Hello, Hualien!

Lately life has been full of good and new things...leading a cell group, taking a new member's class at church, hosting a weekly women's brunch, training for my second half-marathon, and accepting a new job. Also, over the past weeks Kalan finally recovered from his bout with pneumonia. Thanks for all your prayers!

Last weekend was a holiday here in Taiwan, and we were blessed to take a long weekend vacation with friends.

Our journey to Hualien started with short rides on a bus and a train.


We arrived early in the morning and started our day with a walk on the coast...




...followed by sampling local snacks at the market (here Kalan is eating mochi, a rice-based dessert)...


...at one point we got lost, but some new friends we met at the market let us hop on the back of their scooters for a ride to the bus station...


After our friends arrived...


...we ate famous bao-zi for lunch...




...and even fit in a little "four-wheeling..."


...before dinnertime.


All that good eating prepared us for our hiking adventure the following day.