Text / Compiled and reported by Li Xinyi, MOOK Travel Life Network
On January 1, 2013, U.S. time, China Airlines took part in the Rose Parade in Los Angeles, California, USA, and for the 22nd time received the international Grand Prize honor with its float themed “Cycling Through Paradise — A Light Cycling Tour of Taiwan.” This year, China Airlines centered its float design around Sun Moon Lake’s famous scenic spot, “Ci'en Pagoda,” creating a medium-sized animated float measuring 55 feet in length, 30 feet in height, and 18 feet in width. Through this annual North American event, it showcased Taiwan’s image of a “light cycling tour” on the international stage.
China Airlines designed its float around the Sun Moon Lake scenic spot “Ci'en Pagoda.” (Photo provided / China Airlines)
In 2012, Taiwan was named the Best Travel Destination by Lonely Planet. Aside from its rich natural landscapes, one of the reasons for the selection was its thousands of miles of cycling paths around the island; Sun Moon Lake has also been ranked fifth globally among the best cycling destinations in CNN’s feature “Cycling routes that’ll take your breath away.” For its participation in the Los Angeles Rose Parade, China Airlines took inspiration from Sun Moon Lake’s famous “Ci'en Pagoda,” depicting the beautiful scenery of the lake surrounded by lush trees and vibrant flowers, highlighting Taiwan’s rich ecological diversity where both tropical and subtropical environments coexist. Additionally, the cyclists serving as platform bearers during the parade were dressed in traditional indigenous attire and moved to indigenous music, successfully catching the judges’ attention and echoing the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan’s promotional theme, “Time for Taiwan — It’s Time to Travel Taiwan.”
The theme of this year’s parade was “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” focusing on the environment and nature, emphasizing the many wonderful things found in the natural world. China Airlines has participated in the Rose Parade since 1987, and 2013 marked its 27th appearance, spanning more than a quarter of a century.
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