An International Education Fair called the Study World was held in Taipei this weekend. I decided to explore taiwanese student's opportunities comparing it to mine as a Czech university student. Due to a lack of my Chinese, when I arrived at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park I could not find the place with the education fair. It dragged me to a place fulfilled with several other free exhibitions which people stood long lines for. I didn't hesitate a minute and went right there to the end of the line to join the other 150 people.
After JUST half and hour standing there in the rain, I stood the line for the most wanted Hermes Wanderland. They say: “The journey through Wanderland draws its coherence from two intrinsic elements of la flânerie: dreaming and freedom of spirit”. Given that, I was so confused and many times trying to find the hidden meaning, that I guess they wanted to say exactly that. Yeah. Anyway it was also fun, we were given opera glasses on a stick to find the magic of it. Everytime you pointed the glasses to a blank white circle a penguin would appear doing different stuff on every circle. It did not make sense to me it was just funny sometimes. I liked the idea though. It was different from my point of view when I grew up in european environment with its authentic architecture. Asian people were blown away by the french athmospere, they were taking pictures of the french furniture, french quotes on the wall, the french café shop, everything which mean anything else but Taiwan. And we need to understand them. I am impressed by Taiwan every single day.
When I went out of that exhibition I found another one taking place across the courtyard. Going straigh to its heart. It didn't have any particular name but it was about french designed handmade goods. I loved it. Flower soaps, handbags, jewelry, postcards, puzzlers, souvenirs, etc. Check out my pictures for more. Thanks to a café shop the whole show room was scented by fresh grinded coffee. So vintage!
Do you think it is over? Hell no. The night just started and the much-expexted Nuit Blanche 2017 is going to begin any minute. It goes all the way from Hakka Cultural Park along Roosevelt Road to the NTU campus where the grand finale is held on a stage welcoming foreign guests for interviews.
The Nuit Blanche was separated into three different 'Treasures': Cross-cultural Treasure of the Dreamers at Hakka Cultural Park and Substitute Miliraty Service Center, Independent Treasure on the Streets of Wen-Luo-Ting along the Roosevelt Road and at Taipower Building and the last one was known as the Electronic Treasure on the Royal Palm Boulevard held on the main boulevard of the National Taiwan University. You could find various kinds of artwork and performances of colorful neon lights along with creative ideas and games which amused both kids and adults. Regardless how crowded each place was, it is surprising for me as an European what Asian people can be excited by. Is it because of the lack of academics in Arts? Because of the fresh roots of it? Probably. My opinion is that our czech Signal festival would have kicked Nuit Blanche's ass. What is your opinion?
Later today my mom send me a message about her backache and that her doctor adviced her to take tablets or a powder made of chlorilla, taiwanese seaweed. Here are some facts about it but I don't have any experience. Therefore my next goal is to find out more about this green thing and learn about all the health benefits. And of course to buy the best quality chlorilla for my mom! Have you already made someone close to you happy today? Not yet? You should start, your life is not an endless countdown.
