Experiencing Taiwan 2010 - Day 2

Day 2 - Main activity area: Chung Li + Taipei

Yeah! It is the 2nd day of our trip. After breakfast at the hotel cafe, off we went to Huashan Exhibition Hall 华山参展厅 to participate on CYCU graduating landscape architecture students works. Also, to join a small conference as an exchange programme after CYCU students came back from Malaysia + Europe + USA + China to share with us their experience of living at there. We spent almost the whole day at Huashan Exhibition Hall. The site was an old factory, the government didnt demolish it and people find it a good use as an exhibition space. So minor touch up work and renovation work was done to make it alive with soul~ It further enhanced with participants involvements.

The Site - An old factory

The local student with his awesome creation

Interior of the exhibition centre - Can imagine the working environment in the factory

One of the Taiwan student who came to Malaysia - Xiao Min

This is her work - site model

Another Taiwan student who came to Malaysia - 豆花

Her site model with some gifts from the juniors + admirers ;)

Soon after browsing through the long exhibition, off we went to the fast food restaurant - Subway for a quick lunch. And it is indeed real quick until I was eating like a 3 years old kid. (So dirty :P). Along the way, we saw an awesome installation. Mr. Teoh said that: ''Previously this site was a shopping mall that sell digitalized items same as Lowyat. It had to give way to urban planning development. Yet, the government erect this installation as it was the momory of the fellow citizens~" This is what I said the People's goverment.

Mr. Teoh talked about the exhibition

Kimmy was there to present her design

This is the installation I talk about - Simple yet meaningful

After that, we walked back to the exhibition centre. At around 1400 hours, students of the organizer + students from participating universities (UCSI＋Tianjin University, China 天津大学) were asked to share their experience + opinion regarding related topics (staying abroad) - the lifestyle of local people + landscape architecture + others... ... I was called up by Mr. Teoh to join in the conference with Kimmy. She was nervous too, so did I. I have no idea what they are going to ask up there. Luckily we just discussed about the emergence and the trend of today landscape architecture. (I said to myself I am not any expert in this field, so I just relate my idea honestly. Some of it might be associated with architecture + the built environment).

Student who visited Malaysia

(from Left - 卡车, 王彦, unknown, Shi Shi, Juan Juan, Da Rui)

Students visited Malaysia

(from Left - BoBo, unknown, 豆花, Xiao Min, Xiao Yu, Ah Zhi)

Then at the moment I relate my opinion, I talked about recycling. "Owh~ What the hack Zhen Ron
talk about this on the stage?" (Mr. Teoh thought :P). I bring about the emergence of carrying out recycling activity in my country, Malaysia. And I also said that we as the younger generation should talk initiative to start drill-in recycling concept as a must carry-out daily routine. It is part of our life. As I noticed that Taiwan is indeed a pioneering nation (China, please dont bomb me... :p) in recycling. Apart from that, I also talked about my first feeling after reaching Taiwan. I said that the people here is so friendly. Let me relate you a true example: I were there to ask an old lady for direction to somewhere, then she explained and lastly she said "follow me", when I reached there she told me "ok, I am going back to catch the bus". I was touched at that moment, guys, can you see how she "pointed" me the direction. I love that place alot! The people there makes up my days! - UNFORGETTABLE.

Mr. Teoh shares his experience and idea of architectural education

It (the conference) continued until around 1700 hours. Then, a session of group photographs set us off for dinner. We took some silly photographs too. We were jumping for the photo-shooting! LOL~ (Deep in my heart, they might see us as Sepilok's Orang Utans haha!)

I took few shots of the site before leaving

Facade with some Japanese influence elements

We walked through the urban scape of the city and came across with various kinds of architecture.
They are interesting to look at - they are simply humble + honest (meaning they are Bruton Brut construction - RC structures). Walking and walking, we walked quite a distance to search for a restaurant Mr. Teoh recommended. Mr. Teoh: "Stop at 翠林越南餐". Here we set ourselves at a Vietnamese Restaurant. The environment and lighting ambience inside is really relaxing. As usual, I ordered myself stew beef + rice. The food was really great. Mr. Teoh's daughter, Yu Ning was the centre of our topic at the restaurant. All of us enjoyed the Vietnamese cuisine. We left there around 8pm.

Mr. Teoh and his family were not with us after the dinner. Later, we walked to Taipei 101. Unfortunately, we did not go up due to the long queue. (Hope we still have the very chance to made it possible at the last few days of our trip - Yet, we were not able to make it due to the compact schedule). Along the way, we saw street performers - Musicians, Clown... After that, we walked to the Eslite Bookstore... Amazingly, it opens for 24/7. How good if Malaysia would have it there. Of course, first of all, the rate of average reading of Malaysian is expected to be likewised the Taiwanese. Otherwise, the bookstore owner lost money. The bookstore we went is really big. It has 5 floors with each floor has the floor area of approximately 3/4 of Mid Valley's MPH. One more thing that amazed me is that, they sell 18sx DVD on their rack. So open~ I felt unforgiven even to stare a minute at those few rows of DVD. On the other hand, I think this is good as the people there is exposed to relating topic earlier (unlike Malaysia or other Asian countries which their thinking is more conservative). I ended up looking at few architectural design books.

After that, before leaving the Eslite Bookstore, we were discussing what's next. Apparently, most of us were exhausted. So they wanted to go back Hotel to get rest earlier. But~ I wanted to have a look at the Nightlife at Taiwan~ There was a Taiwanese girl who joint us at the Taipei 101 kept saying "Let's go Clubbing"... But we ended up going back~ haha... We took bus back to Chung Li. After reaching hotel room, hungry I felt~ Walked down opposite of the Train Station and bought myself a Chicken Chop + Luk Luk + Watermelon Juice~ Nice food!

Slept with the TV
switched on~ Joshua was snoring aloud! haha... :P