On A Clear Day You Can See Forever!!!

Indeed!!! Woke up today with the sun shining brightly, albeit still pretty cold, as it has been since coming home from the Holidays. Still we are HAPPY as it is not gloomy, cloudy, or worse, rainy... today's weather was really pretty much like San Francisco weather -- the kind I miss most in the winter time...

So David and I did our quick early morning errands and we decided to indulge Liya for a hike up the mountains right behind Taipei 101, Shi Sou San (4 Animals Mountain)... it was a nice hike with many many routes to take: steps for the elderly and not so keen on hiking on a regular basis... and the dirt route -- muddy and tough, as there are parts where you have to climb up steeply, pulling yourself on ropes... making one feel like they are really mountain climbing professionals... that's the route we took, of course, proving to ourselves we can still be pretty adventurous... LOLs....

It was a good hour hike each way.... and you do see people of all ages through the hike... plus the mountain is actually filled with different temples along the way... so one can find refuge, water, toilets, and even food, along the way.... and at the very top, one is rewarded with not just really fresh air but a spectacular view of the city, along with the Taipei 101... After the hike, we rewarded ourselves with a bit of Xiao Chi (Little eats) -- dumplings, dumplings, & more dumplings -- as we happen upon this 20 year old, family run, dumpling place... nice treat after a nice little hike...

And equally nice, was ending the day with lounging about the Eslite Bookstore right on the Taipei 101 Building... magazines from all over the world... books on just about anything.... and floors and floors of different kinds of specailty shops ranging from clothing to computer software and add ons, gift items and novelty items, funiture and my most fave of all, toys!!! So another hour was spent just unwinding here and enjoying all that Eslite has to offer...
More Photos Here