ARRIVED IN TAIPEI!

 After a short 16+ hours flight we arrived at the Taiyuan Airport in Taipei. It was almost seven in the evening and it was rainish. Once we picked up our things, making sure nothing was left behind, we walked what was probably the longest walk from the airport to the terminal.

And we were surprised that there were not that many people at the airport. I had assumed that everyone traveling for the New Yesr's celebration is already home. But New Year is not until next week. I believe that people in China go back home for the New Year,or go for vacation someplace else.

Maya is obviously happy to have arrived. Walking towards immigration and then to pick our luggage.

Steve had made arrangements to pick  us up, but wasn't directly at the terminal. A quick phone call and he came with the taxi driver. It was great to see Steve who is on good shape and has recovered well from his surgery.

Maya waiting...

I can't say much about the ride to the hotel because it was drizzling and dark. It's impossible to get one's bearings in such conditions. The ride to the hotel was less than an hour. Very little traffic on the way too.

After we checked in the hotel went to our rooms tha turned out to be enormous, as Steve had said.

But the photo does not clearly show the dimensions- trust me, the room is huge.

And Steve brought these gifts, generous. The three containers are different types of snacks (the Taiwanese equivalent of potato chips). One is peanut based, the other two I have no idea- I'll try to decipher that later.

He also brought a nice bottle of champagne that I doubt will make it back to the U.S. unopended.

We went to the bar for a drink to chat with Steve. Neither Maya nor I were hungry- we had eaten at the airplane about 1-2 hours before.

Afterwards Steve took us for a short drive around the hotel neighborhood. Steve has a tiny car, it's a four person car though. But you could get five people in if one of the four gets out.

A peculiar characteristic of towns in Taiwan, at least in Toufen, is the plethora of 7-11 stores. There seems to be one every 2-3 blocks- in our drive we must have seen about a dozen.

And today is Maya's birthday!!!!