Happy New Year from Taipei

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Our first stop on our 36 day journey. Flight from Vancouver was long (13 1/2 hours), with the addition of several crying babies (not ours thank goodness).

If you choose to fly from North America westward to Asia, leaving late on December 30 or early on December 31, know that you will miss New Year's Eve, due to crossing the International Dateline. (No champagne on board our flight, either!). We had decided to spend several days here to readjust and visit this new-to-us-country. Unfortunately, our first day has been cool and rainy-- much like Vancouver just now!

When we passed the main square at about 6.30 am there were hundreds of people welcoming in the New Year.

Our hotel (Hotel 73 on Xin Yi Road close to the Dongmen MRT Station) was helpful in getting our room ready as early as possible, while we enjoyed the included all-you-can-eat breakfast in their coffee shop. I tasted an assortment of hot and cold fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, pickles. Delicious! Even a self-serve espresso machine!

Several naps later, I am feeling less jet-lagged. Sun and 19 degrees celsius* are forecast for tomorrow.

*Did you know that Celsius was the name of the Swedish astronomer (1701-1744) who devised the Celsius temperature scale?

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