My Fulbright Year in Taiwan

Dad’s birthday began in Hualien. We were visiting Taroko Gorge. We were invited to Stacy’s parents’ house in Tainan, so we had to travel from Hualien to Tainan. Here’s the route that we had to take:

Why couldn’t we just go straight down, instead of up and then down? Because of the central mountain range in Taiwan. The mountains are so high, and so geologically unstable, that it’s impossible to make a highway across the mountains.

Here’s what Taiwan looks like from space. All that green in the middle is mountains.

We took a train up to Taipei, then took the high-speed rail down to Tainan. By the way, the second leg took less time than the first leg, because of the speed of the HSR.

Dad also likes the train system in Taiwan. The trains are well-run, cheap, and comfortable.

It was great seeing the parents together for the first time in 13 years.

Stacy’s sister Dingmei 定梅 arranged a special birthday dinner for Dad. So many dishes!

We ate until we almost exploded. Then, to take us over the edge, we went back to the parents’ house for birthday cake and a special Chinese birthday “longevity peach” 壽桃, which is really a steamed bun 包子 formed in the shape of a peach.

The next day we were still stuffed and wiped out, at least the men folk were…

Happy 75th, Dad!