Taiwan

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Mirador Hotel was nice, clean but not as big as the pictures on the web made it look to be. They offered a breakfast of either western style, vegetarian, or Chinese cuisines. The stairs leading up to the rooms were very steep and narrow.  The location was great, near everything we wanted.  The elevator (I wish I had taken a picture) was like a garden sitting room.  The hotel is located right in the middle of downtown Kaohsiung.  It is located right between to businesses.  If your not looking for it you would walk right past it.  We woke up Sunday morning to a beautiful sunny day.  The rain had stopped sometime in the early morning, and with a slight breeze we were in for a hot humid day. 

 

★ Country vegetable salad (with thousand island dressing)
★ American-style sausage
★ Italy vanilla toast
★ Mirador special mashed potatoes
★ Fresh fruit jelly
★ Coffee, milk or juice (optional)

Sunday morning we got up early to head to Gangshan district for church. This was Travis favorite ward he served in.  We ate breakfast at the Hotel for the convenience and time factor.  Travis was not happy, he wanted traditional food.  Got on the MRT and off at Gangshan.  Travis said it would be faster to take a taxi to where the ward meets, which is in an office building.  It was maybe 3 blocks from the MRT.  We could have walked it faster than the taxi got us there, not to mention saving the money.  We arrived at church, the fourth floor for sacrament meeting, just minutes before it was to start.  I had not worn my skirt because was of the wind so I needed to change quickly.  I headed to the restroom to change.  Um, no locks on the doors so I interrupted a sweet lady already using the stall.  How embarrassing.  I have no idea what she was saying to me other than she sounded mad.

Sacrament meeting was interesting to say the least.  Of course we could not understand a word that was being said.  Travis tried to interpret a little.  It was good to be able to partake of the sacrament but the spiritual aspect I was looking for was not there.  The noise level was so bad that at times you could not even hear the speaker.  Adults would just talk in their normal voices anytime during the meeting.  Also phones would go off and be answered with conversations going on.  Then add the normal noise level of children and it was very frustrating.  Not something I am used to.   The people were very kind to us and Travis.  He was able to see many members that he knew and a couple of Elders that had been transferred back to the area.

Gangshan is known for it's lamb.  So we needed to find a good place for lamb for lunch.  One of the members Brother Zhang said he knew of a good place and took us there.  He helped us order, stayed and visited, and ate with us. Lunch was delicious.  I have never seen lamb cooked in so many different ways.  Wade was missing the mint jelly, but other than that he seemed to even enjoy it.

 After a delicious lunch we headed again to the MRT and back to the station by our hotel.  We were meeting a member, Ryan (Kaixiang) to do some sight seeing.  We arrived at the station to discover that Ryan was waiting for us at the TRA transfer station.  Oops.  We bought another token and headed back to the TRA station. With Ryan we bought a bus ticket and headed to the Fo Guang Shan Budda Memorial Center  (Light Mountain).  We were told it was about an hour bus ride.  On the bus ride the scenery began to get more and more rural.  I became more and more anxious.  Businesses became more rare with many of the homes having small shops in the front of their homes.  And then it seemed out of nowhere popped up the memorial center.  What a sight.

Entrance to Monastery

These two statues guard the entrance to Front Hall

Sight as soon as you exit the Front Hall

These 8 Pagodas line both sides of walkway leading to Buddha statue

The concourse has 9 lifelike stone-carved Arhats on each side of walkway

Entrance to Main Hall

Eight Patriarchs of the schools. Four on each side of entrance to Main Hall.

These each house a different Buddha Shrine

Carved into each house that holds a Buddha Shrine

The Buddha is huge

View from end of complex with Buddha statue

There was a book fair going on

Jetavana Grove

Headed back on bus to TRA station. Had Pizza for dinner at a place called Napoli then headed over to the Night Market.  What an attach on our senses.  It either smelled wonderful or would make your physically ill.  The worst smell was stinky tofu.  Definitely lived up to its name. 

Paul got the best pictures of the foods that were being sold.  I will need to get his and post them.  The best ones were of octopus or squid on a stick.

After the Night Market we headed back on the MRT to our hotel.  It always amazed me that it did not matter how late at night the MRT was packed.  I can't speak for anyone else, but I was exhausted.  I slept much better that night.