Yesterday it was Tomb Sweeping Day. It is a very important national holiday in Taiwan where you are to clean the grave of your loved one(s) etc. Seth was given the day off as with many other Taiwanese. We couldn't participate in the importance of the holiday but we decided not to waste the day so we decided to go to Yehliu Geopark.

This geopark is located on the coast in Yehliu about an hour or two from Taipei. We took a train to Keelung then a taxi. It was pretty easy to get there. We arrived at 2pm and meandered around actively avoiding the crowded area full of Chinese Tourists. It was packed. There is path that leads around one side of the jetty where you walk next to the ocean where waves are splashing against huge boulders. All along the way there are round rocks, rocks that look like sponges and odd natural rock staircases carved into the cliff. It is an incredible sight that was created by nature. Years upon years of rain, ocean, sand and wind created it. Most of the tourists don't walk far enough to see this side of the park. They were all too busy looking at Queen's Head, a rock that looks like an Egyptian Queen to me.

After we managed to get out to the very end of the jetty using a rope and some climbing skills we decided to go up to the very top of the mountain. We got a good workout with all those stairs but we made it. By this time it was 5pm so we didn't stay too long up there. The sun was setting as we headed down, it was beautiful. The last part of the park we saw was Queen's Head and all of the other famous rocks shaped like things. It was the least impressive part of the trip.

We had a well deserved dinner of seafood, soup and rice at a nearby restaurant. We were exhausted. Somehow along the way we managed to lose my coat. So we went back to the exit gate to look for it but everything was closed down. Then we headed to the bus stop with a couple of ice cream cones and headed home.

It was a great day. We needed to see something new and beautiful. I'm glad we did because it's been raining all day today in Taipei.