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 […]
travel
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 […]
Alishan National Forest (阿里山): Part I
I have wanted to visit Alishan National Forest, one of Taiwan’s top tourist spots, for many years now. The thought of hours driving along narrow, tortuous mountain roads with a child in tow, though, has usually been effective at laying that idea to rest. Jules has proven himself to be a hardy traveler this past […]
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 […]
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 […]
Japan, Part II: Tokyo (東京)
We started our next day in Tokyo with a visit to the Tsukiji Fish Market. We opted out of witnessing the crack of dawn tuna auction and instead stood on line to wait for Kagura sushi to open its doors for breakfast. Since Jules has not ventured into the world of raw fish yet, we […]
Japan, Part I: Tokyo (東京)
Hundreds year-old traditions, impeccable food, polite-to-a-fault natives and cherry blossoms? Count me in! Since Philip’s mom and sister, Kim, were arriving one week into Jules’ spring break from school, we had exactly seven days to squeeze in two weeks’ worth of fun in Japan beforehand. Here we go… Landing at Haneda International Airport and figuring out […]