(Ed. note: Thank you to all who commented on Terry’s blog – it makes us feel wanted.) Well here it is Sunday morning – our last full day in Asia for 7 weeks. It still boggles my mind – we leave Shanghai tomorrow at 4 pm and get into Vancouver tomorrow at noon – 4 hours before we leave. So unless something truly unusual occurs, you can sit back from the edge of your chair and stop waiting with baited breath for the next edition of The Jiaxing Express until late August or early September. Since Terry’s Photolog was so popular, we will leave you with some photos which haven’t made it into any blog, mostly because they don’t come with an applicable anecdote – but are interesting unto themselves. So let’s start with a couple of photos taken of some small purses which Terry and her BPAGs (birthday party attending girlfriends) saw while they were in Shanghai. (Ed. note: Terry has been asked if she is going to write a followup to her first blog about the weekend. Her response “I’ll try, but its going to very hard” Husband’s translation – “Don’t hold your breath.”)
See below for commentI leave you to develop your own caption.
From Hong Kong, SAR of China
The guy sitting down was the “Leader” although neither of the other two seemed to ever be in sync – with him or each other.Terry and FriendsThe sign says that this is Government Offices Area. Just how do THEY even get in?These are edible seafood of some sort – at least edible to the people of Hong Kong.The 131 people (I counted them) were lined up at 10pm for the Japanese restaurant noted at the bottom – not the Starbucks.
From Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei 101 – guess what – it has 101 floors and when it was built it was the tallest building in the world (I think).1/8th of Taipei – from the 91st floor.It took 34 seconds to go from 5th floor to 91st floor.Terry, Geoff at Taipei 101 during the day…and at night. Perhaps someone could explain to me why a professional company was cutting everyone off at the knees.This woman was just too tired at the flower market to stay awake. Wait for Tainan though.Why would someone build an evergreen privacy hedge on the top of a building?Ready for rain or sun. Very imaginative bike rider.These were much more neatly arranged than anything you would find in China – or Vietnam – or Thailand – or….
From Tamshui, Taiwan
Geoff crashes a selfieAn empty wall – but at least you know where the stairs were.A non-empty wall – with some of the stairs still in place.Terry felt this battery operated bobble head tiger was “Simply Grotesque”
From the “Get Out, Take a Picture, Get In” Tour (Ed. note: From the “There is a God Department”, as I am putting the next few photos in here, Terry gets an email asking her for her review of our Viator tour. She was honest, let me say that!)
Rock formationRocks on the beach (of the Pacific Ocean). Guide: “In the distance you can see the most northeast tip of Taiwan. Take a photo” (Ed. note: Woo hoo) This is for all you cat people. He/she is sitting on the roof of a cat store. It was HUGE – 20 feet long at least.Someone has a love for aggregate. How they ever got all of it up to this narrow little street is a wonder.
From Tainan, Taiwan
Dentist Office Maybe?This is some kind of dessert restaurant. Terry refused to give it a try. Of course, that may have been because we had just finished the finest Indian meal we have ever had.Remember the woman in the flower market in Taipei? Well, this woman was sound asleep – and I mean sound on the street last night. She might have been dreaming of…Floating away ….. or perhaps……a crab pulling a chicken leg. These last two are murals in the underground passageway which goes under the train station.
Every hair salon should have a full sized horse lamp in its front window. (Ed. note: No, this was not the bad salon – it was the magic one!)The magic salon – Zebra. They put a plastic mask over your eyes to prevent hair from going in your eyes.Meet Jovi – the man who put a smile back on my little wife’s face!
The Shoe Blog
And so this year’s shoe blog comes to an end – and If I am truly honest, a bit of a whimpering end. No stunning OMG ones, no WHY? photos, just a regular pair of Chinese shoes.
If the rivets aren’t enough, you have the plexiglass half heels.
Next year, all new stories, all new photos. Have a great summer everyone and hope to see you in the next 7 weeks. (Except, of course, you Dave and Debbie – we have no intention on visiting another hot humid part of the world in the next little while!)
Those strange looking bivalve mollusks are geoducks (pronounced “gooey ducks”) and are likely harvested in Washington, BC or Alaska. They are a delicacy in Asia and I have heard they sell up to $150 a lb.
Have a safe trip home…and enjoy your 28 hour day!!
Welcome home. Enjoy the wonderful summer weather in BC. You’ll be able to get in a bunch of golf games. We had a hot and Singapore humid day here in Winnipeg yesterday. Such strange weather this summer. They have called in the army again to sandbag and stabilize the dikes along the Assiniboine River after all the torrential rains we have had. I will be looking forward to all your interesting blogs come late August.
Hi Terry and Geoff – have so enjoyed your blogs. A part of the world I know little about – I find it a lot exotic and a bit scary. Sure wouldn’t want to tangle with any of the women wearing the shoe blog shoes. Look forward to more coming in September. Thanks Pat .
Welcome home,
Those strange looking bivalve mollusks are geoducks (pronounced “gooey ducks”) and are likely harvested in Washington, BC or Alaska. They are a delicacy in Asia and I have heard they sell up to $150 a lb.
Have a safe trip home…and enjoy your 28 hour day!!
I’d enter a comment but you’d be back by the time you read it……
FORE!!
What am I talking about…more like 40 hour day!
Welcome home. Enjoy the wonderful summer weather in BC. You’ll be able to get in a bunch of golf games. We had a hot and Singapore humid day here in Winnipeg yesterday. Such strange weather this summer. They have called in the army again to sandbag and stabilize the dikes along the Assiniboine River after all the torrential rains we have had. I will be looking forward to all your interesting blogs come late August.
Yay! :-). Have a safe trip home!
Hi Terry and Geoff – have so enjoyed your blogs. A part of the world I know little about – I find it a lot exotic and a bit scary. Sure wouldn’t want to tangle with any of the women wearing the shoe blog shoes. Look forward to more coming in September. Thanks Pat .
Safe travels. Will be good to see you two in person rather than on TMZ!
Welcome home! Hope we get to see you over the next 7 weeks.
It is hot and humid here plus many thunderstorm. We will see next summer in Vancouver.
The course is in good shape…the best for a long time so welcome back to golf and sunny BC. Said after a 9 hole mishap in the rain!.
Another great blog guys. We look forward to seeing you when you get back to beautiful BC!