Heart. Breaking.

I'm not sure why I'm torturing myself..but I'm a glutton for punishment. Clearly. Plus this is therapeutic? Eh. That's debatable. Just missing the babies....and if you didn't notice, I got a bit nostalgic with the pics....not so much that I started scanning the pictures of Romeo and Zoe from yesteryear (which I of course brought to Taiwan with me.) I'm just having a moment. It's hard being away from family this week...it also doesn't help that I'm listening to James Taylor. Ughhhh GLUTTON!!!!

Taipei Eye

The awesome factor of Taiwan has not waned. In my opinion, it simply gets cooler and the Taipei Eye was no exception. We got invited by one of my friends who has a daughter the same age as Wyatt and with a total of 3 families in attendance, it was safe to say that we had a good time. The Taipei Eye can be compared to an opera of sorts. It was separated into 2 acts with the first being an incredible lion dance with a ton of acrobatics and well, awesomeness.  The second act was more of the opera, you know, the part where the kids started losing focus. I've got to admit, the women "singing" sounded a bit like screaming cats. It was all in Chinese of course, with subtitles on two side screens. The translation lacked at times (i.e. "and they were like 2 angles that fell from heaven.") HAHAHA angles. Get it, angles? Ok. It was supposed to be angels. It tickled me and to be honest, I had a problem keeping it together. 

   

The lion stopping for a snack......Wyatt

Who needs pick up lines when you have a puppet........

PhillipinesX2

 So I have to say what stuck out most about our trip was not the tranquil beaches, the superfluous amount of pina coladas or having any random whim granted at a moment's notice by amazing staff. What stood out was the disparity of the "elite" and the reality of the island that we left behind as we entered paradise.  I was actually a bit embarrassed. The poverty, the single stark light bulbs shining eerily in the darkness-kids- all ages running/walking  up and down the side of the road, some hitching, others staring at passing vehicles. Buses were packed to the brim with people and wooden shacks flanking both sides of the road had their front sides plastered with beer and cell phone ads. Humbling? Well that's putting it mildly.

villages separated by homemade markers (the above being tires)

Elementary School

  

The above is Wyatt waiting in the airport for our departure flight. He's just too cute.