CKS Memorial Park

When in Taipei, you do what is DONE in Taipei, and that means a visit to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Park. (Wikipedia entry on the link.) Think of it like New York's Central Park meets Lincoln Memorial. It was our destination this past Friday, and I must say, we could not have picked better weather.

The day before had been HOT and MUGGY, but when we got out on the street around 10am, we found the overcast conditions had cooled things down considerably. It kept threatening to rain, and there was a breeze. A perfect day for being outside!

So we hopped back on the MRT and took a 40 minute ride to the center of Taipei.

Arthur FINALLY seemed in a decent mood! Looking back through the blog, I need to try to get more pictures of him looking like he is having a good time. With bars to swing on in a fast-moving vehicle, who wouldn't?

 The MRT station let us off at the side of the enormous main gate.

This pic was taken after we had been distracted for about 10 minutes with the filming of what looked like a commercial. When we turned to go, we realized we were missing Eloise! The big three had raced around the building and she never made it all the way around. We panicked. I sent the big 2 in opposite directions back around the building. They found her! She had thought she won the race and stopped at what she thought was the place the race began. Then no one ever came. For 10 minutes. Poor little girl!!!! She was upset, though I couldn't tell if she was mad because she thought I was mad, or if she was scared. Anyway, she was not in the mood to be in this picture.

This gate is at one end of an enormous square, and seeing all the space and beauty, Kai and EV thought it called for a dance.

After their performance, we took in the colorful changing of the guard ceremony. This had a much greater audience - we crammed in like sardines. I had Arthur on my shoulders and balanced on a small lip of the entrance gate to get above the shorter black-haired sea around me. I sent the kids, who didn't have a prayer of having their view drowned out, to see if they could squeeze their way to the front. They succeeded and were able to watch it all. I wearied from the wait and the weight of Arthur and bailed about half-way through, but we were all impressed with the balance in the special gate and precision of movement the soldiers displayed. To the right is Eloise's take away from the whole thing. Below, you can just make out the figure of CKS between the kids.

Here by the railing, Arthur was attacked by an anxious Chinese grandma who wanted to hold him for a picture without asking him or me. Since that seems like bad-form, I was just entertained watching him scoot one way along a railing and then another trying to avoid her. I should have taken a video of that! In the end, she settled for a picture with EV and Rachel.

Who wouldn't want to preserve this view with faces THIS cute!?!

Or THIS cute? But these two faces rarely make the main-landers photo-op cut.
Hmmmm......... We're only a little wounded.  :)

Here are closer shots of the buildings you can see above in the distance:

This kids had raced around the wrap-around balcony/porch of the building above.

To the right: The kids are trying to BE the character "da," which means BIG. Check out the detail of the underside of the roof!

Sandwiched in our park visit, we also walked two blocks to the LDS temple in Taiwan. It is currently closed, and the area was pretty dead. I didn't get ANY good pics, but we'll go back, I'm sure, and I'll be sure to share pics of the beautiful new church building that replaced the old stake center next to the temple.

So while THOSE photos aren't worth sharing, here are two more "Totally Taiwan" to enjoy!

And that was all the adventure we could handle in one day! Next time we'll take Q and go IN some of the buildings at the park. But man man lai!