Adventures with Catherine, Danshui & Bali (Trip #3)

We set out at about 11:30 on Sunday for the northern-most part of Taipei, Danshui. Our mission was to find the ferry that crosses the Danshui river to Bali. Bali is a haven for walkers and bike riders in northern Taiwan. It's a tree-lined community that is a nice escape from the madness of the city.

After asking a handful of people, we managed to find the boat and bought tickets. Catherine thought it would be fun to buy a pass that takes us to Bali and on to Fisherman's Wharf. This meant we would take the 6 minute boat ride to Bali and then another ferry to Fisherman's Wharf, which is about a 12 minute trip across the river. Sort of a tour of the whole area. Since it was Sunday and the weather was great the place was crawling with people.

After arriving in Bali, we quickly found a little bike-rental place and picked out a nifty little tandem model. I could tell by the look on Catherine's face that she was pretty skittish about being on the bike. It was really crowded and Taiwanese people aren't known for their ability to steer ANYTHING! She knew I was excited to do it, so she held her breath and we set off. Being an American, I am not about to calmly allow others to cut me off and/or inhibit my riding pace. Not long after setting off we encountered numerous folks that felt compelled to stop in the middle of the trail to talk, take pictures, etc...ugh. After a few near collisions I looked back and was shocked that Catherine didn't have her eyes closed. She said she was frightened but trusted me. We managed to bike for a few hours without incident. At one point, I looked down and discovered the Cath wasn't peddling...no wonder I was sweating like a pig, I was doing all the work! She giggled and said she didn't realize that I wanted her to share in the work...ya right!

It was a lot of fun. We managed to see a good bit of the area. Tandem bikes are much harder to control. It's sort of like driving a bus, maneuverability is limited. Here are some pics from our arrival and bike trail fun.

The day's catch. A common sight on the banks of the river. The aroma of fish fills the air.

A cool looking sculpture. Sort of sticks out like a sore thumb amongst all the fish stalls and ice cream stands.

A look at the boat that we were going to board to go to Bali. The water was calm. I was a little nervous about taking the boat, I am not a big fan of seasickness. It was an easy ride.

Cath ready to set off on our trip. She is such a cutie.

A house located next to the bike trail. We were just a stones throw from the giant apartment buildings and gray buildings but it was serene along the trail.

Adventures with Catherine, Danshui & Bali (part 2)

A rarity in Taipei, a view of trees without any imposing buildings looming in the distance. The bike trail is a great place.

What happened to my hair? Yikes! Here we are on our tandem. It was a nice breezy day.

Cool looking bridge along the route.

A popular spot to take a rest. I was shocked to see so many avid bike riders on the trail.

Yet another statue along the way. Overall, a very nice area. The bike ride was lots of fun.

Adventures with Catherine, Danshui & Bali (part 3)

The following are some pictures of the market in Bali and Fisherman's Wharf. After the bike ride we decided to slow down and find some nice spots to relax. The time in Fisherman's Wharf was more about winding down and enjoying the afternoon breezes coming off of the water.

The Corral. An alternative to a bicycle for the little ones. As the peddle the various creatures, they move up and down and the wheels move. I think it's a great idea but also kind of dangerous when on the bike path.

Here is a little guy trying to get the hang of it.

In front of the bridge in Fisherman's Wharf. A very busy part of the area. There is a nice pub on the other side that I am going to have to check out.

Here we are mugging for the camera. My trips with Catherine are always so much fun. They make tackling the next week at work much easier.

Here she is on the same bridge as the last few pics.

Watching these guys hang out in and around this tree was fascinating. I think they spend a good bit of their days there.

Adventures with Catherine, Danshui & Bali (part 4)

We finally made our way back to Danshui and headed over to the night market. It's one of my favorite markets in the city. While heading that way, we ran across a few interesting sights. There was a great ceremony at one of the temples. The following is a set of pictures from the evening. We also did some shopping. I managed to complete my set of Snoopy 7/11 credit card holder thingies. A shop had all of the cards for sale and I bought them at a reasonable price. I also picked up a few silly things I can share with my students. I gladly bought Cath a cute little skirt that is going to look great on her. She reluctantly allowed me to pay for it because she knows I enjoy buying things for her.

The "Lucky Luck Company"...lol. I can't imagine a better name for a store.

The ceremony at the temple. The dragon was actually two young guys balancing on metal poles. They were acrobatic. Somehow they managed to jump from pole to pole in unison. The music was intense and the crowd was really into it.

Here they are in flight. If they miss their target, it'll be ugly.

I couldn't take my eyes off of them. A very impressive show.

Another great outing. Every time we come to the end of one of these trips we both can't imagine how we can top it. Yet, each and every trip has proven to be memorable and unique. Thanks for checking it out and stay tuned...