Sunday, March 26, 2017

Asia Mega Tour II - In Transition

Saturday was a rainy day. We were supposed to go on another of the free walking tours but the weather made it so it would not have been fun. We were also going to go somewhere for tea tasting but we put that on hold too and instead went to the National Palace Museum, one of the greatest collections of Chinese Imperial Art. There is a long history of how this came to be in Taiwan. Wife has written a more detailed description of our day and our encounter by the dreaded Mainland Chinese Tour Groups. 

It was another gastronomically just okay day. We ate at the Museum Cafe where I had a 'rice pork burger'. This was some pieces of braised pork between two patties of rice that served as a bun. If that doesn't sound good to you, then you are spot on. We went back to a place for dinner where we'd been before but we ordered poorly and a number of the dishes were very bland.

Today we were in transit. Taking a train (that I will assure you was not like a Japanese Shinkasen Bullet Train!) to the East Coast city of Hualien. We have two all day tours to see the geographic sights around the area on Monday and Tuesday and the weather is supposed to be lovely.

I want to make a few remarks about our experience with the Taiwanese. I have to tell you these are the most friendly and helpful people we have met in Asia bar none. The level of English is pretty darn good and all kinds of people (at least in Taipei) from Metro guards, to waitstaff, to hotel workers, to taxi drivers, to train ticket sales people are incredibly helpful. People in general seem to be warm. You can see it in how the children behave. Wife and I have both said this may be the first place in Asia where we would think to come back to because it is so comfortable.

1 comment:

alexis said...

You were definitely glowing when we talked this morning! Sorry our timing wasn't great on my end, I probably should have called after I fed the kids. Hunger crabs run in the family.