Back to Taipei

Heading back to Taipei, they stopped at a rather large soy operation that made tofu, tofu skins, and soy milk; having some of their soy skin as a snack; and a cockatoo that someone raised from an egg, nine years.

On the Road

Staying the night at a sugar refinery converted to Japanese style hotel (tatami mat flooring); holding a puppy at a roadside fruit stand, where they bought some ready-to-eat (i.e. rotten smelling but tasty) durian.

Eight Immortals

Stopping for lunch at B&B (you should have seen the breakfast spread at the hotel!); beachside somewhere en route (or coming from?) Eight Immortals Cave, the waves were super big because of passing typhoon; and looking forward to enjoying fresh sugar cane juice.

Tourists

G and AhPoh begin a week-long tour of scenic eastern Taiwan with Shiao YeePoh (above, at the train station en route to Hualien). 

Road Trip!

Lunch and afternoon at MO Star Quilt Company. My favorite fabric was the pirate charm pack by Riley Blake.

Flint Hills Discovery Center

This little museum in Manhattan, KS was well worth stopping at.

I learned several interesting things from the ground floor exhibit.

1) There was a video demonstrating the use of an atlatl, a spear-throwing weapon that the native peoples used for hunting (and fighting?). I'd read about it before, but seeing it used really helped my understanding of the thing, esp in how far a spear could be thrown: impressive.

2) Early European settlers tried to farm the flint hills, but failed due to the rock just below the surface of the rich soil. Later European settlers started utilizing the land as the Native Americans did, which was to burn the grass every year in order to promote the growth of fresh new grass and graze cattle on it, essentially becoming "grass farmers".

3) The world champion livestock auctioneer (for 2014?) says his "secret" is to treat it like singing.

The green parts, the Flint Hills, mostly within Kansas, are also part of Tornado Alley.

Upstairs in the kids' play area.

Two Ponds Wildlife Refuge

One morning (while in Denver) it stopped raining long enough for us to take the kids walking at a wildlife refuge near my dad's house. We had the place all to ourselves, both from people and animals. Apparently outside of migrating season, Two Ponds is pretty quiet.

Saltwater Taffy (Estes Park)

Pear flavored free sample. Bought a box of assorted, which the girls really liked. Can sort of see the taffy puller in the window, which goes forever. I asked, regularly takes only 10 minutes to pull a batch of taffy.

Star Kitchen

At the end of our stay with AhGong, we had dim sum. My favorites are the turnip cake and chicken feet, finishing with egg tarts. Had some new dishes (although at this point in time I can't remember what they were exactly) that were good also.

Estes Park Park

Colorado was very rainy in early July. The day we visited Estes Park, we timed it just right to have some rain-free time at the local park. As we were leaving (for an early lunch), it started to sprinkle -- and then rain for the rest of the day.

Uncle Mark

Mt Rushmore

Had late lunch at the cafeteria, then walked down to the amphitheater to look at some exhibits there.

Chinese School Reunion

Classmate Evan is missing from the picture, he had to catch up on some work, but his son Esteban (right of center in grey t-shirt) stood in for him. A couple days later though, we had lunch at Erica's and Evan was able to stop by for a bit.

Longtime Friends

Visited with Annie and some of her kids, husband Jacques was on Boy Scouts trip with oldest. When we were all undergrads, we helped to teach high school CCD with Jacques and Annie.

Met Kathleen through a women's group, corresponding mainly through email. Then she told me she was going on the Camino (2004), and we were able to meet for the first time in France!

Conquering M-Hill

Made the girls climb M-Hill -- X on my back -- to see our family's names up there. Interested to see that they have groomed hiking trails all over the hill now.

You just might be able to make out the white M (and smaller D next to it, smaller S to left of M is obscured by trees) at the peak of the hill, in bare patch above tree-line.

Resting, taking in view (of Rapid City) from the D, where Drew, BIL, and I have our names. Before hiking back down, we walked over to the S to find AhPoh and FIL's names.

Dipped our tired, hot feet in ice cold Rapid Creek afterward. I was amazed at how swelled the creek is with all the rain we've been having. In our day, the creek was much much smaller, and there wasn't the handy bridge there is today.

Hanging Out in Pierre

Jack's older brother and sister were at Grandma's, so my kids availed themselves of the awesome toys.

Wall Drug Cafe

The kids had a lot of fun at the tourist trap, esp as it feeds into their current attraction to anything Western.

Hibachi Grill

Lunch with the in-laws on our last big day on the road (9 hrs!). M2 not pictured because she wouldn't allow anyone but Dada, who's behind the camera, to hold her.

Cattle Drive

Preceding Frontier Days.

Hays KS