PREVIOUSLY: After having some rest, I went directly to the 2015 Taiwan Lantern Festival. Taichung was chosen as the host for this year's lantern festival. The open space in Xinwuri Station was the main venue. I boarded a train from Taichung to Xinwuri but I didn't expect what I will encounter. Xinwuri Station was full of people and packed like sardines. A stampede was just waiting to happen.
Described as “more Disney than Disney” the Taiwan Lantern Festival is the grandest of all the lantern festivals in Taiwan. It is celebrated every 15th day of the first month of the Lunar New Year and attracts local and international tourists. I was expecting a large crowd at the festival grounds but not on the train station itself. It seems that all of the Taiwanese went to Taichung to see the bright lanterns like bees searching for flowers.
There was pushing as everybody was looking for their way out in Xinwuri Station. A mother even got angry at the loss of one of the rubber shoes of her daughter while two men shouted at each other as the other guy was a bully among the crowd. I got scared at the situation. One big push from people from the back and it would create a stampede. While everyone was in panic mode I raised my camera to take a video to document the situation and I caught a glimpse of the lantern festival. Wow!
It took me one hour to get out of the train Station but it was all worth it. The 20 hectare Wuri High Speed Rail Special Zone was full of lanterns of different sizes and shapes from simple small lanterns to the giant ones. The highlight of the event was the lighting of the main lantern which was the goat lantern. It changes its color and appearance as it turns around. The people were also thrilled as beautiful Brazilian dancers took the stage and showcased their talents.
After having fun taking photos at the lantern festival for hours I decided to go back to my hostel. And the agony at Xinwuri Station continued as a mass exodus was happening. The train management opened the gates without asking any tickets anymore or even tapping the EasyCard. The crowd walked to get into the platform. 1,2,3 then stop. 1,2,3 then stop. The crowd entered and laughed as the people flowed like dancing cha-cha.
After having fun taking photos at the lantern festival for hours I decided to go back to my hostel. And the agony at Xinwuri Station continued as a mass exodus was happening. The train management opened the gates without asking any tickets anymore or even tapping the EasyCard. The crowd walked to get into the platform. 1,2,3 then stop. 1,2,3 then stop. The crowd entered and laughed as the people flowed like dancing cha-cha.
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| I also went to Taichung Park. |
I started with a bright day on my second day in Taichung. I rode the BRT to see the Luce Memorial Chapel at Tunghai University. The church boasts its unique shape like two hands pressed together in a praying position. I also admired the Baroque style architecture of the Taichung Station. It was built in 1917 during Taiwan's Japanese colonial period. A few blocks away is the iconic Taichung Park while another remnant of the Japanese times is the Miyahara Ophthalmology which is now an ice-cream and sweets shop.
I boarded a train to Qingshui Station from Taichung Station and there was Bus 179. It took me to Gaomei Wetlands where I walked along the wooden bridge. I removed my socks and shoes and then folded my pants. I carried my tripod as I dipped my feet and walked into the mixture of clear water and mud. A thick fog was blocking the giant sun that there was no spectacular sunset but I still managed to have fun.
I opened my tripod and it landed on Gaomei Wetlands like a NASA probe landing on mars. It's the first ever aquatic landing of my tripod! Its three legs were very sturdy as I placed my camera and made many shots with the windmills. I even made a selfie with those people who chose to stay in the platform and not dipped their feet.
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| Until the next "Taichung Special" ... |
Taiwan Day 553&554:“Next Stop: Taichung” Part I
Sakura Series - Taiwan
2025 Forecast
Taipei 101 first flowers
Tianyuan Palace backyard
Taipei Flower Test Center
Pingjing St. Lane 42
Broadwood Park
Sunshine Sports Park kawazu sakura
Wuling Farm (武陵農場)
SYS kawazu sakura
Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village
CKS Memorial Hall
Shibafen Yoshino Sakura
Hope River
Dongfang Temple
Tianyuan Palace
Neicou Stream Trail
Orange Garden Cafe
Yangming Park Visitor Information Center
Yangming Park Service Center Bus Stop
Huashan Road
Qianshan Park
Zhongshan Hall Entrance
Tenglong Sakura Farm
Flower Test Center Shōwa Sakura
Neihu Creek Trail
Shulin Land Office
Xióng Kōng Cherry Blossom Forest
Lung Yen Sakura Forest
Yangming Park cherry stream
Yangming Park fountain
CKS Memorial Hall Tairyō sakura
Wugu District Tianyi Road
CKS Memorial Hall yaesakura
Loving Farm
Yong Long Farm
Zhongbaling Sakura Road
Sun Link Sea
Tai'an Police Station
Cherry Hill Slope
Hsinchu Park
Taipei 101
Kāng Gào Kēng Creek
New Garden City
Broadwood Park
Tianyuan Palace backyard
Pingjing St. Lane 42
Alishan Ranger Station
Alishan House
Alishan Police Station
Alishan Forest Railway
Alishan Station
Alishan Entrance
Alishan Gou Hotel
Alishan Magnolia Garden
Wulai tour
Wun Chang Elementary School
Bishanyan
Sanzhi Sansei Trail
Sakura Series - Taiwan
Nei Cuo Stream
Orange Garden Cafe
Sansei Trail
Tenglong Sakura Farm
Yangming Park Cherry Stream
Yangming Park Fountain
Flower Test Center
Broadwood Park
New Garden City
Yinghua Park
Pingjing St. Lane 42
Yangmingshan Visitor Center
Taipei 101
Tianyuan Palace backyard
Sakura Series - Japan
Kamonyama Park
Near the Nippon Maru Memorial Park
Shinko Park
Minato-mirai 21 area
Tokyo Tech Suzukakedai Campus
Onda River
Tenryuji
Byodoin
Kiyomizudera
Himuro shrine and Yakushi-ji Temple
Hōryū-ji Temple
Nara Park attractions
Tokyo Tech Ookayama Campus
Sumida River
Tsuruma Park
Gion
Maple Series
Taipei Aowanda
Shimen Dam
Alishan
Aowanda
Shanlinxi
Taoyuan Valley Garden
Fushoushan Farm
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| Yehliu to Jiufen? Yehliu to Shifen? Cheaper than yellow taxis |
The "Taipei kong mahal" (My beloved Taipei)
Always in my heart
MRT birdman
Valentine's Day
Tulips Festival
2018 Taipei Lantern Festival
City of Azaleas
Linji Huguo Temple
Nanjichang Night Market
Gudetama Chef restaurant
Dalongdong Bao'an Temple
Shilin hollyhocks
Ningxia Night Market
Ximending graffiti
Discovery Center of Taipei
Chunghwa Postal Museum
Double-Decker Bus
Shilin Cold Balls
Jingimoo
GomanMango
mud volcanic ice
Fire and Ice Dumpling
Opium Fen-Yuan
Ichiran Ramen
Liu Shandong Beef Noodles
hydrangea flowers
National Palace Museum
Other attractions in Taipei
Taipei on a budget
Japanese buildings
Dāoxiāomiàn beef noodles
Presidential Office Building
Yongkang St. and Elephant Mountain
CKS and SYS Hall
City tour
Beitou ramen
MRT Monopoly Game
Winter city tour
Zhicheng Park
Shilin Plum Blossom
Art museums
Shopping in Taipei
Summer desserts
Qingtiangang
Qixingshan hiking
2015 Calla lily
2016 Calla lily
Beitou tour
Beitou-Zhuzihu tour
NTU
Confucius Temple
2015 Dadaocheng Festival
Puppet Museum
Fantasy Ice World
2016 Bread Show
Strawberry picking
2015 Rose Garden
Modern Toilet
Shilin Night Market
NASA Exhibit
Raohe Night Market
Longshan Temple
2013 Taipei Zoo
Maokong Gondola
Lupin flowers
Taipei 101 day visit
Taipei 101 night visit
Tiger Mountain
Din Tai Fung
Taipei Story House
2014 Flower Show
Chrysanthemum Show
Miramar Ferris wheel
Miniatures Museum
Archery
1600 Pandas
Wulaoguo hot pot
Upside Down House
2016 101 Fireworks
New Taipei
Tamsui Pumpkin Tunnel
Shifen Waterfall
2017 Sand Sculpture
Dragon Caves
New Taipei tour
2016 Kite Festival
Pingxi Crags
Bitou Cape
2016 Sand Sculpture
2015 Christmasland
Juming - Jinshan
Houtong - Pingxi
Sandiaoling Waterfall
Jiufen foodtrip
Guanyinshan hike
Yehliu Ocean World
2014 Kite Festival
Pingxi Rail tour
Jinguashi tour
Vigor Kobo Pineapple
British Consulate
Yehliu Geopark
2014 Sand Sculpture
Paragliding
2014 Christmasland
2014 Pingxi Lantern
firefly watching
Yingge Ceramics Street
Jiufen tour
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