Yes, right in downtown Taipei, along by the side of the Control Yuan HQ no less, is a tree that looks totally dead with all the bark flaked off, until you look up and see it’s actually quite healthy up at leaf level! Helpfully there’s even a notice next to it giving it’s name as Cajuput Punk Tree. Turns out to be a kind of eucalyptus tree from Australia…. Quite amazing ~ and what a name! Continue reading Punk Tree?!
Totally surrounded by vegetables, that is! Cannot fail to be impressed by the man at his stall in Taipei’s Dongmen Market who is, yes, totally surrounded by his produce. And just down the market from him is this big tub full of Stinky Tofu on the boil – it’s called Stinky Tofu for a good reason, but it’s not often that the smell is quite so noticeable first thing in the morning! aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh! Continue reading Totally Surrounded @ Dongmen Market…
Pro-independence opposition candidate Tsai Ing-wen is elected Taiwan’s first female president, setting an uncertain course for future relations with China. Source: Tsai Ing-wen elected Taiwan’s first female president – BBC News Continue reading Tsai Ing-wen elected Taiwan’s first female president – BBC News
Tomorrow is Taiwan’s Election Day! Jan. 15 (CNA) Taiwanese voters will go to the polls Saturday to elect a new president and a new Legislature, and the results are expected later in the day. Source: Taiwan to elect new president, Legislature Saturday | Politics | FOCUS TAIWAN – CNA ENGLISH NEWS Continue reading Taiwan to elect new president, Legislature Saturday | Politics | FOCUS TAIWAN – CNA ENGLISH NEWS
From now until January 24, the National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall in Taipei City is THE place to go! Not for the changing of the guard, although that’s quite fun if you arrive on the hour like hundreds of tourists do, and like we did yesterday. But even more fascinating is the Wood Sculpture Exhibition by Master Chang Ching 張敬, it’s STUNNING! Master Chang’s story was published over 10 years ago in English by the Buddhist Tzu-Chi Organization (click here for the article), and it’s fascinating to read ~ he has a great Christian testimony! He’s now nearly 80 and still … Continue reading Master Chang Ching’s ‘Exquisite Arts’ Exhibition 新開創 – 張敬の精湛藝術邀請展 ~ a big must-see!
Wonders will never cease ~ check out this article… The Southwest Coast National Scenic Area has constructed a glass wedding chapel, 17m tall and 11m wide, to attract couples to hold their nuptials in Chiayi’s Budai Township (布袋). Source: Shoe-shaped chapel aims to attract couples, visitors – Taipei Times Plus this article from Britain’s Daily Mail… Continue reading Shoe-shaped chapel aims to attract couples, visitors – Taipei Times
A great weekend at St. Timothy’s Church! Since I was last there, our good friends, Rev. Richard Lee and his wife and family (previously at Trinity Church, Keelung) have moved there, Richard is the new rector. Actually they’ve already been there about a year, so they’re getting used to the warmer climate, big city life, a big rectory, and of course services being all in Taiwanese! It was a great honour to be in Kaohsiung with Mrs. Grace Chien, widow of Bishop John Chien ~ and our first port of call was to say hello to her sister, and … Continue reading St. Timothy’s Church, Kaohsiung ~ and such a warm welcome!
The deadliest typhoon in Taiwan’s history, Typhoon Morakot on August 8, 2009, resulted in the deadliest mudslide ever, in the Pingpu village of Siaolin (Xiaolin) 小林, up in the mountains of southern Taiwan, about 90 minutes drive NE of Kaohsiung City. A stunningly beautiful area – but on that tragic day in 2009, disaster struck and up to 700 people lost their lives when the village was completely buried by the mud, as were the roads, bridges, agricultural land, schools and temples…. Now 7 years later, and a huge amount of reconstruction has been going on. People have been rehoused in several … Continue reading 7 years after Typhoon Morakot ~ up beyond 甲仙 Jiasian to 小林 Siaolin and 錫安山 Holy Mt. Zion!
And the highlight of waiting for a bus there is the creative use of English at the sushi bar…. It certainly always helps to be ‘optimistic and then dip’ in whatever situation, whether choosing sushi – or waiting for a bus! Continue reading Lost in Translation @ Taipei Bus Station!
Catherine Lee 