In 2020, Taiwan has been affected by the global coronavirus pandemic and many public events have been cancelled or postponed. But as the outbreak within Taiwan has been brought under control, many programs to stimulate domestic travel have emerged. And speaking of travel, isn’t it wonderful to enjoy an ice treat on a hot summer’s day?
A bowl of ice dessert can connect us with fascinating local stories. This month we take readers to ice shops in Tainan and Kaohsiung for a taste of traditional flavors, and visit innovative makers in places such as Hualien and Penghu who are creating ice products using distinctive flavors from local produce while also working to make the world a better place. So let’s “chill” and enjoy the summer!
In this issue we bring you a conversation with Stanley C. Yen, founder of the Alliance Cultural Foundation, and world-class artist Paul Chiang. They share with us their views on Taitung County’s rich advantages in culture, landscapes, the arts, and placemaking. Our reporters also explore Taitung’s mountains, coast and farming communities to uncover the area’s long-hidden “food power.”
Would you like to see Taiwan from a different perspective? Designed and developed entirely in Taiwan, i-Ride Taipei offers a 5D virtual flight experience that takes you vaulting over coastlines and mountain ranges, and plunging into the ocean to swim with turtles and dolphins. It’s a whole new way to look at our island.
In a rehearsal space at the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts, on most days you can see people training long hours to master various challenging stunts—these are members of the Taiwan Acrobatic Troupe. In the three years from 2017 through 2019, the troupe performed 121 times at home and abroad. Their carefully choreographed programs bring joy to overseas compatriots and project the spirit of Taiwan around the world.
Unmanned aerial vehicle technology is developing rapidly. It’s worth taking a detailed look at Taiwan’s role in this worldwide trend and the technical obstacles that are being overcome. Also, in today’s online information age, phony “special offers,” fake news and phishing sites are everywhere. We examine how private-sector actors are mobilizing the power of citizens to combat such misinformation, using their own time to discuss issues, write software and create databases, despite limited resources.
In this month’s Photo Essay, former Taiwan Panorama photographer Chung Yung-ho expresses his love of his hometown, Yilan, through a series of photographs that record rural life in days gone. In the heat of summer, let Taiwan Panorama be a rush of cool air for your leisure reading!
