a different outfit created by various artists. Heartbeats Light is a pillar with a light display synced with human heartbeats. Non-KingKong Group features a troop of 16 steel giants standing in front of the harbor. On a spacious lawn in front of the warehouses are more over-sized artworks, including two eerie lizards crouching on a train. "Founded and funded by the government's Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Pier-2 is unique in that it doesn't have to be commercialized to survive," says Sunny Jein, head of Pier-2 operation center. Pier-2 Art Center, 1 Dayong Road, Yancheng District, Kaohsiung; open Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. MORE: CNNGo in Kaohsiung: Taiwan's largest port and coolest art Indoor attractions at Pier 2
Others have been turned into stylish coffee shops and theaters. In Our Time is a gallery/restaurant/live music house/radio station. Diners can oversee the in-house web radio station from the restaurant, which also stocks a large collection of international beers and local teas. Coastal Bar starred in a popular Taiwanese crime TV drama as a gangster's lair. The setting remains the same as the TV set, but the better area is an al fresco strip behind the bar by the sea. The Wall Pier-2 is a roofless concert venue. Bandon Grocery Store is an adorable zakka store where travelers can make their own notebooks. Moon World and other day trips
The rugged, treeless mountains add a surreal accent to the area around Kaohsiung. Lan Yue Lou (Embrace the Moon Pavilion) is an attraction in the middle of the mountains. Meinong attracts visitors with colorful flower beds (in January) and Hakka cuisine. Cishan Island is known for well preserved old streets. Travelers here can rent a bicycle and tour the island, which is famed for fresh seafood, three-century old Mazu Temple and a warm beach. Moon World, Yueqiu Road, Chongde Village, Tianliao District, Kaohsiung Superhero lottery shop
"It was TWD180,000 (about $6,000) so I thought I could just build one myself," says Tong. "It's a long process. You've got to find a mannequin that resembles a superhero's face before styling its hair and putting on makeup. "I spent a lot of time thinking about different materials. For example, the armor shoulder pads are actually made from a cut-open piggy bank and Cat Woman's outfit is actually taken from my girlfriend's wardrobe." Tong's superhero family currently has eight members, excluding the two tall robots at the door. After the installation of the superhero figures, the lottery shop's business increased 30%. Travelers are welcome to stop by and take pictures with the figures. Taiwan Lottery, 52 Binhai 1st Road, Gushan District, Kaohsiung MORE: Giant duck conquers Taiwan Inflatable Rubber Duck
Hofman was persuaded to bring his Rubber Duck to Kaohsiung thanks to the city's tremendous enthusiasm for the unusual display. During the month the Rubber Duck was docked in Kaohsiung, it brought 3.9 million visitors to the venue. Thanks to its success, the city has announced that the Rubber Duck will return in 2014.    |
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