I Love Christmas Cards

I am lucky that so many of my friends still send Christmas cards. I stretched Christmas out by opening three cards a day when we returned from Taipei on December 31. I savoured each one.

Experiment

Can I post a blog using my phone?  Yes I can. However the phone blogs are much more like Tweets. Short and sweet.

Missing My Boy

We have been home from Taipei for two weeks.  Every day I have wondered, what is Solomon doing?  Well..............

He is learning to roller skate!

Nothing Really Says Christmas Like

Earlier I wrote that "Nothing says Christmas like this guy."

But I was wrong.  Nothing says Christmas like this.

Merry Christmas from Taipei.

We discovered this Christmas extravaganza in a major business district on our final night in Taipei.  The street was filled with banks, fancy hotels and this very large and prominent display.

Final Adventure in Taipei

Beitou Park

Our time is Taipei has quickly come to an end.  For our final day, we split into two groups.  Taylor and David go to Costco.  After all, what marvels will a foreign Costco reveal to the American tourist?  Chia, Solomon and I head north to visit Beitou Park.

Beitou Park is a relatively short MRT ride from the center of Taipei to the hilly north end of the city. It was once a large hot springs and spa community developed during Japanese rule.  Today it is a park  that meanders up the mountain and is filled with many attractions to interest local day trippers as well as tourists.  We just had a small sampling of the area, and I want to return.

We took the regular MRT to the end of the line and transferred to a small train that only goes one stop. The atmosphere on the train had a happy, relaxed, vacation vibe.

We are waiting for the small train to take us the final short distance to Beitou Park.

We have arrived at the entrance of the park.  The MRT station is toward the rear of the photo.

Solomon spied this tree from the MRT station.  Of course, we had to see it up close.

Magic - snow was falling from the tree!

With the Christmas tree behind us, we began exploring the park.  The park is really a series of parks that wind their way further up into the mountains. We ambled along at the pace of two year olds discovering the joys of life.

We've been sitting still on the train for a while, so it's time for a little independence and time to run free.

What could be more interesting than a puddle next to a pond?

Behind the pond is the Beitou Library with the smaller pavilion in front of it.

Beitou Library

We climbed up these stairs to a wonderful set of cement slides.

After the slides and a picnic lunch we found a maze.  The hedges are the perfect height for short people.

We are simply parched, and have to stop for a dragon fruit popsicle.

Next we start walking up the Geothermal Valley where the hots springs are located.  When Solomon is older we'll have to come take a soak in the pools, but for now we are happy to look at the hot steamy water.

Wow!

This was such a special day.  I had fun with two of my favorite people, I saw a new part of Taipei AND I can't wait to come back and further explore this area.  Thank you, Chia and Solomon, for a wonderful experience.

Christmas Eve Dinner in Taipei

David, Chia, Taylor, Solomon and I had Christmas Eve dinner in our apartment.  We had a combination of American and Taiwanese food.  It was a wonderful meal.

Boiled peanuts from a street vendor.

Water chestnuts from another street vendor.

Here's a water chestnut that has been opened.  You eat the inside portion which is pictured on the right.

Homemade vegetable beef soup made by Chia.

I purchased these shrimp from the market in the morning - they were alive!

Taylor made pasta with fresh shrimp and salmon.

Chia prepared quinoa salad.

A cake from the bakery with a reindeer, and a Happy Birthday star.

The best part of Christmas Eve?

Watching Solomon open his three gifts was a joy - even though he had a fever.

Merry Christmas from Taipei!!!

Friday Adventure - Treetop Walk at Guanyin Mountain

It's Friday.  Solomon and Chia often go on an adventure on Friday, and Taylor and I are joining in the fun today.

We take the orange MRT to the end of the line and wait at the bus stop.

I have included this photo so you can see the contrast we experience today.  This is the end of the Orange MRT Line.

 Chia figures out that the bus won't come for 90 minutes, so we hop into a taxi and head for the Guanyin Mountain Visitor Center. After a 20 minute drive, first through city, then through twisty mountain roads we arrive at our destination high above Taipei.

There are many trails to choose from, but we choose the Treetop Trail, which is a boardwalk built at tree top level.  The walk is gentle.  We are in the treetop but we can also see the city of Taipei in the distance.

We are walking in the trees.

We can see Taipei down below.

Here's a surprise.  A Buddhist monastery nestled into the mountain.

Across the road this beautiful statue overlooks a pavilion and small temple.

A hidden Buddhist Monastery is the perfect place for Grandpa and Solomon to contemplate life.

Another little Monastery.

According to Chia, this is a poem reminding daughters to be good to their mother in laws, because some day they too will be a mother in law.

Another Buddha.

Papayas

Coming down the mountain to the bus stop.  These stairs are steep and uneven.

Whoa!   Look what's at the bottom of the steps.

A big Buddhist Monastery.  At the bottom of the steps on the right is a newly arrived nun.

This was certainly a surprise at the end of our hike.  This photo is taken from the bus stop.

Solomon and I are on the bus, ready to go down the mountain.

Today's adventure was fabulous!!!