Taiwan Road Trip: Taipei to Kaohsiung — Taichung

Back in January, we were traveling through Taiwan. I started writing about our trip and managed to get two posts out—one about Taipei and another about Wulai, the charming little town we visited before continuing south.

And then… life happened, and I never got around to finishing the story!

So, picking up where I left off, we continued our road trip toward Kaohsiung. From Wulai, it was about a 2½-hour drive to Taichung, on the western side of central Taiwan.

Our foodie cousins were traveling with us, and they knew exactly where we needed to stop for lunch: Chun Shui Tang (春水堂), the famous restaurant credited with being the birthplace of bubble tea. I love milk tea, but I’m certainly no bubble tea connoisseur. In fact, before writing this post, I was confused about the difference between bubble tea and boba tea. Turns out, they’re essentially the same thing! Both refer to tea, usually with milk and sweetener, served with chewy tapioca pearls—or “boba.” These days, boba tea is all the rage—you can find it in just about every city!

There was a bit of a wait, but we didn’t mind. The outdoor seating had such a lovely, relaxed atmosphere that waiting actually felt like part of the experience. 

Famous bubble tea —mmm, mmm good! 🧋 Definitely lives up to the hype!

Noodle dishes

Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs

So glad we had locals to decipher the myriad choices on the menu

After lunch, we took a stroll around the National Taichung Theater, also known as Taichung’s Arts NOVA. The striking architecture and open spaces made it a lovely place to explore and take in the surroundings.

Chinese New Year, year of the Horse (Feb 17)

Admiring the skyline of Taichung from the inside

Our fun personal tour guides

Next up was a beloved gift shop for some New Year shopping. From the outside, the building looks a little weathered and unassuming—but step inside and WOW! The interior is filled with antique furniture, charming displays, and an incredible assortment of unique goodies and gifts, all perfect for sharing with family and friends during the New Year.

I didn’t know it at the time, but I later learned this was Miyahara (宮原眼科), a historic Taichung landmark dating back to 1927, when it first opened as an ophthalmology clinic during the Japanese colonial period. The original brick walls have been beautifully preserved, adding to its timeless vintage charm.

I loved the beautiful gift-wrapping papers featuring horses to celebrate the Year of the Horse. What a lovely blend of tradition, artistry, and local charm!

Pretty packages celebrating the Year of the Horse. 🐎

Too bad we had just had a big lunch, so we didn’t get to try any desserts. After reading more about Miyahara, I discovered that their ice cream is apparently not to be missed. Now I understand the long line for ice cream. Oh well—another reason to come back next time! 

Stay tuned for the next chapter of our road trip. I promise it won’t take me nearly as long to get to it this time! 😉

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday. 

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Happy Chinese New Year

A Side Trip from Paris: Moret-sur-Loing

In recent years, our Parisian cousin has taken to exploring the countryside beyond Paris, discovering charming towns and villages just a short drive from the city. When we visited her in early May, she suggested a day trip to Moret-sur-Loing, a beautiful medieval town about an hour from Paris.

The moment we parked and began wandering through the town, we had a strange sense of déjà vu. The cobblestone streets, centuries-old buildings, and picturesque setting all seemed oddly familiar. As we strolled along, we kept looking around, trying to figure out where we had seen this place before.

Then it suddenly clicked—we had seen Moret-sur-Loing on YouTube!

We had been following a young woman’s channel featuring charming places to explore in the countryside around Paris. As we wandered through the town, we began recognizing the streets and scenery from one of her videos. What a sweet bit of serendipity—to discover that a place we had once watched on a screen had somehow found its way onto our own travel itinerary.

Historic mill and cascading weir (low dam) on the Loing River

Unfortunately, our timing wasn’t great. When we arrived, clouds had rolled in and rain seemed imminent. To make matters worse, it was a holiday, so most of the shops and restaurants were closed. Luckily, we found La Terrasse open and stopped there for some lovely traditional French food, along with a beautiful view of the Loing River.

How could we possibly pass up the chance to order pâté and escargot?

We ordered several entrées, all served with French fries, including this sausage entrée.

After we left Moret-sur-Loing, the weather started to clear. The clouds lifted, and blue skies appeared. Our cousin decided to stop in Barbizon, another charming village that was once home to a community of painters. Mosaic artworks dot the village, adorning its stone walls and adding colorful touches to its picturesque streets, much like the artistic touches along Van Gogh Way in Saint-Rémy.

After all that walking, we were more than ready for a break, so we ducked into this cozy Japanese-style pâtisserie, where an irresistible selection of pastries awaited. It was the perfect spot for a coffee break and a chance to rest our weary feet. 

And the pastries? Absolutely amazing!

Thanks to our cousin, we were lucky to discover this quieter side of Paris. Away from the crowds, we could leisurely stroll, soak in the atmosphere, and experience the slower, more authentic charm of the French countryside.

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday and Mosaic Monday.

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Postcard from Annecy, France

There are beautiful places, and then there are places that make you stop in your tracks, look around, and wonder if you’ve somehow stepped into a postcard.

Welcome to Annecy.

I’d heard so much about this little Alpine town that a day trip felt almost obligatory when we were in Grenoble last May. Just an hour and a half away by bus, Annecy turned out to be every bit as magical as I’d imagined—and I’m so glad we made the trip.

Tucked away in southeastern France, not far from the Swiss border and surrounded by the majestic French Alps, Annecy feels almost too beautiful to be real.

The first thing that captivated me was the water. The impossibly clear, turquoise-blue waters of Lake Annecy, framed by snow-capped mountains, seem to flow right into the heart of the historic old town. It’s the kind of view that makes you pause before reaching for your camera, simply wanting to take it all in.

Wandering through the old town feels like stepping into a storybook. A maze of narrow, cobblestone streets winds between pastel-colored buildings, flower-filled balconies, charming cafés, and little shops tucked into every corner. Canals weave through the center of town, their reflections adding even more color and charm to the scene.

It’s easy to see why Annecy has earned the nickname “the Venice of the Alps.”

Palais de L'Isle, once a residence, courthouse, and prison over the centuries

The best way to experience Annecy is to stroll leisurely through town, stop for a coffee and pastry beside one of the canals, and simply soak in the atmosphere. We stopped at a boulangerie almost as soon as we stepped off the bus. The pastries were delicious—but, sadly, there are no pictures to prove it!

From there, make your way toward the lake, where the views open up to reveal the mountains rising dramatically beyond the water. If you want to experience the lake from the water itself, there are plenty of boats available to rent—a perfect way to take in the scenery from a different perspective.

a sculptural map of Lake Annecy

And everywhere you turn, there seems to be another picture-perfect scene waiting to be discovered.

Even with only one day in Annecy, I understood why this charming Alpine town has captured the hearts of so many travelers. It’s beautiful without trying too hard, peaceful in a way that makes you want to linger, and almost impossibly photogenic.

I did notice quite a few bachelorette groups during our visit—something we’re very familiar with back in Nashville, Tennessee. It made me wonder whether Annecy might eventually face the same challenge of becoming a little too popular, and a little too rowdy, for its own good. I certainly hope not! There’s something wonderfully serene about Annecy that I’d hate to see lost beneath the crowds and celebrations.

Annecy may have been a day trip for us, but it left the kind of impression that lasts much longer.

Some places you visit. Others become a postcard you carry home with you.

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday. 

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