Travel
At an altitude of 3,454 meters high！A Christmas tree planted at the summit of the Jungfrau mountain — stunningly beautiful in the middle of a snowy valley
The Jungfraubahn railway company recently designed a 12-meter-high Christmas tree at the summit of the Jungfrau. Located at an altitude as high as 3,454 meters, the tree, when viewed from the air, appears to be built amidst a snowy valley, bringing a festive warmth to the winter Jungfrau.
Winter hiking alert: New highlights on Maotou Mountain Trail – a hollow transparent sunshade viewing pavilion
Believe it or not, there’s a 650-meter-high mountain in Pingtung County where you can gaze at the Pacific Ocean to the east? It’s Maotou Mountain, located within Shuangliu National Forest Recreation Area. The newly renovated Maotou Mountain Trail and the innovative sunshade viewing pavilion at the summit, featuring a unique hollow transparent roof design, have become a new tourist highlight.
The World’s Coolest Internship Job Is Back – Free Travel Abroad + Weekly Salary of NT$60,000
For the third consecutive year, the Marianas has launched the “World’s Coolest Internship” job opportunity. Selected candidates will receive round-trip airfare, accommodation, and activities with a total value exceeding NT$200,000, plus a weekly salary of NT$60,000. Anyone aged 18 or above can apply, with registration open from now until February 22, 2016.
Become a Tang Dynasty beauty in a second with free “Tang-style makeup photo booth” at the National Museum of History’s Tang Sancai Exhibition
Want to see what you’d look like with Tang Dynasty makeup, dressed in warrior attire or a scholar’s hat? To complement the upcoming “Splendor of the Ages – Luoyang Tang Sancai Special Exhibition” launching at the end of November, the National Museum of History has installed an interactive photo booth in the exhibition hall. From now until January 24, visitors can head to the museum to try out the free “Tang-style makeup photo booth.” With just a swipe and a tap, you can snap your very own Tang-style portrait photo on the spot.
9-second real-time landing footage test: Kaohsiung Science and Technology Museum’s 5th-floor mega slide — you won’t be able to hold back your scream
Kaohsiung Science and Technology Museum has recently unveiled Asia’s tallest slide. This three-dimensional spiral slide stands 18 meters high and stretches 46 meters long, making it the tallest of its kind in Asia. Sliding down from the height of a 5-story building, it takes just 12 seconds on average to reach the ground — and as fast as 9 seconds. It’s also a rare “adults-only” slide, with a height requirement of over 125 cm to enter.
The 50-Year-Frozen Old Street of Ozuki: Grandmas Serving “Imperial Reception” Tea to Wayfarers
Ozuki. At first glance, these two characters might make you think of a port name, but in fact, it’s a small village hidden deep in the mountains of Mie Prefecture, in Japan’s Kansai region, and was once a major post station along the ancient Ise Road. In autumn, when you take the bus to Ozuki Station, winding through the mountain roads, you’ll see maple leaves blazing red and ginkgo trees glowing yellow. Roll down the window, and you can hear the rush of water—the Unade River flows like a thousand charging horses, cascading down, its meandering course once an important channel for timber transport during the Showa era, as well as a lifeline for the local economy.
A Christmas in Lona as festive as Chinese New Year – enjoy a banquet, admire festive lights, and catch a fireworks show
The warm and joyful Christmas season is coming soon. Each year, the Christmas celebration in the Lona Tribe of Xinyi Township, Nantou, attracts numerous visitors to join in the festivities. This year, the lighting ceremony will take place on the evening of December 24th at the square of Lona Village Flower Garden, while the Christmas gala will be held at Lona Catholic Church. The event kicks off with hymns, the lighting ceremony, and a fireworks display, followed by a series of indigenous song and dance competitions.
Where to stay in Kaohsiung for New Year’s Eve? 4 hotels near I-Shou World
Instead of welcoming 2016 in the cold winter, why not ring in the New Year in the warm port city of Kaohsiung? As in previous years, I-Shou World in Kaohsiung will hold its annual New Year’s Eve fireworks and events. There are 4 great hotels around I-Shou World perfect for celebrating the New Year — some offer sea views, while others have wide windows where you can watch the fireworks directly from your room.
Kyushu Pancake is opening its second branch — the Songshan branch will debut on December 27
Made with pancake mix crafted from seven grains sourced from Kyushu and committed to being free of emulsifiers and aluminum-based leavening agents, Kyushu Pancake is set to open its second location. The new spot is right next to the Taipei Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, built with natural materials such as logs and stone bricks to create a warm dining atmosphere. The Kyushu Pancake Songshan branch is scheduled to open on December 27.
The plum blossoms are in bloom！ The "Skiing for Plum Blossoms" event in Nantou’s Xinyi kicks off first
The 2015 Nantou Flower Carnival’s "Skiing for Plum Blossoms" series of events kicks off on the 20th！ The opening ceremony held at the Plum Dream Factory of Xinyi Township Farmers' Association marks the official start of the flower season. On that day, there will be the “Ten Goodies at Shiquan Shi Mei”, a special gourmet bazaar hosted by the Xinyi Home Economics Class, offering visitors 1,000 free garden coupons to redeem, plus ten free experiences and fun activities—rich and varied content awaits.
Gudetama Explores Taiwan: The "Too Lazy to Go Out" Exhibition Lands in Taipei
Do you know Gudetama’s measurements? What does Gudetama do in daily life? Even more interestingly, Gudetama has opened its own shop and started running a business. These fun displays are full of creative ideas, aiming to immerse everyone in the world of Gudetama.
So uniquely stylish—a refined Japanese restaurant in Changhua with just two menu options
Changhua is a place I rarely visit. Though it’s relatively close to me, I don’t have many relatives or friends there, so I seldom come. Xihu is even more off my radar. If it weren’t for this invitation to Changhua’s Xihu, I wouldn’t have had the chance to discover such a distinctive Japanese eatery.
Adorable little Minions scarecrows make an appearance! The Tienzhong Scarecrow Art Festival kicks off this weekend
Have you ever seen scarecrows in near-life-size, cartoonish shapes? The “Scarecrow Art Festival” in Tienzhong Township, Changhua County, kicks off with a bang on the 19th. On display are a 4-meter-tall “Old Farmer Leading Young Farmer” scarecrow creation symbolizing agricultural heritage, as well as figures of the God of Wealth, the Earth God, the Earth Goddess, and various cute-shaped scarecrows—among them, the super adorable Minion scarecrow has become the center of attention.
A perfect choice for New Year’s celebrations: The “Iron Flower New Settlement” Annual Street Festival kicks off on the 26th
The new year is just around the corner！ The nationally renowned attraction “Taitung Iron Flower New Settlement” will host a series of lively events starting on the 26th, kicking off with the “Iron Flower Music Festival” featuring performances over two consecutive days by singers Jiyaojun, Sangmeijuan, and the Gaoshi Folk Song Troupe.
Classic Swiss beauty: The golden Matterhorn at sunrise
The apartment where we stayed in Zermatt, Appartementhaus Monazit, is a bit of a walk from the train station—whether you’re dragging your luggage from the station or heading back to catch the cable car, it takes about ten minutes on foot. But staying here has one major advantage: Appartementhaus Monazit is right next to the famous sunrise-viewing spot in Zermatt, a bridge that spans the Matter Vispa River.
News Flash / Taiwan High-Speed Rail Announces 4 Additional Weekend Trains on Dec 18 & 19
Taiwan High-Speed Rail announced at noon on Dec 18 that it will add 4 additional weekend trains. The rail operator stated that after reviewing the high demand for weekend bookings, it has flexibly increased train services to accommodate passengers in need.
The Tainan Dinosaur Exhibition Gets Too Real—Kids Cry and Flee as Dinosaurs Roar & Move ~ Dinosaurs Complain: "It's Too Hot!"
Dubbed Asia’s largest, the “Tainan Jurassic Park” dinosaur exhibition grandly opened on the 18th. As Taiwan’s only large-scale outdoor exhibition, the interactive dinosaur models shipped from Sichuan, China, can move and roar, so lifelike they scared some children to tears. But the very next day, many kids noticed the dinosaurs seemed to be people in costumes—they started touching, patting, and squeezing them, making the “dinosaurs” too scared to move forward. Exhausted, they cried out “It’s too hot inside!” and even went on a mini strike.
Futuristic vibes ahead！London Underground unveils new station blue wall design
Transport for London (TfL) recently unveiled a new station design, replacing the dull, patchy paint on walls with an entire blue wall surface, an emotional lighting system, and train information screens. Both locals and tourists are highly anticipating the changes, which are expected to be implemented over the next few years.
Adorable Kumamon rides a wild wolf with flair – Netizens burst out laughing: How does he shift gears?!
After Japan’s famous “Kumamon” had hilarious mishaps such as dropping his gloves into a bread machine while baking and slipping down stairs, this time he takes on the challenge of “riding a manual motorcycle!” In the video, the lovable Kumamon is seen wearing a leather jacket and coolly riding a red manual bike. His body is even bulkier than the motorcycle, and as he wobbles while chasing after professional racers, paired with his ever-bright smile, netizens couldn’t help but laugh out loud, bombarding him with questions like “How does he even shift gears?!”
Breathtaking romantic night views: Top 5 high-rise dining spots in Taipei
When Breeze XinYi opened in November, besides featuring many exclusive luxury brands, the Sky Lounge restaurants on the 45th and 47th floors also became major highlights. Morton’s The Steakhouse has already moved into the 45th floor, and soon to follow is Taipei 47 Celebrity Banquet on the 47th floor, set to open at the end of the month. Thanks to their height, both offer spectacular and stunning views that can easily rival those of Random Bird Place, Shin Yeh Gourmet Pavilion, and Din Tai Fung 101 atop Taipei 101.