Showing posts with label Pingxi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pingxi. Show all posts

Friday, July 12, 2013

Carbs, Hikes and a Whole lotta' Love.

This pic cracks me up. 
So generally I withdraw and retreat to blogger abyss after a family visit. I'm making a conscious decision to rise above situational depression and power through this time. No. I am not self-medicating.
What I discovered from being with the parental units this trip?
*Apparently I rarely use my gluteal muscles. Yowza.
* There is a lot of bread to be eaten in Taiwan, and family visits are my favorite times to consume. When I say consume, I mean inhale.
*I really love carbs.
*The parental units are in really good shape.
*Taiwan is indescribably beautiful, which I rediscover each and every time family and friends come to visit.
So......what did we do? We...*ate carbs, *went to great breakfast/coffee places EVERY morning, *walked everywhere, *went to Sanxia, *Pingxi (where we set off lanterns and hiked), *Chiang Kai Shek Gardens, *Chiang Kai Shek Memorial, *Digital Market, *Yamingshan (to the Stone House restaurant for dinner), *The National Palace,*Taipei 101, *saw Despicable Me 2, *Ilan County (where we hiked on the rocks and saw Turtle Island) and also saw *Fulon beach (going for an abbreviated dip), *Hiked the Tianmou Trail, *Church, *hair washes, *shoulder massages/foot soaks, *local market browsing, *bike rides to Beitou (poor Will suffering a busted out chain in the process) ***Gasping for air.........Yeah. Been there done that Baby. One day we walked 10 miles and it was like 300 degrees out. 300 degrees. That's just how we roll. We barely made a dent during their time here, but a great time was had by all.
We love you MiMi and Dzia-Dzi!!! xoxoxoxo
Fulon Beach
Yilan County rock hopping
Pingxi Lantern Painting
Release of the lantern!
Changing of the Guard at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial 
Yilan County 
Turtle Island
Yilan County
Yilan County 
Chiang Kai Shek Memorial
More "extreme" hiking in Pingxi

Yilan County
Yilan County

So proud of Wyatt and his first major hike while parents were here. He appreciates "extreme" hiking. Ropes are more fun than stairs!




Sunday, March 31, 2013

Two weeks of Greatness.



Great things come in pairs. Did you know that?? A fabulous pair came our way a couple weeks ago and left 10 days later. In typical fashion, we sisters basically conquered Taiwan in less than 2 weeks..kicking *** and taking names in the process.
Let's start shall we?! Kati and John came in on a Friday. We took it slow the first day, seeing as they had come in at 6 am and all. We walked around the alleyways, bought some produce, smelled the wafting meat, got caught in the rain and ate carbohydrates, as any long lost sisters would do upon seeing one another again. After picking Wyatt up from school , navigating the post office and eating dinner at, yes...Chili's.....we were ready for Saturday.

The weather was GORGEOUS. MOST days. 




Saturday- we headed to Yingge (think pottery) and Sanxia (think cool bridge and more yummy carbohydrates known as Bullhorns)




Sunday- Will drove us to Pingxi (where the annual lantern festival is held each year) and the town of Shihfen where we saw the waterfalls and yes, ate more food and had more ice cream.




Monday-As soon as Wyatt left, we planned out the day and headed out. The morning was filled with The National Museum, Martyr's Shrine followed up by lunch at the Grand Hotel. Every minute counts people.



Tuesday- We started by heading to Chiang Kai Shek Gardens. Beautiful and a nice walk. You also can't come to Taiwan and not take in the fabric market on Dihua and all that it has to offer. Along with the awesome spices and dried fruits, it's a site to take in. Oh yeah...we also picked up some aprons. The picture of domesticity.


Wednesday-My awesome sister and nephew volunteered at the girls shelter and Kati led an amazing lesson with the girls working on self portraits. Later we saw Wyatt swim. The fun never stops!

Thursday-  Will and I had a meeting with Wyatt's teacher in the A.M, and Kati had a well-deserved pampering session in the afternoon. After that? Well we went into overdrive. The week was drawing to a close and there was SOOOOO much yet to be done. So at 4 PM we decided to take matters into our own hands. Nearly running to the MRT we went to the Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Modern Art, Chiang Kai Shek Memorial, National Theater/National Opera House, dinner at The Diner and a night time look at Taipei from Taipei 101. The beer float was a bonus.








Friday- Kaohsing (Home of the Love River) and Meinong(where the umbrellas are made)






Saturday- Taipei Zoo! Maokong Gondola! Authentic Italian pizza and Night Markets!! Wohoo!


Sunday- Church! Mexican food! Birthday party! And yes. Taking it easy. Kind of.
Monday- Chinese brush art lesson in the morning, followed by the afternoon in Danshui, looking at the water and yes. Eating.

Did I mention we had some ice cream? Ah. If only we took pics of all our ventures into icy deliciousness.....





Psssst. Hey T,..... I miss you.......