2013 - OCEANIA - TAIWAN AND TEA

Off to a tea ceremony,

or what I was led to believe is a tea ceremony. Not too far from Keelung, in the hills. Not too many steps!

We pass the Squid boat fleet. All the lights on top are alight at night to attract the squid. Looks very impressive at sea...not so much in dock during the day...

and a decorated train...

We get off the bus right next to very nice temple.....

We go shopping in another market. Do not remember what they were selling here but it looks like fun with the large baby bottles..

Some of us walk up an incredibly steep set of stairs & be brave to try some terrible soup. Actually, taro ball soup but it came out sounding as terrible soup.

Not bad though. Here's the guy preparing the Taro...

This is the view from the back of the restaurant...

And the front..

Since I was already up the hill I went a bit further I found a great temple at the top that no one else found...

& this cat with different coloured eyes....

extremely narrow lanes & you had to be vary careful of the traffic..

I also tried some unusual ice-cream. They take a round flat thing like a fajita wrap & spread crushed peanuts on it. Spread flavoured ice cream on that & roll it like a fajita. Delicious - but a bit of a shock, biting into ice cream.

Then we get the 'tea ceremony' or not...a guy comes to the table & shows us how to prepare tea but it is not a ceremony...warm the pot etc etc.

This is Anna from Croatia, a sommelier from the ship. Nice girl...here she plays mother to the table..

The first time she served me wine on board I asked for a glass of Port to accompany my Stilton .

It's very expensive.

She gives me a glass to "taste".

I take a sip - Very good.

She says have a proper taste.

Another sip.

Have a really proper taste - so I finish the glass.

Is that to your liking sir?

Yes.

So she refills the glass. 2 glasses for the price of one.

A view from the table & another couple inside, It was much nicer inside.

Some art work in & around the tea room...

then a walk back through the narrow alley ways..

& another nice temple on the way back to the ship....

& dockside a real treat. Niki, my favourite bartender, out of uniform for the only time on the cruise. She wears pink braces on her teeth.

Non-alcoholic drinks are free on this cruise & I tried all the various concoctions & the occasional speciality coffee.

Plus a beer now & again if it had an exotic name.

More alcohol on this trip than in the previous 5 years combined.

Back to soda with a splash of cranberry juice since getting home.