Time travel? The “Golden Horse” and “Miss Golden Horse” make an appearance in Su’ao

▲The “Golden Horse” sightseeing special bus. (Photo/Source:Facebook fan page of the Su’ao Town Sightseeing Town Development Association)

Reported by Zhou Youzheng / Comprehensive report

One of the shared memories of 1950s Taiwan, the “Golden Horse,” made a comeback during the “Cold Spring Water Splash” event at the 20th and 21st Su’ao Cold Spring Culture Festival in the small town of Su’ao. The “Golden Horse Sightseeing Special Bus” departs daily at 9:00 AM from in front of the old Su’ao Railway Station, passing through seven stops, with a one-way ticket priced at just NT$30. A specially made mini version of the Golden Horse has also been placed in front of the former Taiwan Motor Transport Su’ao Station for visitors to take photos.

The “Cold Spring Water Splash” event took place on the 19th and 20th at Su’ao Railway Station, featuring street parades, water fights, food banquets, and concerts. During the event, the Golden Horse bus departs daily at 9:00 AM from the old railway station, with a bus every 40 minutes, stopping along the route at the Baimi Wooden Clog Museum, Nanfang’ao Visitor Center, Neipi Lovers’ Bay, Tofu Cape Scenic Area, Tailless Port Eco-Community, and the Back Mountain Highway Cultural Relics Museum. A one-way ticket for NT$30 allows unlimited rides, and ticket buyers also receive a complimentary Golden Horse commemorative ticket.

▲The 2013 Su’ao Cold Spring Culture Festival “Golden Horse” sightseeing special bus made seven stops. (Photo/Source: Facebook fan page of the Su’ao Town Sightseeing Town Development Association)

Lei Zhenzhou, General Manager of the Su’ao Town Sightseeing Town Development Association, said that the Golden Horse bus is a shared memory for many longtime residents of Su’ao. In the 1950s, before the North-Link Railway was operational and with traffic controls on the Su-Hua Highway, the Golden Horse became the most important mode of transportation between Yilan and Hualien. Su’ao served as a key transit hub. Through this nostalgic sightseeing bus event, not only are the memories of older residents revived, but younger generations can also learn about the Golden Horse’s former glory.

In the early years, each Golden Horse bus had a female attendant known as “Miss Golden Horse.” Lei Zhenzhou noted that this year’s sightseeing special bus also features Miss Golden Horse played by trained Su’ao tourism ambassadors, aiming to give passengers a sense of traveling back in time.

%The 2013 Su’ao Cold Spring Culture Festival “Miss Golden Horse.” (Photo/Source: Facebook fan page of the Su’ao Town Sightseeing Town Development Association)