New Travel Mates, Keelung and the Northeast Coast

Wow... It sure has been a busy past couple of days. Yesterday Mr. Yeh picked us ip once again to arrive at AIT promptly for our 11:30 appointment to pick up Po's Visa. He said that only Scott had to go in to get it and that I could stay in the car with the kids. So off Scott went... and we started to circle the city block or two surrounding the AIT office. We would pull up front of AIT and do a Scott check every 5 or so minutes. We did this about 4 times and I started to see the worry in Mr. Yeh's face although I am most definitely sure he didn't want me to worry. Finally, Scott came out the door of AIT with Po's Visa! The hold up wasn't Po's Visa as I had feared but I man and woman in line in front of Scott who were trying desperately to get new passports and visas to get back into the USA! Apparently, the woman was deported and the man had his passport taken away because he owed lots of money in back child support. So whew... the big worry was now in the past and we are free to leave Taiwan with Po on Wednesday night (Wednesday morning back home!)as planned!

Then Alex called so that he he could tell us that we were being wisked away for a dumpling and beef noodle lunch and that we would meet some new TWCA arrivals soon. Mr. Yeh dropped us off at a wee little restaurant in a very unfamiliar area, ordered for us and then was off. When he returned for lunch he brought with him Ian and Jill from Kentucky. We ate and talked and talked and ate and it was just nice to have someone else to talk to about our experience with PO. Ian and Jill will be picking up their little 3 year old boy from TWCA on Friday morning! Yiiippppeee!

We then all piled into Mr. Yeh's van and were off to Keelung, a seaport city in the North of Taiwan. We visited the Keelung Buddha Statue and rang the big bell 3 times and then 3 times again for good luck and long life. It was certainly hot in Keelung... definitely like Disney World in July! We walked around and took in the great ocean views, climbed up into the Buddha Statue and peered out the tiny windows and then enjoyed some nice icy cold drinks and ice cream.After one last look we took off for Yehliu Park to see the natural worn sandstone. Weather, waves, heat and humidity sure take a beautiful and stunning toll on the Earth's landscape! This park was beautiful and reminded us of a US National Park... no wonder we loved it! We walked around slowly with Ian and Jill and starred at the cool weathered rocks in their many different and cool forms... candle tops and Queensheads... it was so neat! And we did this all while being sure not to cross the red line! We thought that it was a bit funny that there were signs all over stating that we could not touch the rocks... but THEY could paint a big fat red line right down the middle of them! The things that make you say hmmmm....
It was a wild and windy road back over the mountains to Taipei and I must admit that I was feeling a little car sick on the way back... but NOT SHASHA! She thought that this was the best ride in the world! She bounced around, made believe that she was on a roller coaster and kept yelling "Whoa... this is a bumpy road! This is a fast road!" And she was right! I would show you pictures but right now... well I can't find them :(

Today, Alex and Mr. Yeh met us at the hotel door. Ian and Jill were already waiting for us in the van. We spent the day a Wulai Village and had a wonderful day! Having Alex with us is so much fun! He is super great with both Shasha and Po! We willmiss him! I will tell you all about it later... but since we check out tomorrow AM at 9:00 this might not be until we get home. We went back to the shopping mall tonght so Shasha could ride some little mall rides and then we ate at The Outback Steakhouse. It was nice having some familiar food again. By the way Shasha has decided that she doesn't like REAL Chinese food. She only like HOME chinese food! So... JJ Wong's here we come!

Tomorrow weare going to the Tea Museum, back to the Handicraft Market to pick up Po's chops and then to the Kai-Shek Memorial. Then we return to the Agora for our luggage and will start our long... LONG journey home! We are preparing for one of the longest days of our lives... our flight leaves Taiwan at 6:50 PM tomorrow... and we fly direct for 14 hours and 40 minutes before reacing our final destination. We arrive in Newark at 9:30 PM TOMORROW!!! Funny... how time flies! Wish us luck as we take flight with 2 little ones and remember that Po doesn't like to sit still:)