Richmond, B.C.

I guess B.C. kids didn't have the week off from school, because Steveston Village was a ghost town and we had Terra Nova Adventure Park all to ourselves — except for a bald eagle keeping watch over the zip line!

Some photos out and about in Richmond. First stop, of course, was Yaohan Centre for my fan tuan fix.

This insane slide at Terra Nova adventure park.
Bald eagle!
Had the place to ourselves. Except for the eagle.
Fan tuan is like a Taiwanese burrito. I found out you can get a half and half, black and white rice. Life-changing. (Inexplicably, my children do not like fan tuan!!)
Made-to-order fan tuan bar at T&T Yaohan Centre.
Too cute man tou!
Herons, I think?
Pretty flowers at Garry Point Park.
A juvenile bald eagle?

Lion and dragon dance for Lunar New Year

Quintessential Seattle moment: Mak Fai Kung Fu Dragon & Lion Dance Association at Pike Place. I got there early, staked out a good spot with a long lens, waited... and GOT THE SHOT.

We closed out the 15th day of the Lunar New Year in the ID, which turned into one giant block party. So great to see the crowds and positive energy filling the neighborhood we love.

We found street parking a few blocks outside the neighborhood (and stumbled on our new favorite Vietnamese deli; I've been searching for a replacement ever since Seattle Deli moved to Edmonds). People silly enough to try driving through the ID were thwarted by the dragon who danced around their cars. So much joy in the streets, even the rain held off until the end.

Happy New Year! Ringing in the Year of the Dragon in Seattle

The best lion dance in Seattle: I've seen a lot of lion dances in Seattle and now I can tell you THE VERY BEST one is at Tet in Seattle Center.

Mak Fai Kung Fu performed outdoors, in front of Fisher Pavilion. GREAT sight lines, big enough to accommodate the crowd, the perfect weather didn't hurt. They put on an incredible show, and even set off firecrackers! This event is going on my calendar for next year for sure.

Yikes!

A bookmark in time, taken at Hing Hay Park in the ID. These two are gaining on me fast.

Performers in historical Chinese clothing, Hanfu, at a Mercer Island Lunar New Year celebration.

Taiwan Day 16: Maokong Gondola, Taipei Zoo, red-eye back to Seattle

The mosquitos got a few parting chomps, my least favorite souvenir. Home to the land of flushing toilet paper, of shower curtains, a clothes dryer and drinking tap water.

Goodbye narrow alleys, scooters darting around pedestrians, clotheslines, bars over every window and door, the visual chaos of signage gone wild. Miss you.

This was Paul's favorite day in Taipei. We took the scenic 2.7-mile gondola ride to the top of the mountain, enjoyed yummy snacks at the tea shops, then took the gondola down to the Taipei Zoo to see the pandas and koalas. Perfect kid outing.
The Maokong Gondola cost $3 USD. I couldn't believe it. "太貴會被罵," explained the aunties who shared our gondola. "They'll be scolded if it's too expensive." Yeah, that concept doesn't exist back home. The aunties turned out to be Taiwanese-Canadians from Vancouver, B.C.; Grouse Mountain in comparison, costs $58 USD a ride.
The Maokong Gondola took us over a lush green jungle. Hard to believe we were still in Taipei. On a clear day, you get a panoramic view of the city skyline, including Taipei 101.
There's no surcharge to ride the crystal cabin, the one with the glass floors!
Mountaintop station
Mountaintop snacks
Taiwan-shaped pineapple cake and fruit tea
Admission to the Taipei Zoo is less than $2 USD. And they have two pandas! I was told, "小朋友的地方應該​​便宜." (Children's activities SHOULD be cheap.) Well, duh, that makes sense. Except try saying that out loud in Seattle.
Yuan Yuan (圓圓), one of two pandas at the Taipei Zoo
Yuan Zai (圓仔), 10, was the first giant panda cub born in Taiwan. Mom is Yuan Yuan. Dad Tuan Tuan, 團團, died in 2022.
So many pandas in the panda gift shop.
Even the restrooms are panda themed.
I'm sorry, but how is this actually real? I think the zoo made a mistake and put a stuffie in the koala exhibit.
Final meal in Taipei
Lucky for us, Taoyuan International Airport is filled with high-end designer stores. It's great to be able to pop by Hermès and Gucci while you're waiting for your flight. You never know when you might need a Birkin bag or two.

Taiwan Day 15: Alishan

Alishan National Park

To catch the sunrise, most people get up really early and catch a train to a crowded viewpoint. Not us! We rolled out of bed (hence the bedhead) and took the elevator to the rooftop where hot chocolate and fresh croissants awaited us.
The famous Alishan sunrise
Rooftop infinity pool
A bit of a rainbow
Alishan train. When Taiwan was a Japanese colony, the Japanese built this mountain railway to harvest Taiwan’s lumber.
Taiwanese people falling for the autumn leaves.
There's a lot of steps, not ADA accessible, because, you know, it's a mountain. We took the train to the top, then worked our way DOWN.
A lovely paved path is what Taiwanese people call hiking on a trail. These are my people!
Some seedlings that grew in the stump of a cypress tree that had been cut down. These are known as "The Four Sisters."
Three Taiwan red cypress trees growing side-by-side on stump, nicknamed "The Three Brothers."
National Geographic visiting Alishan too.
Tightly spaced tree rings of the slow-growing cypress
This is a post office.
Incredible food. Of all the dishes, the kids' favorite was… the steamed white rice. In their defense, the rice was exceptionally fragrant.
The dishes kept coming… and coming…
… and coming. So good but we could barely make a dent in all the food.