Two Beaches--Fulong and Baishawan

It is hot and the beaches are cool.

Yamingshan's Lilies

Incredible lily fields in the middle of Yamingshan Park. I missed the blooming period but it was still impressive.

Dragon Boat Festival Parade

Pictures of this parade don't do it justice. It was the noisiest parade I have ever experienced: fireworks, gongs, drums, amplified brass horns and every other noise maker you could imagine-all to drive away evil spirits and make way for the arrival of the various good gods.

Dragon Festival and Rice Dumplings

Dragon Festival celebrates a civil servant whose suggestions for improving the country were ignored by the Chinese emperor. In despair, the civil servant jumped into a river and drowned. The local people so loved him that they made rice dumplings and threw them in the water for the fish to eat so the fish would not eat the civil servant's body. Here is a picture of a rice dumpling--rice wrapped around some meat and beans and then wrapped in a bamboo leaf. This one is tied with a bamboo vine. It was so elegant I took a picture. Many parts of Taiwan also have Dragon Boat races that originated in the search for the civil servant's body.

The Optimistic Taiwanese

The Taiwanese believe in the power of advertising. This appeared in the China Post on Monday:

"As part of its efforts to boost the country's birth rate, the MOI (Ministry of Interior) is offering a prize of NT$1 million (US$31,121) to anyone who comes up with a slogan that will help convince people to have more children."

Hmmm... How about: "It's Apparent, You Should be a Parent" "I'd Rather be Making Babies." "Baby Not on Board Yet....But Soon" "There are Over a Billion Chinese...Taiwan Must Catch Up" "Contraception Causes Cancer" and "Why not try Catholicism?"

The MOI also feels that the government should do its part so the agency will sponsor events to help single MOI employees hook up. Here is the full story link:
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2010/06/21/261534/Interior%2Dministry.htm

Stores in Penghu

Here are a couple of funny names of eateries in Penghu. Reminds me that Antonio recently said--"Hey, there's Mister Doughnut. Can we there for dinner?!!"

Penghu IV

Penghu III

Penghu trip II

Trip to Penghu

It has been raining nearly everyday in Taipei so we spent three days in Penghu, islands off the west coast of Taiwan. Incredibly beautiful, clear, blue-green water, empty beaches and a lot of sun. We rented fishing poles and caught a couple of fish. The biggest ones got away.