Love Taichung: Fun ways to count down to 2009

By Diva Yang & Uvia Chang Translated by Ann Lee
Partial resources provided by: Taichung City Government Department of Information
Some photos provided by Taichung City Government Department of Information,
Freshfields Resort & Conference and Hotel ONE

While another year barely stops to wave goodbye as it races towards its finish, many of us are looking for creative ways to mark the beginning of 2009. Well, not just creative--but cheap, too! After a few hard economic hits, everyone is looking for an inexpensive way to have a good time. With a little bit of planning and Compass at your side, you can kiss 2008 goodbye in style--whether you're looking to join a roaring party or are cruising for a tucked-away corner for two.

Welcome 2009 by counting down at the Taichung Stadium with "Love Taichung"
Every year, the Taichung City Government hosts a countdown party on New Year's Eve, a party that has become one of the hottest events of the year in Central Taiwan. The "2009 Love Taichung" countdown party will be held on December 31 (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. at the National Taiwan Physical Education University (Taichung campus) sports stadium. This year's entertainment team is bigger and better than ever. Look for: Luo Zhi-shiang, Yang Cheng-lin, Yang Zong-wei, Shiao Jing-teng, Zheng Yuen-chang, Lin Yi-chen, and Hey Girl, along with many others. Many of theses singers are idols for younger audience members. Apart from all the live performances, there will also be a fireworks show at the stroke of midnight. The party will probably finish around 12:30 a.m.

A huge projector screen will be set up just outside the stadium on ShuangShi Road, for those who can't or don't want to come inside. The government expects about 100,000 people to attend to this event; to ensure their safety, the nearby roads will be strictly controlled or closed off to traffic altogether. These roads include: LiXing Road (from ShuangShi Rd to JinDe N Rd), ShuangShi Road (JinWu Rd to JinNan St), YuCai Street (SanMin Rd to ShuangShi Rd), YiZhong Street (JinXin St to JinWu Rd), DianTai Street (ShuangShi Rd to JinDe N Rd), YuCai N Street (SanMin Rd to ShuangShi Rd), JinXin Street (SanMin Rd to ShuangShi Rd), TaiPing Road (SanMin Rd to ShuangShi Rd), and JinNan Street (the lanes toward ShuangShi Rd). If you plan to attend this countdown party, make sure to wear something lightweight that will keep you warm through the night. Hats and gloves are good and, if it rains, bring your raincoat, but leave your umbrella at home. For getting to and from the stadium, take public transportation whenever possible.

House Party
Apart from celebrating NYE with everyone else at a public venue, lots of young people like to celebrate with house parties. Rachel An, 28, the daughter of a foreign affairs worker, has been making friends all over the world for two decades. A life of living abroad has made her an event-organizing expert and she has some interesting ideas for holding a house party of her own. For NYE, Rachel is taking advantage of her social network and is throwing an internationally-themed house party. She and her Ukrainian roommate are going to invite friends over for a potluck dinner; everyone will bring a dish--preferably homemade--from their own culture or country. This way, people can try foods from Russia, Korea, Japan, Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Philippines, the U.S. and Australia. Even the best restaurant in the world can't compare with that kind of variety! This kind of potluck party can be pretty fun--even without the international twist. It's a good idea for those who are a bit strapped for cash but still like to party.

Catered parties in prime locations, bar hopping, office roof-top parties
A 35-year-old party animal who refuses to disclose her name told us that, in college, she "actually spent more time partying than I did in class!" When her student days were over, she continued the party into her adult life. Just last year, she organized a New Year's Eve countdown party on the roof of a friend's office building. To make the party really nice for the post-college professional crowd, she hired a caterer for the food, purchased all kinds of alcoholic beverages from wholesale stores, and booked a professional DJ to spin party music for dancing. One month prior to the countdown party, she started accepting RSVPs from her friends. This is an important step, especially if, like her, your venue is restricted in space or has an occupancy limit.

This year, her idea is to invite friends to her rooftop, drink bubbly and enjoy the fireworks. When the countdown is over, they will hit the bars and clubs on Huamei West Street, or in the nice Art Museum Parkway area. Staying up all night long on NYE will bring good luck for the new year, as any good Chinese grandmother will tell you, so this bar-hopping thing might just actually be GOOD for you!

The best places to kiss on New Year's Eve
You know the tradition--the best way to start off the new year is with a little good luck kiss! Though this is a long-standing tradition in a lot of Western countries, the trend is just catching on in Taiwan. To help foster in this new era of Auld Lang Syne embraces, we are here to give you the scoop on the best places to get a NYE smooch from your honey. As one Parisian friend explains, the sweetest thing in the world is to "kiss on top of the Eiffel Tower on New Year's Eve."

In Taichung, Wang Gao Liao Lookout Point on Dadu Mountain, or the restaurants in Hotel ONE are good options for a smooch with a city view. Some of the other nice places to visit include Freshfields Resort & Conference, the Taichung Metropolitan Park or the Cingshuei Highway Rest Area. These places will give you and your sweetheart a romantic night view of the city. Well-known film critic and blogger Mr. Poor Man recommends a place that all taxpayers are entitled to go to--intersection overpasses. However, though they offer good views, there might be some problems with privacy if you choose this spot. Nowadays, some of these places have an observatory deck to give lovebirds even more privacy. Finally, an interesting spot for kissing under the stars would be at the Wurih High Speed Rail Station. The building is great to look at, and there's always something special about kissing while standing in a doorway--that's romance!

Saying 'Bon Voyage' to 2008
Taiwan, along with the rest of the world, is almost finished weathering the ups and downs of the last 12 months. Letting 2008 go in style and on a budget is a great way to set an example for the rest of the year. After all, what better time than New Year's to look toward a brighter future? When you're ready to count down to last 10 seconds of 2008, just close your eyes and repeat, "Everything will be great...next year!" And if that doesn't work out, there's always 2010.