Yesterday (Sunday Taiwan time), we had a delicious breakfast here at the Howard Plaza Hotel. After, we walked about 2 blocks to the handicraft/flower/jade markets. Let me just say that, yes, I was definitely in heaven! It seemed like the market went on forever, but let me asure all, I found the end. lol. We had so much fun purchasing wonderful items which will be treasures I'm sure in years to come. Once we left there, we met our driver and his 14 year old son, who accompanied us at our sightseeing places, at the hotel and visited the Chang Kai Shek (sp?) memorial, the National Concert Hall, the National theater, the National Museum of History, toured Taipei, saw Taipei 101 (the tallest building in the world) from a distance, vistited a very local restaurant down a small alley (where we met a local guy who attended Purdue University and has lived in Orlando for 3 years. He is returning on the 21st! Small world, huh?
Once we finished eating, we returned to the markets to make our final purchases - too much fun! We had a leisurely dinner (because we were both falling asleep) at the Howard and then got some ZZZ/s. All in all, it was a wonderful 1st day in Taiwan and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly!
One of the strangest things that I have seen is children walking or riding their small trikes down busy street sidewalks, babies with their faces poking out of car windows with no car seat, or small children being trusted to walk more than a few feet away from their parents. They have gone right back to them though after they see what it is they are interested in.
The people are very friendly and the students here speak very good English, so it has been easy to find help with language, which we are really going to need later today - AFTER WE GET JENNA! This is all so incredible - it seems surreal, let me tell you. I can only imagine what meeting her will be like. Every little girl I saw that looked her age made my eyes mist just thinking that within a very short time I would have a girl "about that age."
I have posted pics of the memorial and other places we went. Our hotel is on a beautiful tree-lined street, btw, and I have posted some pics of the markets and also our hotel lobby. It won't be long now until Jenna can be with us :)