Tuesday is Juju Time...

yep it is that time again... time for Juju-sitting...   as with the other Sunny Summer Days, we wait till after 5PM when the sun goes down to go out and play....  escaping the afternoon heat by making ourselves busy and indoors - playing catch me, watching her favorite You Tube vids on the iPad, eating, looking at photos of toys, cats, dogs and other children on Facebook, and playing her favorite Pinocchio Apps Games....

After 5pm...  when the breeze finally rolls in and the sun is about to set, we started our journey...  we headed to one of our favorite haunts, Dajia Riverside....  walking through all the lovely views, people watching, all the way to the Rainbow Bridge and Roahe Night Market....  even stopping by the Roahe Temple for a little praying.. Juju sure loves to "BaiBai" :)

Wet Friday Night

Winding down the evening....  Friday, first night of the weekend....   as always, not much to do...  decided to brave the rain and  just trek over Shilin Night Market - for food & people watching....  and it was a good call as it was, as always crowded...   locals & tourists....   young and old alike.... so many people abound.... 

Needless to say, never ending choices of delicacies to munch on.... plus lots of Night Market goodies to marvel on: Clothes, Bags, Shoes, Accessories and Nick Knacks.... a couple of hours later - we had our FILL - both the Tummy and the Eyes!!! 

The place is always a pleasure to visit....  just a total fun night out...

Even got to stop by the Temple to give respects and Thanks to the Gods!!!

of rain and queens....

another rainy Sunday here in Taipei.....   as with every Sunday, started the day, answering emails, PMs and catching up online....  then Church for this week's Sunday Mass....  enjoyed the music more than anything....   had some Filipino desserts....  called Mom....   and came back home to wait for Jewel, who arrived a little after 1PM... yep, today is babysitting day.....

Jewel has gotten even bigger these few days I was in Manila.... as always, upon arriving - she has the smile and the outstretch arms for me...  as if it was only yesterday that i saw her last....      we played for a few hours and now she sleeps....  soundly....  Hopefully, when she awakes the rain would have subsided a bit - so we can take a walk by the river... been a while since I was there last.... 

I MISS IT....

So, am back answering emails and watching trailers on You Tube...  just realized that there will be two Snow White film adaptations....  and both are Big Hollywood undertakings....   and forget who is playing Snow White on both films, the more thrilling news will be the battle of the Evil Queens....  Charlize Theron dons the wickedness in "Snow White and the Huntsman" with Kirsten Stewart as Snow White.... this looks to be a more action packed, darker take on the tale....; while the other adaptation boasts Julia Roberts as the resident Evil Queen to Lilly Collins' Snow White....  I for one, cannot wait for both adaptations....   so forget the Pacquioa/Marquez bout that just concluded - this is the fight am waiting for!  Hahahahahahahahaha....

ADDENNDUM: 10PM

Juju just got picked up a little while ago.....   we did have a nice nite and got to go for a walk by Dajia River, all the way to the Roahe Night Market for some delicacies, and a visit to the Roahe Temple....  in just under two hours - we went and came back...  perfect timing as it started drizzling once more a couple of blocks away from the house....  WHEW!!!

Qing Ming Festival

The last two days, week really, are big TEMPLE going days.... Yesterday marks the combined celebration of Women's Day & Children's Day... so even with the non-stop rain - people everywhere flocked to the Temples.... Us included!!! Today marks the day of Qing Ming Festival, also commonly known as Tomb Sweeping Day. Qingming,meaning clear and bright, is the day for mourning the dead . It falls in early April every year. It corresponds with the onset of warmer weather, the start of spring plowing, and of family outings. In ancient China, Qingming was by no means the only time when sacrifices were made to ancestors. In fact such ceremonies were held very frequently, about every two weeks, in addition to other important holidays and festivals. The formalities of these ceremonies were in general very elaborate and expensive in terms of time and money.

It is said that, in an effort to reduce this expense, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty declared in 732 AD that respects would be fomally paid at the tombs of ancestors only on the day of Qingming.This is the custom that continues to date. People will visit their ancestors' graves. They will tidy up, remove weeds and sweep away leaves. This is why Qingming is also known as the Grave Sweeping Day. Beijing's subway is particularly crowded around Qingming as people flock to Babaoshan, Beijing's most famous cemetery and crematorium, to pay respects to their departed loved ones.Qingming is not just a day of remembrance, it is also a day to celebrate the coming of spring, often by going out for a picnic. With the coming of spring, nature wakes up, dressing the world in green. All is new, clean and fresh. People do flock to the cemeteries, as well as, Temples to honour, remember and give respect to their dearly departed ones.... This year, I only got as far as the Temples.... Nighttime visit at the Boan Temple....

A Little Bit of WISDOM couldn't hurt....

Dateline: Sat. Aug 22nd - Temple Pilgrimage Part I
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Saturday afternoon, we decided to take in a bit of a Temple Pilgrimage - and decided to see a couple of temples closed in proximity with each other but offers such a contrast in architecture from one another.... the first one being, Confucius Temple.

Confucius Temple is designed much more subtle, highlighted by the sweeping roofs of the buildings. Inside and outside of the Temple& buildings are bamboo groves and sculpted garden, potted bonsai plants and miniature bridges. Though the Temple is rich in details, it holds back on ornamentation which is typical of all Confucius Temples all around Taiwan.

September 28th marks as the very wise Confucius' Birthday, which is also considered and celebrated as Teacher's Day all around the Island. It is celebrated annually at the Dacheng Hall, where the large tablet of Confucius is placed.

Many people come here to pray for PASSING GRADES in their tests... entrance exams to Colleges... and for the mere begging for WISDOM in everything.

CONFUCIUS TEMPLE PHOTOS HERE