14 March 2008 (a.m.)
Shantou : After breakfast, we were fetched to Shi Pao Tai, a fortress used to defend against the combined European forces aggression a hundred years ago. Made of the same material as the Yongding Hakka house, its wall is 4.1 metre wide and 292 metre long.
There were ventilating towers on top of the fortress. Not only does it used for ventilation but for communication too. We are talking about 100 years ago where there were no walkie talkie and mobile phones. You would have noticed that the step edges (picture below) were rounded off. The guide told us that it was to facilitate the moblization of cannons.
Our next destination was the Ancient Dragon Temple, situated at the foot of a rock hill. Legend has it that Kuan Im Buddha was once sighted riding a dragon here.
Finally, we had a brief stop at Shantou University before our one hour jouney to Chaozhou. There were a few fruit stores outside the university where the fruits were cheap and fresh. We bought pipa and green plums.
Note: On our way to Shantou the day before , I am glad that we passed by my late father's Teng Hai district though not his East Lake Village.
