Taiwan

Left Portland at Friday 9pm - flew to Seattle and then to Taipei. Arrived at 6am and Lily came to get us and took us to the Taipei Teacher Hostel. Michelle said this is the best hostel she's been in. :) I've been in nicer hostel though, the one in Sydney was really nice.
Botanical garden in the middle of Taipei, near the Teacher hostel.
Chang Kai Shek memorial. Chinese people seems to like these large assembly spots.
Victory to the people!!!
Gift shop - Michelle really likes these cylindrical lanterns.
Shanghai crab dumpling for lunch - yummm.... We really liked these, so good...
veggies and chicken soup for sides. We had 4 trays and probably could eat a bunch more, but we were saving room for more snacks.
The dumpling factory on the first floor.
I can't pass up a monkey bar. :)
cute little round piggy.
Today we're going to hot spring. Fortified ourselves with a traditional Taiwanese breakfast - warm soy milk, rice drink, sticky rice with pork fu and veggies, and green onion pancakes.
We took the red metro train to the end of the line and then took taxi up to Wulai. This is a hot spring resort town.
We took the little train to the water fall and then walked back. Michelle was a very good driver.
smile.....
traditional hills tribe pose. waterfall in the back. This is a viewing platform, Syd and Lily are digging around under these platforms for a geocache.
lunch break - fresh young bamboo shoots (really really good,) sticky rice in banana leaf, veggie and, stir fried wild boar. good lunch.
Went for a 2 hours hot spring soak, no pictures. :)
I tried a wild boar sausage with garlic on the side, pretty good.
next day - Taiwan national museum
They have a lot of exhibits from china. Lily found a geocache here too.
After the museum, we went to Taipei 101.
A LOVE artwork piece conveniently placed for tourist hams.
Inside Taipei 101 - the most expensive cafe in Taipei. 300NT for a hot coco. We sat for 90 minutes though, tired out...
Met up with Lily's mom and had dinner at the Taipei 101 food court. Went to a Todd store afterward and walked back to the metro. Joe advertising a green tea drink.
To Danshui. Took another long metro ride out here.
hiked to the red castle - it's a little fortress that got converted to the British embassy in the old days. Now it is a tourist attraction. Hi Lily!!
Bao and fish ball soup for lunch.
Last day - Yehliu Geopark. Took a long ride on the bus to get out here.
The ocean, ahhh....
The famous queen head rock formation.


Next to Thailand.