Devin, Rich, Jacqui, and Brandyn at the entrence to Taroko National Park on Taiwan's east coast.We’ve been very lucky to have so many visitors here in Taiwan. Way back on March 21 we received a new batch from Devin’s side of the family: Jacqui, Rich, and Brandyn, Grandmother Leemoi and Great-Great Aunt Vyolet. For eleven days the five members of four generations learned about our daily life in Hsinchu, explored Taipei, and circumnavigated the entire island of Taiwan via bus a train. I can’t capture all the excitement in one blog post, but please enjoy some highlights!
Jacqui and Rich arrived from Minnesota a full day before Brandyn, Grandma Leemoi and Aunt Vyolet after airline problems in California (that story is a whole other blog post). Devin and I met the two-some in Taipei and visited some top tourist destinations, including the National Democracy Memorial Hall (formerly Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall), the botanical gardens, and Long Shan Temple. In a radical departure from the previous five months of Minnesota weather, Jacqui and Rich enjoyed wearing t-shirts and not shoveling snow.
The California-based trio finally joined us after a 48-hour travel ordeal. The next day we tackled the National Palace Museum. Following lunch, Devin brought Jacqui, Rich, Brandyn and Grandma to the top of Taipei 101 while myself and Aunt Vyolet pursued our mutual interest in Chinese art with an English-language tour of the museum’s bronzes, ceramics and jade-work.
Devin and I showed the gang around Hsinchu. Our visitors got a taste of our favorite restaurants.(We don’t know the Chinese names, but instead refer to the small shops by their signature dishes: “Cold Noodle,” “Beef Noodle,” and “Thai Food”). Rich, Brandyn and Aunt Vyolet toured Hsinchu’s Municipal Glass Museum, while Jacqui delighted Devin’s students with an appearance at school. For Devin’s six year olds she is a surrogate mother, so Teacher Devin’s mother was like mommy squared. Devin’s oldest children grilled Jacqui with questions such as: “Was Teacher Devin a good girl when she was little?” “Was Teacher Devin a good student?” and “Did you hit Teacher Devin if she got bad grades?”
Devin and I got Hsinchu back to ourselves when the quintet left mid-week for a four day tour of Taiwan. Using a mix of High Speed Rail and tour buses, they stretched from Taiwan’s central Sun Moon Lake, south to the second largest-city of Kaohsiung, all the way to land’s end in Kenting, then half-way up the East Coast through Hualien. The tour, from all accounts, was relaxing and very informative. Lodging and lunches were at nothing less than four-star hotels.
We stowed-away on the tour bus for a wonderful trip through Taiwan’s famous Taroko Gorge. Our bus snaked through narrow, cliff-hanging roads
with white marble walls stretching up to the sky on either side. After a great lunch at a five-star hotel, Devin, Jacqui, Brandyn and I scaled a five-story pagoda with mouths gaping at the incredible scenery – white rock topped with green trees floating under a brilliant blue sky.
Our spot for lunch in Taroko National Park
The quintet got out of Taiwan safe and sound, with just a few warnings of extreme jet lag upon returning back to their real lives. Devin and I were grateful for the visit, and all the adventures. We’ll see you in America!
