Art Class

G spending a couple days (and nights) in Hsinchu with San YeePoh. They have a well-respected art teacher there – my cousin Amber took classes from her for years, and San YeePoh is a current student – G's taking some classes, above, using watercolors.

p.s. Earlier in the week G "survived" her third typhoon (Megi) in two weeks!

Chiang Kai Shek Again

Taipei is very congested and noisy so it's nice to walk around CKS for a bit of peace (though cars can still be heard zooming outside the walls). On this occasion they saw an Indonesian bride having photos taken; and G convinced AhPoh to climb the stairs to the memorial, where they caught the changing of the guard. Just like at Buckingham, two guards stand at attention for an hour at a time before switching places. At least they're inside a building (not air conditioned), there are other guards (at Taiwanese tomb of unknown soldier?) I've seen who stand in full sun, a fellow comes out to spray them with water and twitch their uniform back into place.

 Also on the grounds of the memorial, there are twin performing arts buildings, one dedicated entirely to Chinese opera-theater, the other to all other performing arts, such as ballet.

A Bigger Hole

Right front tooth (top) went the way of the left.

Luxury Treasures

Of the Roman Empire, at the Nelson-Atkins. Interestingly there was a limestone carving of St Thecla and today is her feast day.

Two Holes

One on bottom, a fresh one on top.

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial

This memorial is right down the street from where my grandparents used to live, we were always walking past it or through it. There's a beautiful koi pond on the grounds and sometimes someone would take me there to feed them, in fact that vending machine might have been there when I was a kid.

Beard Papa's is an absolutely delectable cream puff, I think out of Japan.

Out and About

G out shopping with Aunt Terry, stopped for a snack at a store that sells healthful beverages and grain soups, the walls behind G are lined with herbal pills and cordials. G's sweet soup had lotus seed, taro root, and white wood ear.

Blueberry Milk Mustache

Blooming

At one point I didn't think the sensitive plant would survive, more than half of the stalks died off -- and now it's sprouting flowers ha! (No scent that I can detect.) Looks like another five or six are in the works.

Art Studio

Crash course in strokes and brushes.