Put on your comfy pajamas, pop a big tub of popcorn and settle down with your favorite beverage for our next travel series — Hokkaido. My travel installments are usually broken down by country, but given the size of Hokkaido and the length of time we spent here I felt that it deserved its own […]
Food
Battle of the Taipei Shaved Ices (刨冰)
Among the many foods that Taiwan is famous for, none can top its shaved ice for the refreshing factor on a hot summer day. I’ve chosen three of the most famous shaved ice spots in Taipei for a round of ‘Battle of the Taipei Shaved Ices’ — Tai Yi Milk King (臺一牛奶大王), Ice Monster and […]
Yingge Ceramics (鶯歌陶瓷)
It’s baaaack. That soul crushing Taiwanese summer heat that transforms rational, even-tempered people into a beastly state of irritability has made its unwelcome reappearance. As an adult I realize that complaining about the weather is childish and unseemly, but the sheer oppressive nature of the heat here defies all logic, so I refuse to be […]
Alishan National Forest (阿里山): Part II
We stumbled around in the dark after our 3:30AM wake up call and were briefly revived by a cup of hot sweet ginger tea while waiting for the shuttle to take us to the Alishan sunrise viewing train. Jules was a bit grumpy due to the chilly weather, but we dutifully stood on line with […]
Chiayi (嘉義)
Philip’s nephew, Matthew, and his girlfriend, Katie, came to Taiwan mentally and physically prepared for the adventures awaiting them. They tackled Taipei like pros, and based on her culinary tastes we’re all convinced that Katie is part Taiwanese. Over the weekend, we headed south by high speed rail to the city of Chiayi. Chiayi is […]
Calla Lily Festival in Yangmingshan National Park (竹子湖海芋季)
Philip’s mother and sister, Kim, arrived in Taipei two days ago for a week long visit where they lucked out on unusually fabulous weather, full of sunshine and warm temperatures. We spent a day at one of our favorite local national parks a half hour drive from our home, the Yangmingshan National Park, where the […]
Japan, Part VI: Kyoto and Osaka
The peace and quiet of early morning is priceless, especially when sightseeing. On our last day in Kyoto, I was the sole beneficiary of an entire block of cherry blossoms just by waking up a couple of hours before everyone else. So worth it. I eased my way through the streets of Gion, enjoying […]
Japan, Part V: Kyoto (東京)
We dragged our feet this morning, sad to leave our beautiful machiya behind for our next home, the Kinoe ryokan. A ryokan is a Japanese inn where guests are pampered and served multi-course dinners and breakfasts en suite. In hindsight, a ryokan that accepts children probably should have been a red flag, since the luxurious […]
Japan, Part IV: Kyoto (京都)
After taking it easy the day before we were all set to go hard again. We set out early to beat the crowds at one of Kyoto’s iconic sights, Kinkaku-ji Temple, or Golden Pavilion. This Buddhist temple is popular for its gold plating and reflection in ‘mirror pond’ and the gorgeous surrounding landscaping. Despite […]
Japan, Part III: Kyoto (京都)
We had to leave Tokyo before I bought any more Kit Kats from Japanese super chain Don Quixote. I am not a candy/sweets person at all, but I go crazy for the amazing variety of Kit Kat flavors you can only buy in Japan, like Hokkaido roasted tea, limited edition sake, Uji matcha…. I end […]