December Update

Lovely weather on the whole, settling in and exploring more - loving life in Taipei.

Exploring the great museums and galleries (and their tea shops too) - this is us trying ice cookies (yes - frozen!) - very nice and elegant.

Our friend and former colleague from Shanghai visited us in November - we went to a night market to eat and then out for drinks in trendy Ximending.

The river and coastal trails are fantastic - these pictures are taken on a recent walk from the beach along the river into Taipei city.

We took a trip to Changhua and Lukang this month - they are cities about half way down the country (west coast).
First up are photos from the old city of Lukang -

 This is the old Longshan temple - very famous in Taiwan and known for its classical architecture.

 
The next photos are taken in the Matsu temple, a popular goddess in Taiwan.

Lukang is also well know for its old, narrow alleyways. This one is particularly narrow, and is known as breast touching lane.

Changhua is a larger and more modern city. It is famous for the huge Buddha on top of the local mountain. We watched the sunset from up here - lovely.

Exploring Northern Taiwan

Some more photos of life and travels in Taiwan. As we've settled in, we've been out exploring the towns and countryside around Taipei. There's lots to see, and we are really enjoying learning more about our new home.

First up, a trip on a misty day to Jiufen, an old mining town on the north-east coast.

 The old street was full of snacks and shops, and was packed on the day we went.

 The old mining monuments were very atmospheric in the mist.

Next, visiting Longshan Temple in Taipei -

A great day out to Wulai, an area of natural beauty south of Taipei.

 The famous Wulai waterfall.

 On a short hike along the river canyon. A bit further on, the path had been destroyed by a landslide and so we had to turn back.

There are many parks and river bike and walking paths around Taipei - lots of opportunities to see birds, butterflies and plant life.

Our most recent trip was to the towns of Yingge and Sanxia.
Here is Tzushr temple in Sanxia in the rain - a beautifully restored 18th century temple.

Sanxia old street.

All goes well with life and work, and day trips around and outside of Taipei are very easy. More next month!

Settling in and exploring

We are both really enjoying life in Taipei. Our jobs are going very well, and the city is a great place to call home. Now the weather is cooling off a little, longer hikes and outdoor trips are more comfortable. But we didn't let the heat stop us too much - here are some recent photos.

Near us is a large Confucian temple and Daguan School - founded in 1873 to provide free education. The temple is dedicated to Confucius - the cards attached to the pillars are wishes and prayers from students.

 A rather strange looking 3D tiger is on one of the entrance doors. Looks more nervous than fierce.

Also in this area is the Lin Family Mansion and gardens - one of the best preserved old houses in Taiwan. A beautiful and tranquil place to wander.

We made our first visit to the National Palace Museum, and after a few hours there had seen about 10% of the collection - the place is huge, and contains many of the most famous Chinese treasures, including many things from the Forbidden City in Beijing, brought here during the war with Mao's communist party in the 1940's.

Last weekend we ventured a little further afield and took a train to the western coastal city of Hsinchu, about an hour from Taipei. It is the oldest city in northern Taiwan, and has some beautiful restored canals to wander along.

The one remaining gate from the old city wall.

 Hsinchu train station was also pretty cool.

So, all in all, everything is going well and life remains good.