The Taiwan Pavilion that was erected at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo is to be officially lit up in Hsinchu City today and is expected to be opened to the public by the end of the year, according to the city government.
The lighting ceremony, along with a concert and a lantern display, is to coincide with the Mid-Autumn Festival, the city government said, adding the event stands to attract 100,000 people.
Pulling in more than 700,000 visitors, the Taiwan Pavilion was one of the most popular features of the six-month expo in Shanghai. It was dismantled soon after the expo closed in late October 2010 and was shipped back to Taiwan for reassembly.
The building was designed by prominent Taiwanese architect Lee Tsu-yuan (李祖原), who also designed Taipei 101.
At its center is a ball 16m in diameter consisting of 1 million LEDs that display various images reflecting Taiwan’s natural beauty and diverse culture. Inside the ball is a 12m-wide screen that shows films of Taiwan. There are to be small changes made to the building so that those who have already visited the pavilion can enjoy it as much as those who have not yet seen it, the city government said.
The pavilion not only highlights Taiwan’s cutting-edge technology, but also showcases some of Taiwan’s best natural and cultural attractions, including Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), Yingge ceramics, rocks from Yushan (玉山) and an infinity pool symbolizing the Pacific Ocean.
Hsinchu purchased the pavilion at a cost of more than NT$450 million (US$15.35 million), with the plan of establishing an industrial innovation park as part of its efforts to boost tourism in the city.
The pavilion is to be one of two main facilities at the Hsinchu Science Park, the largest science park in Taiwan, where there is to be an exhibition hall situated in a renovated warehouse, the city government said.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS