A Short Trip to Hong Kong and Taiwan April 2018
April 23, 2018 Monday
Our flight was to leave Taipei at 7:20 PM today which meant we did not have to get to the airport until sometime later in the afternoon. Our friends Mr. and Mrs. Shi picked us up at the apartment early that morning as they were planning on taking us on a special trip to Chihu in Taoyuan before dropping us off at the airport.
It was easy to check-out of the apartment, basically there was no checking out. Christine had told us to just leave the room keys on the desk inside our unit and lock the door on our way out. Very easy. We have already booked our stay here again for November when we return for a Princess cruise that will be sailing out from the port of Keelung. Can't wait to come back again!
Final shots of the beautiful displays in the hallway before walking out the door.
It took over an hour to get us here from Taipei into this small town of Daxi in Taoyuan. I have been here some forty years ago, actually visiting Chiang's Mausoleum up close with the guide of a friend with prominent status. Unfortunately, we were not able to see the Mausoleums of either one of the Presidents Chiang due to the splashing of paint incident purposely created by some anti-Chiang people not long ago. I was really surprised at how useless the guards or military police were that they couldn't even stop these people from doing the damage. Knowing that we could not go to the mausoleums, Mrs. Shi was still able to arrange for us to have a tour of the Back-Chihu (Houchihu) area before we head home today.
Entering the Chiangs Cultural Park
The tour starts here from the Chihu Guide Service Station right at the entrance.
As we had to wait for our tour to start, we went behind the service center and had a glimpse of the so called "Statue Park".
It is actually like a dumping ground for all the discarded Chiangs' statues from all around the island.
The tour shuttle dropped us off at the Old Baiji Tunnel which used to be an important passage way and bomb shelter during Japanese occupation. Then we walked from there up to the Back-Chihu area.
Whoa! A snake trying to join us.
We got away fast!
Our wonderful guide giving us lessons on plants and nature. I think she is a volunteer.
After passing the heavily secured gate, we walked down to the Back-Chihu. "Chihu" means Lake of Maternal Love", a way for President Chiang to remember his mother.
This is more of a retreat for the Chiangs family years ago.
It is certainly a beautiful site.
Serene and peaceful.
A small museum in one of the villas.
Photo showing President and Madam Chiang having a cook-out.
Some family photos.
President Chiang Jing Kuo's family.
President Chiang's bedroom.
His day bed...
...and his bible.
Madam Chiang's bedroom.
A small cafe on the premises.
We tried a mixed variation of bean curds and ice cream half way through our tour at the cafe/shop.
Continuing on our tour. No, fortunately, we did not have to hike up these steps.
One of the villas that we hiked down from.
Romantic!
Unique plants
and turtle.
The walking tour took about two hours and it was a really nice experience. It would be much nicer if we could actually visit the mausoleum though.
After the tour, we went to the snack bar at the service center back at the main park area and enjoyed a simple picnic lunch.
Chiang Kai-Shek Statue Park
Well, as I have said, this is a sad place where many discarded statues of President Chiang is being relocated here. Some of these statues were badly ruined before moving into this park.
This is the only statue of Chiang Jing Kuo here at the park.
As we were leaving the park, we drove past the entrance to the Mausoleum.
Memorial Hall of Presdient Chiang Jing Kuo.
Very quiet!
Empty parking lot.
Seemed like they were not taking good care of this place either.
Displays on the second floor.
Time to fly home!
We had plenty of time after checking in for our flight back to Los Angeles. It was quite interesting walking around the Taoyuan Airport air-side. Each boarding gate has a different theme and they are all nicely decorated.
This one is featuring Hello Kitty.
Beautiful orchids at another gate.
This one is about flights.
Finally boarding our EVA flight.
Not really good photos but these were our in-flight meals.
After getting home, we went straight to Norm's for some real American food of steak and ribs. Yum!
This conclude the report of our short trip to Hong Kong and Taiwan. It really took me a long time to finish this because of our Transpacific cruise in May.
This was certainly a different kind of trip than our usual cruise reports. We pretty much concentrated on eating, especially the food that we don't usually get in the States. Thanks to all our friends and families who spent their time and money to make our trip a special one. God bless you all!
"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:13~14