Stanley returns to Taiwan

Greetings from Taiwan,

We are Zion's family residing in Taipei. It was so much fun having Flat Stanley visit with us. He flew from Lexington to Taipei in just over 15 hours. Flat Stanley enjoyed our island home that is located in Eastern Asia. Taiwan's terrain  is divided into two parts. It has flat to gently rolling plains in the west, where 90% of the population lives. The eastern two-thirds are mostly rugged forest-covered mountains. Stanley commented that Kentucky is 2.91 times bigger than Taiwan.

Stanley told us that winter in Kentucky was quite cold and snowy this year. Taiwan enjoys warm weather all year. The Tropic of Cancer runs straight through the middle of Taiwan bringing with it tropical and subtropical weather. Taiwan does not have 4 distinct seasons like Kentucky. The highest temperatures usually 95 degrees. The lowest temperatures rarely drop below 50 degrees. Taiwan is a very humid place.  Rainy season is from March to May. June to October is the typhoon season in Taiwan. We carried umbrellas every day of Stanley's visit.

Stanley spent most of his time in Taipei. The first place he visited was Taipei 101 building. The building has 101 stories above ground and five stories underground. It was the tallest building on earth from 2004-2010. It is currently in the top three.

There's a lot to see and do in Taiwan. We visited the beach, hot springs, water falls and a geological park with rocks that look like everyday objects. Hope you like the pictures.

Come back anytime,

The Hall Family

Final Flat Stanley of 2013-14

Hi,
Flat Stanley just left Nashville, TN! While here, he stayed with 2 dogs- Gracie (the brindle) and Henry (the blonde).

Gracie

Henry

Nashville is home to many animal shelters, including Crossroads Pets which was founded by Emmylou Harris.

Nashville is also known as Music City USA. The Ryman Auditorium is one of Nashville's most famous venues, and it hosts many special musical guests throughout the year.

There are literally hundreds of live music venues throughout the town. Some notables include Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, Exit In, Mercy Lounge, The Station Inn, Robert's Western World, and of course The Grand Ole Opry. Many famous artists live in and around Nashville since the music industry has roots here. Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Dan and Patrick from The Black Keys, and Jack White to name a few.

Nashville is also known to some as "The Athens of the South." There are 19 colleges and universities in the Nashville Metro area. As seen in the photo below, Vanderbilt University is located here and is a renowned university as well as medical center. Vanderbilt Medical Center is the only Level One Trauma Center in middle TN taking care of patients from all across the southeast.

To help transport, the Vanderbilt Lifeflight helicopters and airplane are among the best in the country.

Belmont University is just around the corner from Vandy. It helps educate folks entering the music business with notable alumni such as Trisha Yearwood, Josh Turner and Brad Paisley.

With flatlands to the west and hills to the east, Nashville sits in a valley and has a moderate climate. Winters are typically mild with one or two snowfalls per year. The summers are hot and humid, but the fall and spring are marvelous!

Speaking of hot, Nashville is home to "Hot Chicken." This specialty is fried then pasted in a sauce of all types of hot peppers. The previous mayor even started a Hot Chicken Festival on July 4th, and it continues to bring a crowd every year. Prince's Hot Chicken started it all many years ago, and now there are several restaurants serving the fiery fowl. Eating in Nashville is a never ending adventure. The Catbird Seat, Husk, City House, Lockeland Table, and The Farmhouse have all been awarded for their uniqueness and use of fresh, local ingredients. Many things to do her in Nashville, so if you visit plan to stay a while!

Cheers,
Melissa