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Rainageddon Hits Taiwan

Catherine Lee

And it was quite some weekend…. 644 mm of rain fell on Sanzhi on Friday from about 2:00 – 11:00 am. That was the start of it all.  This was the scene on the coastal road on Friday morning from inside my bus…. Fridays’s report about the situation from the Taipei Times is here…. The local river at Sanzhi on Friday afternoon …. The rains spread south over the weekend.  Tons and tons of rain.  2 dead, several missing, homes and businesses washed away or flooded. Terrible damage to infrastructure, agriculture and businesses.  This is today’s Taipei Times report here Yesterday I … Continue reading Rainageddon Hits Taiwan

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Happy Dragon Boat Festival 2017 @ Taipei!

Catherine Lee

It was all happening at Dazhi Riverside in Taipei this morning ~ the final day of 3 days of Dragon Boat Competitions!  The sun was out, the weather was warm, and everyone was rowing hard! In good weather, and with plenty of time, the best way for me to get to Dazhi Riverside from here is by U-bike from Tamsui, and so off I set!  Before 7:00 am too, while the weather was still cooler.  It took maybe 90 minutes of slow riding, enjoying the scenery… First stop though was the graffiti wall along by the riverside near to the … Continue reading Happy Dragon Boat Festival 2017 @ Taipei!

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‘陽明山東西大縱走活動’ ‘Yang-Ming Shan East-West Vertical Traverse’ 2017!

Catherine Lee

It’s Dragon Boat Festival weekend, so we have 2 extra days off – yippee!  So far I’ve spent 2 days up on the Yang-Ming Shan Mountains above Taipei doing the East-West Traverse (Chinese version is here), a 25 km route, which I did in 2 halves – it takes in 10 peaks in total. Each of the 10 peaks has a marker post with a Chinese character on the top, and using a pencil, you make like a brass rubbing in a special book. Together the characters spell out the phrase ‘陽明山東西大縱走活動’ meaning ‘Yang-Ming Shan East-West Vertical Traverse Activity’.  So there … Continue reading ‘陽明山東西大縱走活動’ ‘Yang-Ming Shan East-West Vertical Traverse’ 2017!

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A Splash of Sunshine….

Catherine Lee

Reflections on the water bamboo field in Sanzhi early this morning…. ‘Each day I seek a sunbeam, a luminous moment of grace, be it a poetic passage, a compassionate glance, an affirmative word. Just a single sunbeam, nothing more. This morning while walking, a splash of sunshine fell upon a maple tree. It was too much, like the Mount Tabor epiphany, and I turned away, overwhelmed. I walked on asking God to turn down His glory lest I, like Milton, too soon would lose my sight.’ (‘A Splash of Sunshine’ by Robert F. Morneau) And late this afternoon, a rainbow … Continue reading A Splash of Sunshine….

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Lily Season @ President Lee Teng-Hui’s Old Home

Catherine Lee

Former President Lee Teng-Hui‘s childhood home is located right here in Sanzhi.  Always attracts many visitors.  But last September, half the roof fell in after several days of very heavy rains.  Well, a third of the roof to be more exact.  The left third.  Still not repaired. Multiple owners, all relatives, and as someone told me, everybody’s business has become nobody’s business.  But every spring, the front is filled with pots of lilies.  In flower now. Looking very beautiful! “If thou of fortune be bereft, and in thy store there be but left two loaves, sell one, and with the dole, buy … Continue reading Lily Season @ President Lee Teng-Hui’s Old Home

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Laomei Elementary School 老梅國小 celebrates 117 years!

Catherine Lee

Every school in Taiwan has an annual school celebration, with a mixture of performances, bazaar, fiesta, fayre and reunion for old school friends all rolled into one.  Lots of VIP visitors from the local community, and principals from other local schools come and bring their congratulations too.  On Saturday, LaoMei Elementary School, in Shimen Township on Taiwan’s northern tip, had their 117th birthday celebration, and invited me to go! This is LaoMei Village, nestling down there by the seashore…. I’ve been going there about once a month to help the children a little with their English. A few weeks ago our … Continue reading Laomei Elementary School 老梅國小 celebrates 117 years!

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Taipei 4 Teens!

Catherine Lee

Always accept a challenge!  And one of my challenges this week was to take 2 very lovely American teens around Taipei for the afternoon.  They were very interested and very keen to see everything!  Their parents were busy at a conference, so I offered to show them a few sights… First stop was the Changing of the Guard at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial, whose days may be numbered, so it’s worth going to see now.  Not for the memorial itself but to see the guards. It’s hot work and they stand there totally not moving for a whole hour while … Continue reading Taipei 4 Teens!