June update

We went to the Obama rally, it was a sunny warm beautiful day. He really lucked out because that was like the only nice day in May. There were about 75,000 people there that day and many people were not able to get in to the bowl to see him speak.


We got there pretty early and sat in the back because that was the only shady spot.


I put my 12x zoom camera to good use that day. :)


Fireworks for the beginning of Rose festival. Yea, fireworks season has started.



Pioneer Square flower show. They put up flowers for Rose festival every year. This year's theme is wild flowers. Michelle really hated this, she thinks it's messy. After a few weeks, they sell the plants at a discount price.




Rose Parade - Only a few blocks from our condo. Michelle's camera ran out of battery and I ran home and got my zoom camera. It's great to live downtown. :)
Those Clydesdale are really pretty.


Space program??Pirates Arrr...

We finally got a great seat in front after a group of people left.



Fleet week. We only got 4 ships this year. There are less and less ships now since they are in action.




We walked across the Steel bridge and took a ride back in the old style street car trolley.


The day after Rose Parade, they put the floats on Naito and closed the street to let people take a closer look. Arrrr....**Roar** :)

Hippotamus

That's all for now. The weather is finally getting nice. We finally got 3 sunny days in a row. I took off a couple of days to relax and get ready for power on. It'll be super busy again in 2 weeks. I also got a Nintendo Wii and Michelle is having a lot of fun with it too.
You should see her jumping around playing tennis. :0

may 08

The weather finally is getting warmer. The last few days have been very hot, 80s and 90s.
Today Obama is coming to speak at the waterfront park, only a few blocks from us. I think it's over for Hillary. The poll said Obama has a pretty big lead in Oregon.
A few weeks ago we went to hear Bill, he was here to get some vote for Hillary.
He is a great speaker, let's see how Obama compares to him.



$2 day at the OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.) It's a pretty small museum geared more toward kids, but we had a lot of fun. The dinos are visiting from China.

** roar ***
Sonkgran in Portland. A store near Chinatown had a show and there were tons of people there.
That day was really cold though.
Lily & Zoey being good for once.

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.