If you've never been to Taipei, I strongly recommend a visit. There were Palm trees!!! I was able to take 94 pictures in only a day and a half but then the battery on the camera died so... there aren't pictures of absoutely everything I saw. But, you'll get a pretty good idea of the beautiful things to see in the city.

 

Unfortunately, I saw one of the most gruesome things I've ever seen in my life in Taipei which has to do with animal cruelty that left me feeling quite sick to my stomach. We had gone to a market and had read about "Snake Alley" in the Lonely Planet guide book. Well, it turns out the snakes and other reptiles were definately there but not necessarily being treated in a loving or responsible way. I will spare you the details - needless to say it was upsetting.

 

The city was really beautiful and lavish. The monuments were exquisite and the food was delicious. There were foreigners everywhere and it seemed that every one spoke English. I got away with "Sheh-Sheh" (which is "Thank you" in Mandarin) for the entire weekend. Overall, a really great trip. Details are available if you click on the pictures to your right. 

 

Bye for now!

That's right folks... I'm counting the sleeps until I take a long weekend to the island of Taiwan. I don't know very much about the place except that they speak Mandarin mostly. Should be interesting because I think the only think I know how to say is "N-goy" and I don't know if it's Mandarin or Cantonese for "Thank you." I guess I'll find out in a few days, huh?

 

WWOOHHOOO.... Taiwan!!! So exciting! I can't wait to see what's on the menu... typical Latina, huh? Always thinking about the food! I meant to say... on the agenda. There are a few things I want to see: The "Taipei 101" Building which is the tallest free stranding skyscraper on the planet with the world's fastest passenger elevator. It's inspiration was the bamboo tree. Should be fun. Then there are nine surviving aboriginal communities that I would like to see up close and personal - but I think I'll only have time to visit the Wulai. I want to go to the mountains and the rest I would like to dedicate to shopping around interseting neighbourhoods. I think another interesting thing to see with be the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial. Should be a fun weekend  :D

 

I'll have some pictures for you next time I update this blog. Bye for now!

Friday was a fabulous day. Although the fall is approaching, there seem to be a lot of days of beautiful sunshine and quite a bit of heat. Friday was no exception.

 

We visited Won-Chon amusement park which is north-east of Suwon. It is located near this beautiful lake resort area with fabulous hotels, water front restaurants and saunas. It was a lot of fun going there and the kids loved the rides. Because it was the first day back to school for most of Korea, the park was absolutely empty. We were able to run amock... what five year old doesn't love that?

 

We even did a haunted house and I had about five frightened children clinging to my legs, fingers, skirt and shirt. I was trying to convince them that it was just loud noises and nothing was going to hurt them but feeling a little terrified myself when there was an eerie silence & darkness near the middle of the house. They had turned off the sound effects and lights thinking no one else was in there! It was like "Open Water" but in a haunted house. Anyways... we survived and the kids ran out of there so quickly when they saw that light at the end of the tunnel. Poor things.

 

Hope you like the pics. Again... not for sale or adoption. They all come from very loving homes... and I have first dibs, really!