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.

Sun moon lake and surrounding area....................

Yesterday we charter a taxi and pay about 7,000 Taiwan dollars to go to sun moon lake in central Taiwan. Driving through the Taiwanese country side was just beautiful, the scenery was breathtaking. we drove past mountains after mountains, and every now and then we would go through these passageway or tunnels drill deep into the mountains, all i kept thinking was Taiwanese engineers must be some of the best and most resourceful people in the world. to drill through these mountains to make highways was amazing.
When we finally got to sun moon lake the place was filled with tourist mainly i think mainland Chinese, but it was still a beautiful experience, the whole place was just beautiful.

We drove through tunnels after tunnels, this one was on the way to sun moon lake.

The scenery in central Taiwan was breathtaking.

View of sun moon lake.

With my little brother at sun moon lake.

On the way back to Taipei we stop in the city of Puli to have lunch.

McDonalds in Taiwan, taste better then any Mcdonalds in the U.S

Also in Puli Dad got some sugarcane to eat.