52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week 24: "Dear Diary" – Taipei, a Continuation of Lorene Hork’s Trip

This is my second year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow. I will write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or at My Trails Into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

Last year, I wrote about the beginning of my aunt, Lorene Hork’s “around the world” trip in 1853 from Tokyo to California. She had been working in Tokyo for the U.S. Army before she and three of her friends, Mitzie, Donna, and Annie, decided to take a trip to see sights in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Her story continues here. She did not keep a diary or journal, but rather wrote letters back home about her journey, which her family saved. I am so glad I have them now.

The journey started in September. On the ship, they were able to swim.

“This is the first time in my life I have been able to try for a tan so late in the year. Today and yesterday the sun has been so hot and all day we spent swimming in the salt water pool and lying on our mats on the deck. By the time we reach Bangkok we should be pretty dark and be able to stand the sun in Indian.   The sea is so calm and the water such a beautiful color of blue—the sunsets are gorgeous and I suppose to are the sunrises only of course we sleep through them.”

Their next stop was Formosa, or Taiwan as we know of it today. They took a bus into Taipei.

“We exchanged a couple of dollars at the legal rate of exchange which is $15.55 for $1.00, but were told we could get $26.30 for one American dollar on the black market and decided to wait for a contact. We ran into the Presbyterian missionaries from the ship and when they asked about exchanging the money, we hesitate to say for fear they would catch on to what we had in mind. After they questioned us a few more items, it finally dawned on us that they would be glad to take care of our money matters and while we ate lunch the money was passed over to our table in a catechism!”

In Taipei they rode pedicabs to the American Embassy to mail letters and phone their Chinese friends. These friends spoke English well and had a car, which was a luxury.

“The brick architecture here was very crude and there were horses and water buffalo for farm work. Coolie hats were worn by everyone and shoes a rarity. The city is definitely over-populated and quite dirty but they all appear amazingly happy and content.“The main points of interest were the Lung Sham temple, a Buddhist shrine built in 1739 AD, the museum, a monument of Chiang Kai Shek, and most important, the people. We stopped in at a grade school and before we even got in the door, we were completely surrounded by hundreds of screaming children. ... Americans are almost a novelty. We were followed everywhere we went during the two days we were there.”

Other places they visited were Yamamoto Gardens, Taiwan Golf Club, Wulai in the mountains where they saw a large waterfall.

“We’ll never be able to repay those Chinese boys for their wonderful hospitality and perfectly planned two full days. I did promise to send James, a Catholic of one year, a rosary from Rome. I just hope we can be half as fortunate in the other countries we will visit and find such willing and likable guides.”

They arrived in Keelung City, traveled to Taipei and went to
Wulai area in the mountains, shown here in the red boundary

I don't have any of the photos she supposedly took on the trip. I'll have to ask if one of my other cousins have them.

. . . to be continued!


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