I don’t want to spend that long editing photos while still on vacation, but here are some highlights so far.
Our friend Eddie in HK took us to a wonderful vegetarian restaurant that was miles above any veggie place we’ve been to in LA. Afterward, he took us to The Peak, which involves a tram ride leading to a spectacular view of the Hong Kong skyline at night.
When we checked into our hotel in Beitou, Taiwan (a hot springs city) we found out that we got an upgraded room for free! The upgraded room had its own private hot springs water piped into a gigantic, deep tub. Will was also finally convinced of the virtues of a sit-down shower.
Our view from the Beitou hotel. It’s in a more urban location than I thought, but there are some nice, rolling hills and a stream a bit further down the road.
One of the simple things I love about visiting places like China and Taiwan is the fresh produce and fruit markets. They’re just small storefronts, but with really fresh smelling fruits and vegetables.
Made it to Shilin night market our first night in Taiwan. It wasn’t as big as I pictured and most stands were serving the same foods (oyster omelette, noodles, bittermelon shakes, skewered meat, stinky tofu, etc.). The bittermelon shakes are worth the visit though — not at all that bitter and with a crisp, green taste. Can’t wait for this trend to hit the US.
Fruit stands in the street! You pick out the already cut up, bite sized fruits, they weigh it, you pay, and then you eat it on a stick. Some fruits they have there that we don’t usually eat in LA: cherimoya, sour peach, tomatoes stuffed with dates, and green mango.
A super secret, high end sushi restaurant in Taiwan. So secret that I had to get special permission to take photos in the restaurant and even then, I had to promise not to post pictures of the dishes. I had so many different creatures of the sea I had never had before. Clean, delicate flavors, and a relaxed atmosphere. The chef was also super friendly and warm. Best sushi I’ve had in my life.
Our main hotel in Taiwan. Affordable, hip usage of a small space. Lovely.
