The Ngo's Family Reunion - Vietnam, March 2026

 We left Taiwan for Vietnam on March 5, 2026. It was a short flight with ony 3.5 hours with Vietnam Airlines. Bao and Dien met us at Tan Son Nhut airport to take us to Bong Sen Hotel where we will be staying until the reunion starts on March 10. Tan and Lieu stayed with Lieu's family in a nearby district. Other family members started arriving in Saigon.

Staying at Bong Sen with us were Phuong, Peter, Amy and Angeline's. Phuong arrived  two days after us. Peter, Amy and Angeline arrived two days later.  We had a good time shopping along Nguyen Hue, Le Loi street, Ben Thanh market, visiting the spa and, last but not least, dining in style at Bong Sen and Ngon Restaurant.

Bong Sen Hotel on Dong Khoi street, walking distance to many tourist attractions in the city center and popular restaurants including Ben Thanh market, City Hall, Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office.

Bitexco Financial Towel with Saigon Skydeck, a glass-enclosed observation deck on the 49th floor.

                                                         Saigon City Hall.

New Year's decoration on Nguyen Hue street, near the Opera House.

Opera House - a short walk from Bong Sen Hotel.

Opera House Square at night.

Taking a break at Haagen-Dazz.
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A park on Pasteur street.

                                                            

On our walk to Ham Nghi Street from Bong Sen Hotel.

Nguyen Hue Street.

One of many Vietnamese favorite dishes offered at Bong Sen dinner buffet.

A delicious diner at Ngon Restaurant on Pasteur Street.

Our three sisters and family had a great time in Saigon before March 10 when the reunion trip to begin. 

Beitou Geothermal Valley, North Taipei - Taiwan, March 2026

 It was a rainy day when we headed north to visit Beitou Hot Springs, a geothermal valley in North of Taipei. The valley is in the foothills of Yangmingshan National Park. Most resorts were not open and the village was in a quiet side. We had a nice walk around town, had lunch and back to the MRT station to go back to Taipei. 

Beitou Thermal Valley.

Walking path around the thermal valley.








City center of Beitou.

MRT Station in Beitou.

We  also visited some other city attractions near our hotel such as the Botanical Garden, and the 228 Peace Memorial Park with National Taiwan Museum at the park's north entrance.

The beautiful Taipei Botanical Garden.

228 Peace Memorial Park Monument.

Delicious dinner: pizza and pasta at an Italian restaurant across the street from our hotel.

The week in Taipei went by quickly. We had a great time and would like to come back again to see other parts of the country such as Taichung City in the central and Kaohsiung City in the south.

Shifen, Jiufen and Yehliu Geopark - Taiwan, March 2026.

We booked a day-trip tour with "Get Your Guide" to visit Shifen, Jiufen and Yehliu Geopark from Taipei. It was a nine hour trip starting from MRT main station.

The first stop was Shifen Village, about an hour East of Taipei. Shifen is a historic coal mining village in Pingxi District.  It's famous for the waterfall and the railway run directly through the Old Street. It's also known for painting and releasing Sky Latern spot on the railway in the old town.

Crossing Xinliao (Village) bridge.

Shifen Waterfall.

Painted lantern with the well wishes to be released.

Ready to release the lantern.

The train going down the Old Street shortly after our lantern was released. 

Jiufen, our next stop is a historic mountain village in New Taipei City. It's famous for the narrow, lantern-lit alleyways and stunning ocean views.

Entrance to Jiufen village.





Ocean view from the village.

The Old Street market of Jiufen Village.

Many shops and restaurants in the Old Street market.


It was late in the afternoon when we arrived at the Yehliu Geopark, our last stop on the tour.

Yehliu is on the north coast of Taiwan. The Geopark features all sort of strange-looking/mushroom rocks and sea caves. It's part of Datun Mountain that stretches out to the sea.

Entrance to Yehliu Geopark.

Yehliu Ocean World Building in the background.

Yehliu Geopark walking paths. The famous Queen's Head in the background.

Queen's Head, the most famous rock formation in Yehliu Geopark. A natural mushroom rock, it resembles the bust of a queen (Queen Elizabeth).






The tour ended at Songshan Ciyou Temple located at the bustling east entrance of the Raohe Street Night Market. We had our dinner in the night market.

Songshan Ciyou Temple.

Raohe St. Night Market.

Night market, a popular place to shop and dine.

Taipei, Taiwan - February 2026

Our first overseas trip in 2026 was Taiwan. We spent one week in Taipei including one day-trip to Jiufen, Shifen and Yehliu Geo Park. We have my brother, Tan and his wife, Lieu joining us on this trip. The hotel we stayed is in Ximending, a short two blocks to the National Musuem in Peace park.

On our way to Taipei via Japan Airlines.

Ximending district with New Year's lighting and decorations.

Ximending market area.

The National Taiwan Museum, the oldest musuem in Taiwan.

We started out by taking MRT and buses to Yangmingshan National Park which is known for cherry blossoms, seasonal flowers and hiking trails.

The famous "Flower Clock" in the park.

Xinhai Guangfu Hall where Spring Flower Festival recently held.

Some exhibits in Xinhai Hall from the Flower Festival.

View from Xinhai Guangfu Hall.

F

In Yangmingshan park.

Leaving Yangmingshan National Park, we continued taking the MRT for Tamsui district.
Tamsui is a seaside district of New Taipei City in North Tawain, sitting at the confluences of the Taiwan Strait and the Tamsui River.


Tamsui District - Shalun Village

Tamsui Fisherman's Wharf.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Lover's Bridge in the background.

The Lover's Bridge in Tamsui.

Our dinner at Shilin night market.

Shilin night market.

The next day, we took the MRT red line again to visit the famous Taipei 101/World Trade Center (Station).

Taipei 101 in Xinyi District.

In front of Taipei 101 Plaza.

The "Infinite Life" sculpture located outside Taipei 101.

More art work around Taipei 101 plaza.

Taipei 101 tower from inside the plaza.

The popular Din Tai Fung restaurant in Taipei 101 plaza.

One of the most visited sites in Taipei is Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, surrounded by beautifully manicured lawns. 

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall.

                                                         

View from the Memorial Hall.


Changing of the Guards at noon.

National Theater and Concert Hall in Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Park.

A pair of dove on the tree by the Memorial Hall.

Spring blossoms in the south side of the Memorial Hall.

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial park.

We enjoyed exploring many Taipei districts on foot as well as by using their popular public transportation of MRT and buses. 

Presidential Offices Building.

The Red House in Ximending.

DiHua Street, the oldest street in the commercial center in Taiwan.


Graffiti alley in Wanhua district.

Dalongdong Baoan Temple, an UNESCO Asia-pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation.

Elephant Mountain.


Taipei 101 from the Elephant Mountain.

Taipei 101 at sunset.