Taiwan, Tea and Thankfulness.

March 23, 2013

Taiwan, Tea and Thankfulness.

How blessed am I to get to travel so much and so often? As I spent 8 days in Taiwan with my family for a PURE holiday, there were seriously so many grateful thoughts running through my head.

It has been almost 5 years since my last family holiday, and in the last holiday, one of my uncles was still around. He died of cancer almost 3 years ago and that episode in my life has really changed me. Now, it isn't so bad but I still cry just at the thought of him because I miss him so much and from this, I can truly understand what it feels like to lose a loved one so early in your life.

Because of this, I have learned to really appreciate my other aunties and uncles and my parents so much more because you really never know. Life is too unpredictable sometimes to every leave any chance for regret and being nasty. Just one angry word can stay in a person's heart for a long time and hurt someone, so now I always try to choose to bless and not to curse. To love and not to hate, to encourage and not to put down.

I have two uncles and one aunty on my mom's side that aren't married and so they love me and my sister to bits and really treat us like their children. So when my uncle passed away, to me it was like my father had passed away. This entire trip I just kept thinking, WOW i am SO LOVED.
And like this picture of the goldfish in the box.... do we always see the big picture? Just step back and sometimes you might see that it's all SO BEAUTIFUL :)

This Taiwan trip was planned ENTIRELY by my UNCLE whom I love SO MUCH! He's always the generous one, always the patient one. He doesn't say much, but his love is all in HIS ACTIONS. I am so thankful to God for him. And so, it was almost like a tour cause we went to so many places!

1. Jiou Fen

The OCARINA SHOP // This man played the ocarina so beautifully and paints them all by hand!

we were so mesmerized we stayed in that shop for almost an hour trying to figure which ones we should get. Truly an artist! So entertaining too all the japanese tourist were so amused by him.

One of the most incredible experiences I've had - having hot fresh tea and green tea cheesecake with THIS VIEW of the mountains! Breathtaking! :)

If you do make it to JIOU FEN, you have to visit this place!

Chui Fen Tea House

( when you walk all through the streets of the old town you will reach here nearer to the end of the street at the other end of where the bus would drop you off)

The pictures above are just downstairs of where we were having tea. Its a gallery and a workshop space. This for me was BY FAR, the BEST experience I had in Taiwan :)