Taste of Taichung

I took advantage of the Cathay Pacific fanfares for the first time this past weekend, hopping on a Dragonair flight bound for Taichung, Taiwan on Friday, and returning back to Hong Kong on Monday.

My uncle and aunt have lived in Taichung for many years, and they are the most hospitable, generous relatives one could ask for.  I got to hang out with my cousins and ended up meeting some of their cousins and uncles and aunts while I was there.  I'd started thinking that it was a shame that I had never gotten to really know my relatives in Taiwan while I was growing up.  It seemed kind of silly not to take advantage of a weekend with my family members while I'm living only an hour and a half flight time away.   So I went.

It was a really chill weekend, one where I made no plans and prepared for the trip only by charging and loading my Kindle.

I ate a lot of fresh fruit, and cracked almonds from the shell (so much better that way!!)

 I perused a lot of tea flowers that were in beautiful bloom:

All of Taichung was swept in baseball fever, so for the first time in a long time I watched baseball.

I drank a LOT of tea - oolong tea, green tea, jasmine tea, pu-er tea.

I had hotpot not once, but twice.

And I came home with nearly 8 kg worth of snacks.

I went expecting to stuff my face -- and I did.  It was a really nice weekend.