Finally, a post about our trip to Taiwan!!!

Our trip here was very long – two long overnight flights with not a lot of sleep – and we arrived early on Christmas morning to our lovely hotel in Taipei. All the hours were worth it because an hour or so after we got here, M arrived! It was SO great to see her! We were all very, very happy.

I won't do a day by day travelogue, but so far we've seen the Chiang Kai Shek memorial and the buildings around it; the jade and flower markets; Daan Park; Beitou, including a foot soak at a fancy place at the top of the mountain; Tamshui, the neighborhood where M lives and goes to school; M's dorm and university; Fisherman's Wharf and the area around it. We've taken the MRT train everywhere, and it's so easy, clean and fast. 

The best part has been seeing M and getting to know the people on her program. Almost all of them came out to dinner with us last night to a restaurant in Tamshui – one on her program has covid and couldn't come – and it was really fun to get to know them. M is so independent and has really learned so much here already, not just language, but living in a foreign country and navigating everything. As always, she gets the most out of every day.

Answers to likely questions:

• Weather has been pretty good – mostly 50s and 60s. We've had a few sunny days, which is rare, and now it's cloudy and threatening to rain but hasn't.
• We are all feeling OK, though I am starting to get a little droopy. Covid tests negative. Everyone wears masks here, inside and out, all the time.
• Food here is incredible, everywhere, and cheap. We've tried lots of things and everything has been great.
• M speaks Chinese so well, and can negotiate everything for us. When we are not with M, we get by bc most people speak very minimal English.
• A and I got to see M's dorm room but Dad and N couldn't go N because boys not allowed in girls' rooms, etc.
• We brought M a suitcase of stuff and she was very happy. It's all in her cabinet now.
• M has planned great itineraries for us (no surprise).
• We are all in one big room with three beds. It is quite comfortable.
• We were supposed to meet M's host parents on Monday but it didn't work out. Perhaps later this week.

I have a lot of pics I will share. A LOT. It's impossible to put pics in order on Typepad so I'm just going to put them in here with captions in the order I get them.

Last night's dinner: