Spectral Codex

Photo: Huazhou Theater (楠西華洲戲院)

Photo: Lukang Yuqu Temple (鹿港車埕玉渠宮田都元帥)

Photo: Zicheng Theater (自成大戲院)

Photo: Toubiankeng Police Station (頭汴坑警察官吏派出所)

Photo: Guanshan Zhonghua Theater (中華大戲院)

Alexander Synaptic

Curator, Spectral Codex

Welcome to Spectral Codex, a travel journal, photography portfolio, geospatial database, digital garden, and personal blog curated by Alexander Synaptic. This site is completely ad-free and features no sponsored content, though you’re welcome to support my work via Patreon if you like what you find here. Read a little more about my background and motivations, or start browsing the collection!

Currently this project features 6,227 locations (1,085 with images), 100 posts, 512 regions, 95 themes, 7,397 images, 19,209 outbound links, and 910,149 words, mostly covering topics related to Taiwan. Gathered below are some of the better and more recent links from around the site to get you started…

Recent Updates

Mailiao Jincheng Theater
( 麥寮金城大戲院 )

Yunlin

Mailiao

May 31, 2026

Lincuo Anti-Airborne Fortifications North Section
( 林厝反空降陣地北段 )

Taichung

Daya

May 8, 2026

Lincuo Anti-Airborne Fortifications South Section
( 林厝反空降陣地南段 )

Taichung

Xitun

May 7, 2026

Tianmu US Military Housing
( 天母美軍宿舍群 )

Taipei

Shilin

April 18, 2026

Dahu Little Tianmu Villas
( 大湖小天母別墅 )

Miaoli

Dahu

February 4, 2026

Linkou Shengtai Brick Kiln
( 林口勝泰磚窯 )

New Taipei

Linkou

December 3, 2025

Yingge Nanmen Market Building
( 鶯歌南門商場大樓 )

New Taipei

Yingge

December 2, 2025

Changle Theater
( 大樹昌樂大戲院 )

Kaohsiung

Dashu

September 25, 2025

Xinglin General Hospital
( 杏林綜合醫院 )

Tainan City

Tainan West Central

September 6, 2025

Tainan Guanghua Theater
( 台南光華戲院 )

Tainan City

Tainan West Central

September 4, 2025

Tainan Minzu Theater
( 台南民族戲院 )

Tainan City

Tainan West Central

September 4, 2025

Hunei Wenxian Theater
( 湖內文賢戲院 )

Kaohsiung

Hunei

August 31, 2025

Zuoying Qingshui Theater
( 左營清水大戲院 )

Kaohsiung City

Zuoying

August 29, 2025

Waipu Airfield
( 福興外埔飛行場 )

Changhua

Fuxing

July 12, 2025

Phahonyothin Rama
( พหลโยธินรามา )

Bangkok

Phaya Thai

July 2, 2025

Dajia Stone House
( 大甲石頭屋 )

Taichung

Dajia

June 23, 2025

Themes

Many different themes are explored on this site, generally as a way of making sense of history and socioeconomic change. Each theme features posts, field notes about specific locations, and a map to help navigate the geospatial dimension of a subject. I recommend having at least a glance at my most ambitious project, an extensive overview of nearly 1,200 movie theaters across Taiwan.

Theaters in Taiwan
( 台灣老戲院 )

Locations: 1,166

Posts: 5

Alishan Forest Railway
( 阿里山森林鐵路 )

Locations: 32

Luodong Forest Railway
( 羅東森林鐵道 )

Locations: 22

Postcards From Taiwan
( 台灣明信片 )

Posts: 15

Urban Exploration

Locations: 55

Posts: 1

1935 Hsinchu-Taichung Earthquake
( 新竹台中地震 )

Locations: 34

Posts: 1

921 Earthquake
( 九二一大地震 )

Locations: 105

Posts: 6

Chinese Renaissance Architecture
( 中國古典式樣新建築 )

Locations: 33

Posts: 1

Series

Complete series of photo essays and field notes from some of the many road trips and bicycle journeys I’ve undertaken over the years, mostly around Taiwan. If you prefer more of a narrative structure to explore the many places documented on this site you might like to start here.

Spectral Codex