The Taipei Fubon Marathon, which saw over 42,000 participants register, kicked off this (21st) morning at Taipei Civic Square. In addition to elite runners competing for a NT$2 million prize, mascots from all over Japan also joined the race, starting alongside the gunshot and striking adorable and amusing poses that captivated many onlookers, prompting them to pause mid-race for photos.
With just 10 days left until 2015, many people have already started planning where to ring in the New Year with a lively celebration. Below is a roundup of major New Year’s Eve events, sunrise watching, and flag-raising ceremonies across Taiwan’s cities and counties, along with spectacular fireworks displays around the island—must-see events for your New Year’s countdown!
The charm of casual fare is that you’ll start craving it if you go without it for just a few days. Especially the authentically Japanese-flavored ‘Ginza Apricot Japanese Pork Cutlet’ — a juicy cutlet wearing a golden crust that makes you want to dig in with gusto. The Ginza Apricot Japanese Pork Cutlet has opened a new branch at Taipei’s Beijing Station Fashion Plaza, with decor that retains its classic Japanese flair.
The airport service fee is set to rise next year! The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced on the 20th that the airport service fee will be increased from the current NT$300 to NT$500, with the new rate expected to take effect in April next year.
[Captain's Food Home] is a recently discovered treasure of a eatery, with its main signature snacks being the Beef Tripe Dan Ban Noodles and rice balls. After doing some Google research, it seems no one has written about it yet—maybe it’s really a bit too off the beaten path? Although Captain's Food Home is located at the very end of Tamsui Old Street, tourists probably won’t know about this place; almost all the diners are locals.
More and more young professional women are using their short holidays to travel abroad, not only to relax but also to reward themselves for their hard work. However, traveling alone in a foreign country can sometimes be intimidating. Don’t worry — the travelsense.org website shares some “must-know solo travel tips for girls.” By following these principles, you can not only enjoy your trip to the fullest but also significantly boost your safety.
Whether you’ve been to the UK or not, fans of food and travel shows surely know the famous British chef "Jamie Oliver" (Note: Corrected from "Jamie Olive" to the accurate name). In the UK, he transformed many dietary concepts, published numerous cookbooks, and promoted healthy eating through his TV programs. He is undoubtedly a household name and a culinary revolutionary. In the UK, Jamie Oliver runs six major restaurant chains...
To promote electric buses and encourage energy conservation and carbon reduction, Pingtung County Government will collaborate with Pingtung Bus during the New Year’s 4-day holiday to offer free rides on the “Dapeng Bay Loop Line” electric buses for visitors.
Dubai shrouded in morning fog appears and disappears intermittently, with even the world’s tallest building, Princess Tower, "disappearing" within the mist—quiet, peaceful, and like a fairyland, truly breathtakingly beautiful.
The number of Japanese tourists visiting Taiwan hit a new high in 2014, making them one of the most enthusiastic groups traveling to Taiwan. But could there really be Taiwanese attractions that Japanese people haven’t visited yet? Unbelievable! According to a survey conducted by Japan’s TripAdvisor from November 2013 to October this year, non-Japanese tourists have compiled a list of the top 20 Taiwanese attractions that Japanese people are less likely to know about. And the top spot goes to Taroko National Park – what a surprise!
Will it be possible to fly directly from Taipei to Istanbul starting next spring? Turkish Airlines, which plans to open a direct route between Taipei and Istanbul, has reportedly announced that it will offer three weekly non-stop flights starting next spring. Both Civil Aeronautics Administration Director Shen Chi and Turkish Airlines have stated that the matter is still under negotiation.
Today (the 22nd) is the Winter Solstice, but this year’s Winter Solstice is very special indeed!Because today happens to be the day when the sun is at its lowest position in the northern hemisphere, and it also coincides exactly with the new moon. This kind of astronomical wonder only occurs once every 19 years, which is why the Japanese also call it the "New Moon Winter Solstice." If you want to see the Winter Solstice and the new moon fall on the same day again, you’ll have to wait until 2052!
To help children celebrate Christmas joyfully, Far Eastern Air partnered with the Christian Relief Association to participate in the "Shoebox of Love" campaign. All staff at Far Eastern Air collected over 300 gift boxes to distribute across Taiwan for charitable causes. For the first time, stewardesses dressed up as Christmas love angels to personally deliver the gifts to children in church tutoring classes.
The Wanjin Christmas Festival will reach its climax on Christmas Eve, December 24. As the centerpiece of the event, the evening will feature traditional ceremonies at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, such as the “Welcome of the Holy Child” and Midnight Mass. The light show segment will especially include a live performance by the Pingtung United Wind Orchestra, where the powerful brass sounds paired with dazzling light visuals create an exceptionally stunning experience.
To welcome the arrival of the Christmas season, from now until January 31, 2015, the BiTan Suspension Bridge will present a special 4-minute Christmas-themed light projection show at the top of every hour daily between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM. With 10 lively musical segments as the melody, complemented by dazzling, vibrant colors, the bridge is dressed in festive attire.
As the cold winter arrives and heavy snow begins to fall in high-latitude regions, ski resorts across China have recently rolled out new strategies to attract visitors. In Qinghai and Henan, sizzling female models donned bikinis to give the public an eye-catching treat and add some spice to China’s winter tourism scene.
Another sister station for Taiwan Railways has been added today (22nd)! Taiwan Railways’ Yilan Line and the Hyogo Sanyo Electric Railway in Japan, which leads to the country’s top-ranked castle “Himeji Castle,” have become sister railways. The stations sharing the same name on both lines — “Kameyama Station” — have also been named sister stations. In addition, in conjunction with the reopening of Himeji Castle next March, the Sanyo Electric Railway has also begun selling the “Himeji Tourist Pass.”
The most unforgettable sights in travel are often the unexpected ones!! This time, Kankakei Gorge in Japan’s Shikoku region was such a breathtaking sight that will stay with you for a lifetime!! Better late than never—we just happened to catch the maple-viewing season, and later we heard that these were actually the peak days for the fiery foliage. What incredible luck!!
That night, I was on a plane from Australia to Singapore, eight hours in a tiny economy seat, as the Southern Hemisphere gradually gave way to the Northern Hemisphere and the sky turned deep black. Jet-lagged and unable to sleep well, I was stuck in the cramped space of a low-cost airline's economy class—no entertainment screen, not even knowing where I was. I pulled down the window shade and pressed my face close to the reinforced glass, trying to see outside. Even I thought that in such a pitch-black night, there probably wouldn’t be anything to see...
Old houses and mansions that were once overlooked—who would have thought they could one day shake off the dust of time and don a new look for the modern era? But isn’t retro just about those old things we once discarded, only to find ourselves longing for them again? Near the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung, a new old-house café called 【Zebra Walking】 has recently opened. Its name is quite fun.