We spent ten days in Taiwan, touring from north to south, from homes to marketing places, and from seaside to mountain tops. It felt good. We felt good. True, the streets are crowded, there are way too many vehicles (in particular motor cycles), and traffic is chaotic at times. But there is order and peace, and traditional Chinese culture and value is well preserved and observed on this island. Although fist-fight and scrap still occur in political chambers, although some ranking officials and their family members are found or heard to have betrayed their offices, Taiwan is still bright. A growing democracy with pains and stains is much better than an autocracy where there are no meaningful opposition parties, where officials are appointed rather than elected, and where the media is often shy or shut. We miss Taiwan for our relatives and its abundance of fruits.

• Days 1 & 2: Arriving at Taiwan, and a visit to Taipei
• Day 3: Having seen a lot of motor-cycles and fruits, we rode high-speed rail to south of Taiwan to meet with relatives never met before
• Day 4: a visit to a Buddhist temple
• Day 5: Our relatives took us to a museum, a park, and a seafood dinner (a dinner a day, at least)
• Day 6: Our relatives took on a tour of local fish and meat markets, then drove us to Mt. Ali, stopping at tourist attractions and facilities on the rout.
• Day 7: We stayed for one night in a hotel in Mt. Ali, got a "morning call" at 4 to head to mountain top to watch sun rise.  Then we trudged the trail amid old forest growth.
• Days 8 & 9: We returned to Sandy's home, enjoyed our last minutes in Taiwan, and got ready for the trip home.

Taiwan, Hongkong, and Mainland China, 2007

2007 Taiwan Trip

我们这次坐的是华航(台湾“中华航空”)。华航的服务人员很肯照顾人。从美国到台湾需十多个小时。夜里，大部分乘客都睡了，但还有人没睡。华航的服务人员仍不断地送茶送水，用国语轻声地、温柔地询问：需要咖啡，需要茶吗？第二张照片是一位空姐抱起我们的小孙孙子跟他说话。她看到秀娟带着两个小孩，知道她很辛苦。

我们的亲家喜欢钓鱼。这里摆的是他部分的鱼具。他每天一早骑摩托去一家私人养鱼场钓鱼。每次付费二百块(台币)。钓到的鱼如果自己不吃，可以每斤十五块卖回给鱼场。所以，我们天天有大鱼吃。

meeting with Li-qing's cousin at Taipei.  Picture was taken in the residence of Chiang Kai-shek and Song Meiling

我们花了一天时间去台北，与丽卿的从未谋面的堂姐见了面，并一道去了蒋介石和宋美龄的“士林官邸”(左图)，台北故宫，和孙中山图书馆。

This is outside of the "Imperial Palace" (no camera is allowed inside), where treasures of thousands of years of Chinese culture and history are stored.