Monday - itis in Taipei

The hotel Okura has been excellent. Great choice Niccos !  The front desk has been very helpful and full of suggestions for food or haircuts (now that's a funny story).  Nic and I had a margarita for Karens birthday this evening.  Meanwhile the kids have renamed the bidet (Wall-e) after all the movie like sounds and Japanese remote control.  Who thought you could control a dunny from the lounge ?  Anyway I digress.  It's been a busy-ish day and I've come to the realisation I never remember to take the iPad to dinner so you will have to wait for photos of  Taipei's "best" beef noodle soup.  I guess that's a good thing.

We nailed the buffet breakfast with Mr Butter Chicken in ever present form.  Noodle led the charge for the taxi as we headed for The National Palace for he cultural day of this tour.  A ton of Qing Dynasty artifacts were on offer - sorry no photos allowed.  We scrummed with the best the mainland had to offer   For a country with no rugby team I was surprised how strong some of them were in the rucks around the jade and porcelain. ANYWHO ......

Back into the city and old part of town for some original Taipei market action.  Some of it was fun but we were pretty surprised by the size of the shark fin trade. Being a surfer I've no great affection for the Noahs but I certainly accept the fate for what it is.  Kai and I wandered amongst the traders but they were onto us and we're not happy about us trying to grab some photos.

After walking out of Dxxxx St back and almost back to the hotel we succumbed to one of the amazing patisseries that seem to pop up everywhere they shouldn't !   Dinner this evening has been I the hotel Chinese restaurant which sounds like a copout but has been quite a treat and saved a bit of walking.  Pepper beef , chilli chicken , rice noodles and pork , lotus and mixed veges with truffle oil.  It works ......

Tomorrow we head to Huilian and Taroko Gorge

The didn't want us snapping this one, but we got it anyway the places was full of fins in 

every conceivable size.  You read a lot about this fin trade.  Trust me it's massive

Street markets

The National Palace was full of spectacular artifacts

Kai's first beer?

Ok maybe there was a chocolate milk behind .......