OK OK I have time to Update

Sorry if you've been checking my blog a lot (Carol) and waiting for more pics and stories. I guess I'll start after the Zoo. We went to Taipei 101, so we could see the city from its highest vantage point. Zak had told me he was scared of heights, and that the 101 building was the one place he DIDN'T want to go...but we figured he'd get over his fear, and we were right.

We took the elevator up to the observatory, and I got to relax a bit while my family did the audio tour. I've been up there a few times, so I didn't need to do it. I rested my tired feet, then bought Zak a t-shirt as his birthday gift. Finally, dad, Zak, and I decided to pay the extra $100 (about 3.oo Canadian) to go to the outdoor observatory. I got "special access" because of my crutches, and got to take an elevator up instead of the stairs. Then we made our way around the windy deck of the 91st floor. It was really neat to be so far up and to have a clear view unimpeded by the glass. Definitely worth it to do at least once.

Then we had dinner at Ruby Tuesday's which was close by, and chosen because my friend had given us a 20% off coupon and
recommended the place to us. We didn't read the fine print though, and found out after our meal that the offer didn't start until February 1. Zak's birthday - Jan 27. So we paid full price.....about as much as we would spend again on
meals for the next week.

My parents discovered that buying western things in Taiwan is much more costly. After we finished our meal, I tried to surprise Zak by asking the waiter to put a candle on the cake we'd ordered for him. Well I guess they were fresh out of birthday candles, because we got a rather large white candle that looked quite humorous in the cake! But at least Zak got someone to sing happy birthday to him! I hope he had a good birthday in Taiwan. I think it will be a memorable one. How many kids can say they spent their 13th birthday in a foreign country?














Here are a couple more pictures from the first two days:








1. Danshui harbor 2. CKS memorial gate 3. crossing the street under the road


Top Left: Taipei 101 from outside

Top Right and Bottom Left: wall murals before going up to the observatory at Taipei 101

Bottom Right: At Danshui harbor. One last picture before heading back to the hotel.