Hualien's Banyan garden

The Banyan garden restaurant is an outdoor eatery, very popular here in Hualien.

Excellent sashimi, and seafood.

The restaurant is built around a huge old banyan tree which lights up at nite. The air cond is a steady cool mist with pipes on the glass ceiling, and combined with fans and a wooden deck, it is quite comfortable although the outside temperature is 32C. I sure love the ambience of outdoor dining, and my favorite is charcoal grilled fresh oysters with Heineken on draught.......get this: a dozen of fresh oysters for $7US, and a pint of Heineken draught is $1.30US.

Dinner for the seven of us with beer, $70US. And what a feast it was. A similar meal like this would cost $200US at home, not including HST and gratuities........

Summer is here!

Summer camp for Frankie

at the local university, for a 3 day camp.

Fun filled, sun drenched, sweaty three days which include kayaking, a BBQ party, singing, dancing, and meeting new friends.

Summer camp for Jack

Everyday is a summer camp for me as I play tennis at the Hualien tennis club 3 to 4 hours a day. At least once a week, the boys have dinner and karaoke, with lots of beer.....

an outstanding performance by one of our players......

and here is our "大哥", Mr Yang is retired, married to a Cantonese woman, himself speaks some Cantonese and English, a qualified tennis referree and accomplished player. Very good host to many of our players.