Christina and Matisse are here, definitely here!

Well it was definitely quite a week!  Accompanied Christina and Matisse on their first few days in Taiwan, firstly in Taichung at St. James’ Church and Preschool ~ where amazing welcomes awaited them, St. James at its best! And then to Taipei for a nonstop 2 days, accompanied by student Jenny… Friday ~ St. John’s University, Beitou Hot Springs, Taipei 101, tea with Bishop Lai, Tamsui Old Street for massage and ice-cream… Saturday ~ swimming in the sea at Baishawan, Taipei City – Presidential Palace, C.K.S. Memorial for Changing of the Guard Ceremony, shopping at Ximending, National Palace Museum and … Continue reading Christina and Matisse are here, definitely here!

Taipei Guest House 臺北賓館 and Taipei Botanical Garden台北植物園…..

Lots of visitors on the horizon ~ and one place we always go is C.K.S. Memorial and the Presidential Palace in downtown Taipei City…. But in between the two, and behind a big wall is a very ornate Baroque-style mansion, known as the Taipei Guest House 臺北賓館, and today was its monthly opening to the public… Built in 1901 as the residence for the Japanese Governor-General when Taiwan was under the Japanese Colonial Government ~ and then in 1952, the Treaty of Taipei 中日和平條約between Japan and the Republic of China was signed here, marking the formal end of World War II and … Continue reading Taipei Guest House 臺北賓館 and Taipei Botanical Garden台北植物園…..

端午節 Dragon Boat Festival….

Today is the 5th day of the 5th lunar month and a holiday for  端午節 (Duan-Wu Festival) or Dragon Boat Festival ~ every year Taipei City organizes a huge Dragon Boat Race Competition on the river below the Grand Hotel, so this year checking it out… Teams from all over the country and all over the world, including Philippines, Australia, Malaysia, Israel, teams from companies, schools, colleges, towns and even small islands, all competing in a whole weekend of competition… races all day long! In the afternoon, off to Luzhou, part of Taipei’s urban sprawl, and right in the middle of … Continue reading 端午節 Dragon Boat Festival….

Easter Eve on Qixing Mountain 七星山 ~ Us ‘n the boys!

This morning up bright and early to take a group of lovely SJU students, all boys, plus Shu-Jing, one of our SJU chaplaincy staff – all of them on their first ever visit to Qixing Mountain, the highest in the Yang-Ming Shan Mountains….. Foggy and full of sulphur smoke from the fumaroles – all added to the atmosphere – great weather for walking in! Most appropriate for Easter Eve as we wait for the celebrations to start later tonight…. And back mid-afternoon in time to get ready for tonight’s Easter Vigil ~ one of the boys is to be baptized … Continue reading Easter Eve on Qixing Mountain 七星山 ~ Us ‘n the boys!