Day 4 - Jade Market, Yangmingshan National Park and Night Markets

Like yesterday, we loaded up with Joyce and Co. and headed out for a very, very long day of touring (10 am to almost 10 pm)!

First stop, Jade Market. This was a BALL. Loved looking at all the beautiful jewelry and jade artifacts. Amy and Tami, we had success...can't wait to send your stuff out to you once we return stateside. We also found a large dragon/tiger statue made out of stone that is supposed to help you save your money...HA! We found jade animals for each of our kids zodiacs (mouse for Tessa, monkey for Sara, and snake for Jake). My favorite thing is a black metal dragon...it's very simple and beautiful and we were told it was from the time of Ching...over two hundred years old.

Next, we traveled up the mountains to Yangmingshan National Park. Of course, it was raining, darn typhoon, which prevented us from getting any good pictures of the incredibly beautiful scenery. Near the top of the mountain, Mr. Yeh stopped so we could have coffee in this teeny tiny cabin like building where there were NO other buildings. It was really, really cool. We did get a picture of the cabin. Imagine my and Todd's surprise when the nice clerk handed us a menu with the word "MOCHA" on it. Ahhhhh. And it was delicious. And since we were up so high in the mountains, it was cool and breezy too..perfect mocha weather. We sat for quite awhile enjoying each other's company and trying to figure out a "naughty" song that little Trey Jing Cyuan had created. :) Too cute.

Next we drove to a place in the National Park where you could walk around. It was SO gorgeous. LUSH jungle. Travis and Todd kept making jokes about t-rex's jumping out at us. It really did feel like Jurassic Park. :) We walked around for quite awhile and but unfortunately the most exotic animal we saw was a squirrel. :) We LOVED this park and could've of stayed all day if it hadn't been for the rain and say it with me now, the darn typhoon. I would highly recommend coming up here to future traveling families.

We stopped for lunch at the park and had noodles and broth with pork balls...which I didn't attempt. :) Back down the mountain. We drove by Danshui and Beitou, but it was raining too hard to get good pictures or get out and wonder around.

It was late by now, so we headed back to the hotel so we could get more money (yeah, spent all we had at the jade market) to go to the Shilin Night Market and the Snake Alley Night Market. The Shilin Night Market is not what any of us expected. It was high fashion and more geared towards teens and young adults. We quickly walked through and then headed to Snake Alley.

At Snake Alley, I got some really cute traditional dresses for my girls and then we went to the very famous scroll guy. We had a scroll made that says Love, Family, Yi Hsiu. And in small letters, 2009 Taipei, and the scroll guys name. Then we also had him make us a really cool silk fan that says Newman in the middle and forever on the left of Newman and family and the right of Newman. I LOVE it.

Little funny...at some point when we were driving from Yangmingshan back to Taipei, Alex cleared up a bit of miscommunication for Joyce. For the past few days she's been saying AnChee to Trey, which she thought meant be quiet. Today, Alex told her AnJEE is be quiet, AnChee is DIE. For three days Joyce has been telling Trey DIE DIE DIE!! This was hysterical!! Mainly because Trey has a very happy personality and he clearly never took Joyce or Travis seriously!! :) :) Classic.


Well, as I write this we are three hours away from leaving to go get our sweet baby Tessa Yi-Hsiu. We will meet her birthmother soon after we receive Tessa, so it's definitely going to be an emotionally charged day. Please say a prayer for all involved that we find peace, and that Tessa transitions ok. She's leaving behind all she knows and loves.


Jake & Sara - FOUR MORE SLEEPS!!
We love you too always always always and more than anything in the whole wide world!!

Mom - Thanks SO much for taking care of our babies...we so appreciate everything you do, and sorry to overschedule you. :) Love you!