February 24
We will have 3 days here including an overnight stay on the next segment
of this cruise. This day we started with a Highlights City Tour; our 2nd visit will be to a Geo Park and a River Mouth Town and our 3d tour will be to some mountainside towns. Yi Fen is a ToursByLocals guide, and she is a gem.
Yi Fen has been so great at keeping in touch and answering
questions. Our friends had her as their guide a few days ago and told me she
was excellent, and they did see blossoms. We knew that Taiwan was our best shot at cherry blossoms as it is too early for mainland Japan.
Today we are joined by Jim & Pam from Michigan and Bobby & Shera.
It was another cool and overcast day with threats of rain. Today’s tour was an intro to
Taipei. Yi Fen and I discussed rearranging (omitting) sites if cherry blossoms are in bloom, and we opted to skip Taipei 101 to see them.
It takes 45 minutes to an hour to get to Taipei from the port of Keelung.
Our first stop was an unscheduled one as Yi Fen said we could see blossoms here. She swapped Lung Shan Temple for Bishanyan Kaizhang Shengwang Temple since there were blossoms. There were areas where the blossoms made a canopy over the steps to the temple. Over 1,000 steps to the top, so we walked up to see some blossoms and then we drove to the temple. When the weather is clear it also is a well-known spot for the views.
driving out of Keelung
beginning of the steps to Bishanyan Kaizhang Shengwang Temple
Greg
we turned around before starting the next set of steps
the road to the temple
this was our views of the city
Yi Fen explaining the various ways that worshipers get their questions answers
Since it would have been a white out, we skipped going up to the top of
Taipei 101 (second only to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai) We just stopped to get a
photo op.
Taipei 101 (probably looks better on a sunny day
We had some time before our lunch reservation, so she took us to a park
with beautiful hydrangeas and other flowers. She told me later that since we
were so interested in the cherry blossoms that she thought we may enjoy other
flowers too.
Daan Park
rules of the park
Spotted Dove
We had lunch at Kao Chi, famous for their pork buns. The original
plan was to get several dim sum type dishes and share but one couple ordered
for themselves so the rest of us followed suit. What will be the story of Bobby
and Shera’s cruise will be the grouper she ordered. She was told it would take
a long time to cook so they put that order in first. We all wondered what would
take so long to cook a piece of grouper. We had all finished eating and out
came this huge whole fish. Our guide went to work with a spoon getting off the meat
and serving Shera. Some others took a taste but most of us were full. They told
the guide to take it home, but she said it would spoil in the car so better to
put it in the stomach now. She wasn’t going to let a piece go to waste. I
prefer a BBQ pork bun, but these just had a solid pork ball in the middle. The
veggie dim sum was very tasty. Shera later found out the grouper was $57. (We spent about $8.00 on our Dim Sum) So, the joke on the trip was Shera's $57 grouper.
Next door to the restaurant was a place making pastry items and we got 2
to split. The salty pastry and the apple pie were both very good.
Kao Chi Restaurant
sign outside the restaurant
Bobby & Shera
vegetable dim sum
pork buns
Shera's grouper (she didn't know the cost when she ordered)
pastry shop next door
Crispy Pastry (salty) & apple pie
Our next stop was the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall - the monument for
the Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, their former President. We also got a chance
to watch the changing the guard. It was raining a tiny bit and our guide said
they cut it short by a couple of minutes, but it was still pretty impressive
with lots of tossing and catching the rifles.
There were a few more cherry blossoms on their grounds. The usual pale
color and darker ones that are a mountain variety.
inside of the memorial
reflection on one of the helmets
Old street & market - Di-Hua Street is one of the most famous old
streets in Taipei with old houses, food and shops. We had some free time here.
bird's nests for sale
we came upon a wedding
Our last stop was Chiang Kai-Shek’s home and gardens. They had a tulip
festival there last weekend and since we liked flowers, she took us to see his
gardens in case the display was still there.
Malayan Night Heron
Gray Wagtail
perhaps our heart would have been better without my pink gloves on
Then it was time to return to the port. We shopped a while at the port
before boarding.
magnet
small stuffed fortune cookie
wish from the temple
Yi was an excellent guide and so sweet and full of knowledge. Nice that
she noticed our interest in flowers and birds and took us to that park and the
gardens. We have her for 2 more days next segment. (spoiler alert, she outdoes herself again on those tours)
Musicology was the dance show tonight.
6 Species, 2 new
Gray Wagtail, Malayan Night Heron, Oriental Magpie, Oriental Turtle Dove, Swinhoe’s White-eye, White-breasted Waterhen
Taipei, Taiwan City Tour https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ch69yZ6Si1F5RtiNA
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