Teppan Dining
Kevin and Nina suggested a delightful teppan dining experience for New Years Eve.
Downtown Taipei
After dinner we headed downtown so we could see the firework display at Taipei 101 at midnight. The atmosphere was festive, the streets were crowded, and everything was all lit up.
Delightful Cafes
In order to best see the fireworks display at Taipei 101, we went to a small cafe in a nearby highrise that had a great view. There were several cafes on this floor and each seemed to have a different theme. The decor was somewhat whimsical and even included holograms that were projected on a stream of fog that came out of a vent near the projector.
Fun Fireworks
We didn't mind having dessert while we waited for the fireworks to begin. At midnight, we were treated to a spectacular display of beautiful fireworks. It was a wonderful way to usher in the new year.
Taipei 101 Fireworks Display
Check out this video of the fireworks on Taipei 101.
Yehliu Geopark
Yehliu Geopark had many unique and beautiful rock formations that were formed by natural erosional forces. We spent the morning walking along the coast enjoying all of the different shapes and textures that were formed as a result of sandstone and limestone being worn down by water and wind.
Spectacular Views
Everywhere we looked, we were treated to an amazing view: crashing waves, interesting rock formations, and fossils embedded in the rocks.
Unique Shapes
Many of the rock formations at Yehliu have eroded into somewhat familiar shapes. Some of the more unique ones were the fairy shoe, the dragon's head, the fish tail, mushroom rock, sea candle, and peanut rock. We also noticed an egret who was enjoying the beautiful day by the shore.
Erosional Forces
It was evident from the pounding waves that all of the shapes and textures we saw around us were works in progress. We were viewing a slice of geologic time somewhere in the erosional process of this amazing shoreline. It was a very pleasant way to spend the morning.
Confucius Temple
The Taipei Confucius Temple was originally built in the 1870s on this site. It was destroyed during a war with Japan and then rebuilt in 1927. Confucius lived more than 2,000 years ago and was considered to be a great sage and educator. He was the first teacher to advocate education for commoners.
In front of the temple were 140 animated figures of Confucius. These sculptures are part of a traveling exhibit called "Hello Kongzi." Kong was the surname for Confucius and zi is a respectful title give to someone with moral integrity and knowledge.
