Yeliou Geopark

Sunday, Sept 30

Today we hired a driver, Nick Lee, to show us around Taiwan. We didn’t have specific locations we wanted to see, instead we allowed him to make recommendations. He took us to a coastal town called Keelung which is also his home town. We began at the Yeliou Geopark. The sand stones have been shaped by the salt water and weather. The resulting shapes are like mushrooms, honeycomb, and candles. It was beautiful! This was my absolute favorite spot of the day. Upon exiting we entered a “gauntlet” of stalls selling seafood and trinkets. There were many vats of a powdery substance. Nick explained that it was dried fish that had been pulverized. Then he had us taste it. He said “It’s good, yes?” I didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth. I held the rest in my hand until I could reach the restroom and dispose of the rest. This is where I had my second surprise of the day, squat toilets. I’ll spare you the details.

He then asked to take us to Dharma Drum Mountain which is a Buddhist temple and monastery. I had prayed about whether or not to attend these places ahead of time. We decided to go to see what these people do and hear what they believe. There was a meditation courtyard with a reflection pool. There were two separate halls with different gods. It seems that one Buddha can’t do it all. There are different kinds for different purposes. There was a tree where you write down your wish on a leaf and hope that it will be answered. Nick explained a few other beliefs, but it’s sufficient to say these people need to hear there is one true God who can be their ALL in all!

Our next stop was for lunch for shabu shabu or Japanese hot pot. You sit at a table and you each have a pot of broth. Each person controls their own pot’s temperature and what they add. We were given a starter plate of cabbage, greens, tofu, shrimp, tempura, pork ball, fish ball, and what we later found out was a fish egg pouch. Nick ordered additional plates of thinly sliced beef, pork, and a seafood sampler. We each created our own dipping sauce made from soy sauce, onions, garlic, peanut powder and something else I couldn’t identify. Tracey actually tried squid! Chris ate shrimp, oysters, clams, and a variety of ocean fish. Normally this restaurant puts LIVE shrimp on your plates because they believe in utmost freshness but realized this may be alarming to us foreigners.

Nick took us shoe shopping. We had asked Cathwel if they needed any donations. They suggested shoes for the 4-6 yr. olds. He even bargained on our behalf. Then he stopped and picked up some pineapple cake from the Lee Hu Cake shop. I guess it’s well known.

We then visited Jhongjheng Park. There is a temple and museum for the Ghost Festival. There is a Buddha who “chose” to go to hell to help those in hell try to get to heaven. I got to share how the Bible teaches that once we die, heaven or hell has been determined and can not be changed. There was another section in the park with a huge female Buddha statue, another temple, and a mini family fun park with children’s games and rides. Everything is entrenched with these Buddhist beliefs. The final stop within this park was a military stronghold. It shows how the Taiwanese held off the British and Dutch attempts to takeover Taiwan. The Taiwanese defended the port from the hilltop using cannons.

I think Nick was ready to keep going, but we were exhausted and asked to be driven back to our hotel. Our legs truly had a workout. I still feel the burn! We fell asleep around 7 pm and now we are wide awake at 2am. Somehow I don’t think this will be very helpful later on today! AND we get to finally pick up our son!!!! Today at 10am. Please pray that all will go well.

Saturday, September 29

Just a few pictures to get you acquainted with our surroundings. We have the Caesar Park hotel room, Peace Park, and Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial and surrounding garden.

We started the day with a wonderful breakfast that could be likened to an American brunch buffet. They offered Western items such as cereal, pastries, fruit, omelettes, bacon and eggs. But we also got to experiment with sweetened black beans, rice pouridge, duck, spicey cabbage, beef noodles, cooked garlic cherry tomatoes, a white fruit with black seeds (??), and others. This was a lot of fun!

After breakfast we exchanged currency at the hotel lobby. Then we just started walking toward the CKS Memorial and took in all the sights and sounds and smells of Taipei. Near our hotel there are many food stalls/stores. They are actually part of the buildings but the store fronts are open - no glass windows or front wall. We stopped at Peace Park and found a kids' playground that will come in handy once Alex joins us. The park was beautiful and clean. We walked another 10 minutes to the memorial and took many photos. Then we rested near the pond with the white bridge. On our walk back to the hotel we stopped at the Taiwan Handicraft Mart. This is a 3 story building that sells any and all things made in Taiwan. We saw jewelry, paintings, wood carvings, pottery, sculptures, etc. Chris picked out a set of chopsticks with resting trays. This can be our new family tradition for when we eat chinese food.

Once we were within a block of our hotel we found a Dunkin Donuts. Nathan(ds) would be so happy! We could move to Taiwan and he wouldn't have to give up his favorite snack. There are also many 7/11's, Starbucks, and McDonalds.

The people here are very friendly and polite. The maps are easy to follow and the people generally know enough English to help us with our questions. I really wish I knew more Mandarin. My goal for tomorrow is to at least speak in Madarin for the basics (hello, thank you, please).

Zai jian

An interesting start to our trip

We are so thankful to all of you who are lifting us up in prayer over the next week. Before we left, Chris and I turned it all over to the Lord. We had an immediate chance to rest in his plan. The limo driver did not show up at our scheduled 9:30a.m. pickup from the house. Chris called only to find out they had mistakenly put us down for Friday, not Thursday and there weren't any drivers available. The owner's wife (of the limo service) graciously offered to pick us up. She arrived at the house at 10:45 and we made it to the airport by 11:45. This left us 45 minutes to check our bags (internationally), make it through security, and get to United's (ORD) concourse C. It took us almost the entire 45 minutes to make it through security. We were like the OJ Simpson/Hertz commercial running through the airport. We didn't have to hurdle anyone or anything though! Thankfully, my FIL John was working (at United) that morning. He told the gate agents we were coming. We were 2 of the last 3 to make it on the plane. We found our seats and the plane backed out of the gate. The adrenalin was pumping and I hope to never experience that again! And though it all goes against my natural reactions, God gave me a great sense of peace. Thank you God!

(Just About) Ready for Takeoff

We leave in 3 days! I can not believe how much preparation has gone into this trip. I have to pack for the trip to Taiwan, pack the kids to go to Aunt Kim's, situate the cats for the pet sitter. This is insane. All the while I'm home schooling, doing work for our church's women's retreat, having birthday parties for the kids, squeezing in all those last minute doctor's appointments (5 this month alone), and moving "stuff" around the house to prepare for Alex. I can't imagine life after we return. The past year and a half has all been directed toward this goal. I can understand why some women experience post adoption blues. Of course my first year home with Alex will probably be filled with adjustments and bonding issues. So I don't have to worry about being bored! :)

Anyway, we leave Thursday, meet Alex on Monday, have a Visa appointment on Wednesday, and fly back home the next Friday. We're trying to schedule a day of touring with a driver. I hope we hear back from him before we leave.

August Update

Alex has started taking English classes. I wonder how much he has learned in one short month. I know my Mandarin hasn't gotten very far. I can say yes, no, thank you, please, and I am your mother. That will be a short conversation!

The social worker meets with him on a regular basis to prepare him for adoption and moving to the USA. I think he's just starting to understand that this will mean leaving Cathwel and the caretaker he has come to love. He told the caretaker "then I won't see you!". He knows he's going to the USA but he wants to go with another boy that is leaving in September. I guess it's less intimidating that way. Please pray for him as this will be scary and intimidating. He may also be unaware of the language barrier and the frustration that will bring.

We have our airplane tickets and hotel reservations. We are leaving on Thursday, Sept. 27. We get to meet him on Monday morning and bring him back to the hotel with us. It's very difficult to think of how we'll spend our days. Will we stay in the hotel room? Should we risk venturing out? At the very least, we can walk to one of the local parks and get some exercise. We will return to IL late Friday, Oct. 5.

It is finally happening and I am so excited. I still have much packing to do!

July Update & Taitung Field Trip

Wow! July's Update included lots of photos of a trip to Taitung. Taitung is a resort town on the east coast of Taiwan. The kids got to ride horses, swim in the pool, play at the park, and eat a wide assortment of seafood. How cool is that meal served in a ship?!

We got the call to travel today. We can leave as early as September 16. What??? I wasn't expecting to travel until mid to late October! I'm experiencing a sudden sense of panic! What about that office I'm trying to organize, the living room in need of paint, and the home school plans I need to put into action? I guess it all doesn't really matter. The fact is, my son is ready to come home!

I called Chris to give him the good travel news. Now guess who is in a panic? People always become indispensable when they're going to leave work for two weeks! Now I have to see how flexible the Taiwan courts can be with our appointments. Chris and his employer have decided that the first week of October will work better.

Thank goodness I have a God who cares and knows all the little details. We'll just pray about it and see what happens.