Monday, December 31, 2012

week 4 - sun moon lake, part 4

making an attempt to finish the taiwan documentary before the end of the year, if i can still remember it =p  and then we'll start catching up on the present, i promise!

after leaving a drizzling sun moon lake, we stopped by a peacock garden, where the peacocks weren't out 'due to the weather' (i suppose wild peacocks carry umbrellas? =p).  from there we went to the Puli Brewery, which is actually a museum and market of products featuring a local liquor, no brewing of any kind.

tasting various dried fruits


urns and more urns
look carefully, this is as close as i get: 'the house of drunk experiencing'
next stop was the Chung Tai Chan monastery.  we took a tour with an ostensibly english-speaking guide, but he was so quiet amidst all the other tours and visitors that the fact that he was indeed speaking english was about all i got =p  the building itself was quite imposing though, as was the view from the hillside, and ben enjoyed the museum.
have i mentioned you never leave home without an umbrella in taiwan?



 

on our way back to taichung, we visited my cousin's parents (my third aunt and her husband), and her brother, both of whom i remember from distant childhood.   we were warmly welcomed both places:


our cousin in the blue runs this food stand - doesn't he look like p at first glance?

enjoying some fresh-made fries
the cousins

and finally, before heading to the train station, one of my favorite meals - ma la huo guo (hot and spicy hot pot) =)
 
 
till next time!