Where to go in the winter vacation

    Woo~ Time flies. This semester is almost ended, which means your 1/8 university life is over,too. What we students look forward is the Winter Vacation, isn't it? (But before that, there is the final exam.) We may be busy during that period. Some of you may join the vacation camp or just have a leisure time to relax. Now, I am going to introduce you something you can't miss in Kaohsiung in the winter vacation--Kaohsiung Lantern Festival.

Kaohsiung Lantern Festival(高雄燈會藝術節)

    Kaohsiung Lantern Festival organized by the Kaohsiung City Government, held a large lantern activities during the Lantern Festival. Prior to 2001 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival was originally held at the Cultural Center until 2001 because of Taiwan Lantern Festival selection, as the first place outside Taipei. Since then, holding Kaohsiung Lantern Festival by the Love River has become a tradition.

    Since 2008, the region extends from Love River to Love Bay. Kaohsiung Lantern Festival fireworks at sea has become the unique combination of the land, sea and air, three ways to enjoy the 4D fireworks show. It is known as Taiwan's three major activity with the Taiwan Lantern Festival and the Taipei Lantern Festival. It usually lasts for two weeks, which is also the longest Lantern Festival in Taiwan. There are more than 9,000,000 people visited during 2013 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival.

    Besides, there are some singers and show during Kaohsiung Lantern Festival, you needn't worry nothing to do during the Lantern Festival~

    2014 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival is on 1/28~2/23. The main site: Love River, Kuang-rong Harbor(光榮碼頭), Gangshan(岡山), Qishan(旗山) and Fo Guang Shan(佛光山). And the specialty this year is that the region extends to the street!!! You can see the beautiful decorations and parade on street~

 The video is the opening fireworks on 2013 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival.

View from the air =)~~

And I think the closed ceremony fireworks on 2011 is the most beautiful one.

Beautiful & interesting shots~

OPEN-CHAN is SO CUTE~!!!!!

Heineken!!  XDDD

A mimic of our mayor, 陳菊. Do you see a smiling face?

The Biking City, Kaohsiung

    What is the transport you used most frequently? For many NTU students, the answer is no other than the bike. Walking along the street, it seemed that more and more people started to ride bikes in Taipei. ya~ I am talking about Youbike. But, do you know actually that Kaohsiung Public Bike worked earlier than Youbike? This week, I am going to talking about bikes in Kaohsiung.

One of the five best biking cities in Asia

    "Kaohsiung is the most bike-friendly city in Taiwan." That's been one of the city government’s favorite lines for the past two years. And it's actually true. Kaohsiung has a growing network of bike lanes that currently adds up to 600 kilometers in 2013-- not bad in a city known for scooters and busy streets. The routes are clarified into eight types. Kaohsiung is also the first city in Taiwan to offer self-serviced bike rental kiosks(租賃站) to the public. Almost all the sites known far and wide can be get by the bike. (See photos)

Kaohsiung Public Bike

    Kaohsiung Public bike is established on 3/1, 2009, which is earlier than Youbike 3/11,2009. The service is available at 121 rental stations around the city. Prices start at NT$0 for the first hour(Free for an hour.); riders pay NT$10 more for subsequent half-hours. The official website has detailed maps of the city’s cycling routes and rental details. In fact, the bikes are so well built that the company has received numerous inquiries from people interested in buying them for their personal use. 

See more information about routes and bikes on: 大高雄自行車道網

Vidoes: 1.Introduction to the bike system (En version)

            2.Another video
Skip the unimportant part by yourself.

    Let's see the beautiful routes together.

愛河之心

前鎮之星

夕照

西臨港線自行車道-新光碼頭 

駁二藝術特區

前鎮之星

真愛碼頭

西臨港線自行車道

Winter is Coming. Eat Something Warm.

    Does everyone feel the weather getting cold? I cannot forget that I was shocked by the temperature at the moment I got up on 10/10. (Because it was so cold that I remembered the date clearly.) I even thought it was already in November then. (XD) Winters in Taipei are very cold during the evening and very windy during the daytime. Winter is also a season that people easily get "calories." Give you some advice. If you are hungry now, have something first before you read this post.

Warm up your winter with mutton hot pot(羊肉爐)

    Gangshan(岡山) is famous for three things: mutton, honey and Broad Bean Paste(豆瓣醬).

    Gangshan has the great condition to keep mutton sheep. Therefore, the mutton is fresh, sweet and free from gaminess. The texture of the mutton is chewy and thus making it highly palatable.
    So, you can see many restaurant offering mutton food in Gangshan. (If you want to eat all the mutton hot pot restaurant in Gangshan, you have to eat it everyday for one year.) When the winter comes, you can always see happy friends and cozy couples, laughing around their hotpots as steam wreaths up and fogs up the windows like frost.

    Mutton hot pot has become a cold-season favorite for its hearty taste and warming properties. I think most of you usually have the mutton hot pot in this way(涮肉): scalding thin slices of meat in boiling water, and then take them out to be eaten after dipping in seasoning. But, there is a different way in Gangshan hot pot. It's  usually to see in the hot pot are cube mutton and mutton with bone or skin. And it is always eaten with the Broad Bean Paste.

    Eating the mutton hot pot can not only warm you up but also beneficial your healthy. Do you decide what your dinner is?

It's an activity hold by the government in 2012. They want to achieve the goal "One thousand people eat the mutton hot pot at once". =///=

P.S. The food is too local that I can't find an English video.><"
2"30~6"50 is about the mutton hot pot.

Sizihwan -- spend your time leisurely

    Christmas is around the corner. After Christmas party, maybe there will be many couples in B02-chem, so are other departments. (XD) So, this week I will introduce a beautiful place, Sizihwan(西子灣), to you. You can visit there yourself or with families. Or you can take your lover there if you want to keep the relationship a secret since Kaohsiung is far away from Taipei. (=D)

Sizihwan(西子灣)

    Siziwan is located on the west of Kaohsiung city, and it's just to next to National Sun Yat-sen University(中山大學). Sizihwan is a sandy beach and with beautiful coral formations on the coastlines, offering magnificent views of the nature. 

    The most famous feature of Sizihwan is its swimming beach. The beach is also known for its glistening blue water, gorgeous sunset, and natural coral reefs. When the night approaches, the sunset appears. The sunset at Sizihwan is acknowledged as one of the eight famous scenes of Kaohsiung. When the sun is setting, visitors, especially the couples, come to Sizihwan to enjoy the breathe, views and romantic atmosphere. The beautiful glow of sunset extends into the water and sky where couples may enjoy romantic walks accompanied by the soothing sounds of the thrashing waves. 

     As the day darkens and the air of romance deepens, pairs of lovers stroll along the breakwater listening to the waves and watching the lights of fishing boats on the sea. The long breakwater here is the landmark of Sizihwan. As you can see, couples always sit side by side in the gap, which is called "情人洞" or "蘿蔔坑".

More

    The atmosphere and the scenery in Sizihwan change from morning to night. Each time of the day has its special attraction, but the brilliant colors of the sunset are unparalleled in their beauty. 

    I pick some beautiful picture of Sizihwan. Hope you can visit yourself with your lover even you are single now soon.
西子灣的夕陽 FULL HD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOmiJzf1RiI

The tunnel to enter National Sun Yat-sen University

Sizihwan in the afternoon

Sizihwan at night

A overlook from the mountain

    Sizihwan is just near the mountain and by the sea. Doesn't it sound amazing? To tell the truth, National Sun Yat-sen University is more beautiful than NTU. When I was a senior high school student, I used to study in NSYSU library 2 or 3 times a week. Every time when I got tired, I just looked out(from 10F), and I would see the beautiful sea view, making me feel relaxed and peaceful. The view in NSYSU library is spectacular and stunning ,which is unparalleled throughtout the world.