Day 4: Treated like a queen.

Well, today started with church! We were greeted very warmly by everyone. Everyone wanted to practise their English and talk to us on our way in, we felt like we were famous! The service was lovely, it started with a praise bit done by the youth group with lots of action songs and then the service began. Although it was all in Taiwanese we were given an English bible and the words of the songs in English characters so we could try and vaguely follow. It was the junior churches anniversary today so the children sang a song during the service and a speech was given by the head of the junior church also. Angela did a speech about the North West Synod on behalf of me and her because I was too shy to do it but I was called up to the front anyway to be presented a gift of a few different things. After church, everyone wanted their photo taken with us and then we went back to the hotel to get changed. We were then picked up at 12.30 and taken to a coffee shop which was very European where I had an iced latte and half a toasted sandwich. This was quite nice, very relaxed and chilled out. After this we went to a railway which had a small steam engine that used to run up to the mountains but because of the typhoon damage it can only travel about 10 minutes so we took the short ride for the experience which was very pleasant. The couple that were looking after us, their father owned the company that had the railway, he was also in the property buisness. After the train ride we took a short drive around the town to look for a new camera for Angela and then headed to the couple's home. They told us it was their family home and in the suburbs but when we arrived we soon realised as we were driving up the private road to their home it was nothing like we were used to. When we arrived we parked up and got out. The house was beautiful! It had been designed by Mr Chen who owned the house and was made out of wooden logs. We walked past the servants quaters (!!!!) and the pool to the floor where we would all have a meal. there were two separate tables, one of which all the elders and us sat feeling like royalty whilst they all drank whisky (lots of it - 4 bottles!!) and I had water! The other table sat the women and children which showed you the formation of the church! We then ate a banquet of eel, crab, coccles, shrimps, pork and tuna although I only ate a small amount of pork and tuna as have not been feeling too well. Food was incredible however. It was soon apparent that this man was a millionaire. We were treated like royalty all night, being waited on. We then came back to the hotel as we had to pack up because off to Tainan in the morning so not sure if I'm going to be able to get internet where I am! If not, I will post on Wednesday! I can only hope that when the Taiwanese visitors come to Manchester they feel as welcomed as I do here! Missing home lots though! Hopefully talk tomorrow xx