taiwan

grandma and grandpa graciously agreed to come stay with ben and the older kids while little miss and I were in Taiwan for my grandmother's funeral.  as odd as it sounds, an international flight and a 12-hour time difference with a 5 1/2 month old felt like a vacation =D

she was a champion traveler, sleeping contentedly in the ergo for the most part

dinner on the way home from the airport - she looks a lot less tired than I felt =p

she really did well sleeping on the bed.  I think most of the time she was tired enough from the time change to fall asleep before she could roll off ;-)



pete and I were both scheduled to speak during the Christian part of the service the next day, and mom helped us with our translations.  beyond that, i didn't know what to expect.  we drove in to Taipei, to one of the government-run funeral parlors:

outside mom and dad's building

aunts and uncles and cousins

 

little miss was immediately scooped up by various adoring aunts and cousins.  this is my youngest aunt, whom my grandma lived with

 

baby was quite agreeable, something she definitely wouldn't be now ;-)

the traditional visitation had family members called up by relation:  sons and families, daughters, grandchildren, those who called her cousin, those who called her aunt, etc., followed by various groups of friends and civic representatives, and finally miscellaneous individuals

 

 

we followed the funeral procession to a government-run crematorium, where ah-ma's picture was set up (along with others) with offerings of fruit before it.  some monks led some chanting and responses that I didn't understand, and we were led to the opening of the room with access to the ovens.  as the doors opened, and the entire casket was shoved into a blazing furnace, the monks led the funeral party in what I can only describe as a scream.  it gave me chills, to be perfectly honest, as did the subsequently provided lunch boxes, while we were informed that ah ma 'had 45 more minutes to burn'.  to complete the macabre, we were led into a small room with a tray of bones, and given a large pair of chopsticks with which to move a bone from the tray into the urn, welcoming her to her new home.

 

cousins (and my aunt)

 

her final resting place, a mausoleum in the mountains, which she had selected herself years ago

 

 

 

 

my second aunt, at dinner

some quick pictures from the rest of the trip:



the main street from my parents' place

checking out Taipei 101

 

we met up with p's friend, who took the next few pics below - but I can't remember the name of the place

a ridiculously delicious dinner in many small plates

fun shopping carts

we stayed one night with p/s friend, and this one, well, slept like a baby ;-)



din tai fong after church - mmmmmm

miss popularity

goodbye, Taipei!



chewing on some buo luo bao souvenirs for her sister

we made it all the way back, only to get stuck 1 1/2 hours away in Chicago =p  but still smiling!