farewell dinner party ...........

Well as the saying goes.... all good things must come to an end, after an amazing couple of weeks in Taiwan, its time to head home. but before we go our family decided to throw us a farewell dinner party. It was really great, to be among all these people, some of them i did not even know, but they were family, and it was great to be among family.

Some of my uncles at the dinner....

My dad two younger sisters, i call them Aunty number 3 and 4 for short.

Aunty number 4, i can swear this woman is the best cook in all Taiwan....

After dinner we all pose for pictures one last time, i will miss these people.

Driving in Taiwan

With few days to go before my vacation is up, i have been recording a lot of videos about everyday life in Taiwan, especially how people drive in this country. here are a couple of videos, that i shot in Taipei and the city of Yilan while driving around those two cities.

Driving in Taipei can be fun,crazy and scary, i don't think i can drive in this city.
by the way my Dad and the taxi driver kept talking in the whole video.

And while driving in Dad's home town city of Yilan the other day i shot this one.

More shopping and more sightseeing in Taipei........

Went again with my Dad and brothers into Taipei city yesterday, and spent the day at all of my favorite spots in the city. I am really going to miss this place when i go back to the states.

My dad and i bargain with this guy at the mall.

Some random pictures of a shopping center in Taipei.

Walking with my dad and brother on a street in Taipei.

some street scenes in Taipei.

Dad pose for picture in Taipei.

With my brothers and dad in Taipei

Dad and my little brother Nikie.

I finally got to try my first stinky tofu, and what can i say..... it wasn't that bad at all.

Eastern Taiwan, and a visit to a Taoist Temple in Yilan county............

Took the Train yesterday afternoon to the eastern city of Hualien 花蓮 to visit my sick aunt and her husband then came back home and visited an ancient Taoist Temple on the mountain and a beautiful park in Yilan county.

The number 2 platform at the train station in Hualien City.

In the Train on the way back home.

The Taoist Temple on the mountain.

The view from the temple was stunningly beautiful.

This place was one of the most peaceful places i have ever been.

They had these beautiful fishes in a pond at the temple.

And i finally finish off the day by enjoying this scenic park .

Dr. Sun Yat sen memorial, National palace museum, and the Taipei underground mall..............

I spend the whole day again in Taipei city visiting some national sites and enjoying this beautiful city. My first stop was the Dr Sun Yat sen memorial right in the middle of down town Taipei overlooking Taipei 101. I then took a taxi to the national palace Museum which was like any other place in Taipei these days crowded with mainland Chinese tourist.
Finally my last stop was the Taipei underground mall, they really do have some good stuff there if you look really good.

The Dr Sun Yat Sen memorial hall.

A soldier stood guard in the the Sun Yet sen memorial hall.

The national palace museum.

The Taipei underground mall.

I bought some really cool stuff from this stall at the mall.

Visit to Dad's home town and Incense burning to the ancestors.......

Yesterday we went to visit our elder uncle,( Dad older brother) who live in the city of Yilan 宜蘭 to burn incense and pray to our ancestors. Yilan is the birth home of my father and the ancestral home of our family who according to elder uncle came to Taiwan from what is today Fujian Province in China, about a hundred and fifty years ago. It was surreal and really quite amazing to be standing in the house my father grew up in. I also visited the elementary school Dad and his siblings went to, and the Neighborhood they grew up in.

The Liu family shrine in the city of Yilan.

Elder uncle

Dad explaining some of the family history.

Different generations of the Liu family.

Dad's Childhood home in Yilan.

The neighborhood Dad grew up in.

Aunty made lunch and it was so so good.

My cousin and little brother.