The Matsu Islands - Notes







Wonderful home-cooked meal using local ingredients




Story of the 'Roof' the real reason for smaller stones loosely, insecurely placed on slate/roof , as was told by our host Mr Ma a Matsu local -
1. Nice, complete stones were kept aside and taken away for wealthy people and governmental causes. Locals from ordinary family such as themselves can only pick up small, uneven-shaped ones from roads and hills. 
2. The reason why loosely placed, typhoon strikes blow them all away and tear the roof down and these families were too poor to afford cement to secure slates.
"I and my siblings used to go round the village picking up stones, having had to start all over again after typhoon struck."

 Harsh Military Past

 " We didn't have electricity until after 1971. And even when we had it, it was strictly forbidden after 9 pm. All windows and doors were covered in black cardboard to prevent escape of light" says Ma. 

 'Blackout regulations' continued until around the lift of martial law in July 15 1987. A fact hard for me to imagine being from Taipei.

"I DON'T EAT PORK  for a good reason" during one of the walks passing his childhood neighborhood, now ruins. 

"Average folks were poor, like us, we all slept with pigs. Pig house was our home, in the evening, we put up a bench, and that was our bed, with pigs roaming around underneath." 




A great place to explore Air-raid shelters/bunkers









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