December 25, 2018

AMWF couple: Christmas time in Poland!

Last Christmas, I was in Taiwan, and it has been 15 months since I was in Poland!

In Poland, the Christmas season starts on December 24th. Although it's still a working day for many people, everyone tries to spend Christmas Eve together. Usually, the whole family gathers, as it is one of the few days they have to see each other. Typically, grandparents, parents, and children come together. In my family, we used to spend December 24th with my mother's family, including my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. On December 25th, we would always celebrate with my father's family at his parents' home.

This year is different. Instead of staying at home with my father and brother, we joined one of my aunts and her family. It was the first Christmas for my husband and our baby. We even had Santa Claus visit with a bag of gifts. Santa Claus is more of a funny character, but the gifts were usually placed under the Christmas tree and not opened until after dinner.
One of the first traditions I want to mention is decorating the Christmas tree. Traditionally, it should be done on the morning of December 24th, but many kids can't wait and start decorating about two weeks earlier. However, this is not a good idea if you have a live tree. This year, we had a live tree, and we decorated it just one day before Christmas. I also made a paper Christmas tree a few years ago.

There was a funny situation with the Christmas lights. We checked them before putting them on the tree, and they were working. But right after we hung them on the tree, they stopped working. My brother checked every single light, and everything seemed to be okay. A few days later, when we were cleaning up, we took the lights out of the tree and checked them again - they worked! We had thought they were broken the whole Christmas season, haha.
Before we start the Christmas dinner, we look for the first star to appear in the sky. I'm fortunate to live in the countryside where there aren't many lights around, which allows us to see the sky better. This tradition comes from the Bethlehem Star, which guided the Wise Men to the birthplace of Christ. Just like them, we wait for this happy moment to celebrate.

Poland, Christmas tree decorations

Poland, Christmas tree decorations

Before we begin eating, everyone shares Christmas wafers called opłatek. These are unleavened wafers made of flour and water, embossed with a religious image. Each person gets one and shares pieces with everyone else while exchanging wishes. This tradition is linked to breaking bread at the Last Supper. My family doesn't speak English, and my husband doesn't understand this tradition. I tried to explain it, acting as a translator between them.

Another tradition is to leave an empty plate on the table in case someone shows up and asks for shelter. This doesn't really happen nowadays, but if a stranger were to come, we would invite them to join us at the table. We also place a little hay under the tablecloth as a reminder that the newborn Jesus was laid on hay.

I think not many people still follow all of these traditions. Many have been forgotten, like leaving an empty plate, reading the Bible, and singing Christmas carols. My family doesn't do these anymore, but we at least play carols on CDs. Nowadays, the "tradition" is to watch Home Alone, haha. For many years, it has been shown repeatedly on Polish TV during Christmas, except for one year when it wasn't.

Traditionally, we serve 12 dishes. On Christmas Eve, we don't eat meat except for fish. The 12 dishes represent the twelve months of the year and the twelve apostles. It is a symbol of abundance. The most popular dishes for Christmas Eve are red borscht or mushroom soup (some people serve cherry soup, but the sweet flavor isn't liked by many), dumplings stuffed with cabbage and mushrooms, potato salad, fish (especially carp), poppy seed cake, and dried fruit compote.

On this day, everyone sings Christmas carols, and some people also read the Bible. Traditionally, after dinner, we open gifts from family. I think this is the moment every kid waits for the whole day.
According to an old Polish legend, animals are granted the gift of speech on this day. Many kids try to speak with their pets and even share opłatek with them. Unfortunately, my pets never speak back to me...
Many people go to midnight mass, called Pasterka in Polish. It refers to the biblical shepherds who were visited by an angel and told of the birth of Christ. The mass lasts about one hour, and people sing Christmas carols.

The last day of Christmas is December 26th. After this time, some people go back to work, but kids are lucky to have about two weeks off around this time. Traditionally, the Christmas tree should be kept until January 6th, which is the Feast of the Three Kings. During this time, a priest visits every house to give a short blessing.

Poland, Christmas wafer

Poland, Christmas food

Poland, Christmas food

Poland, Christmas food, poppy seed cake

December 16, 2018

Changhua Travel: Visiting Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden in Tianwei

Tianwei is famous for its 1,000-hectare garden area. I have been there a few times, but I have only visited a few of the popular gardens. Last year during this season, we visited a garden with blooming Bougainvilleas.

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden (生源仙人掌)


Tianwei Highway Garden in Changhua houses some special places, including the Sheng-yuan Cactus Garden. This garden specializes in cultivating cacti, and you will see hundreds of them here. While not many flowers can be seen during this season, the cacti in bloom are still beautiful. They come in different colors such as pink, red, white, and yellow.

Each cactus is a flowering plant, but their blooming depends on their age and the care they receive. Some cacti start to bloom when they are over 30 years old. The lighting conditions, watering, and fertilization are crucial factors. Generally, smaller cacti are more likely to have flowers in bloom.
Some of the cacti are truly unique, and I have never seen them before. Some grow really tall, bigger than people, and some even resemble trees. These larger plants grow outside in soil, and some of them produce flowers and fruits. Smaller species are grown in greenhouses. Many cacti have peculiar shapes and are not commonly found in other gardens.

Almost all fleshy cactus fruits are edible. The fruits can be preserved in syrup or dried, and the syrup can even be fermented to produce an alcoholic drink. One of the most popular cactus species grown in Asia is Hylocereus undatus, commonly known as Dragon Fruit. Additionally, certain species of cacti contain psychoactive agents that can cause changes in mood, perception, and cognition due to their effects on the brain. The use of some cacti species has a long history, and one of the most important is Opuntia, from which scale insects produce cochineal, a red dye.

There is also something special to try at Tianwei - cactus ice cream. Although the cactus used for these desserts is not grown in Tianwei but brought from Penghu Island, the flavor is really nice. I believe it is made from Dragon Fruit.
Behind the building, you will see a huge greenhouse where all the cacti are planted. However, we didn't go inside. We visited the area where the cacti were ready for sale, and there were hundreds of them, each with its own unique shapes and colors. Some were very strange-looking.

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Sheng-Yuan Cactus Garden, Tianwei, changhua, taiwan

Address:

522彰化縣田尾鄉公園路一段269號生源仙人掌

December 14, 2018

Hsinchu Christmas 2018

Christmas time ~~ We are going to back to Poland soon, but still I wanted to see some Christmas decorations in Taiwan. We visited Christmasland in Taipei, but around Hsinchu City, there is some nice decorations as well.

Big City (East District,  Zhongyang Road)

Christmas decorstions, big city, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, big city, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, big city, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, big city, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, big city, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, big city, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, big city, hsinchu, taiwan

East Gate and Moat

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, east gate and moat, hsinchu, taiwan

RT Mart (Zhongxiao Road)

Christmas decorstions, hsinchu, taiwan

Christmas decorstions, hsinchu, taiwan

December 13, 2018

New Taipei Travel: Amazing Christmasland in Taiwan!

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

We visited Banqiao, New Taipei, to see Christmasland. The decorations were amazing, with lights everywhere! There were a lot of people, so it took us three hours to walk around the place. The best part is that it's free to enjoy! The lights adorned the bridges, trees, and buildings, illuminating everything around Banqiao station with colorful brilliance. Even a small train was adorned with lights, and people patiently waited nearly an hour for their turn to ride.
Having the MRT was really convenient because finding parking around Banqiao would have been challenging. We drove from Daxi Old Street to Dingpu Station, and it was quite empty there with no parking issues. I am amazed by Christmasland. In Poland, only larger cities have a lot of Christmas decorations. Unfortunately, I used to live in the countryside, so I have never seen anything like this before. It's funny, but I have seen more decorations in Taiwan than in Poland.

One thing I wouldn't have expected to see in Taiwan is Christmasland. Taiwan is predominantly a Buddhist/Taoist country, with only about 5% of the population being Christian. So, it's intriguing to see such an abundance of decorations and the popularity of this holiday here. Christmasland is the most well-known winter festival in Taiwan, and each year, the events and themed decorations differ.
The more lights there are, the more people gather. The two colorful bridges were completely crowded, and despite the advice not to stop on the bridge, some young people taking countless selfies didn't seem to care. It was a bit annoying because they were blocking the road all the time. I don't spend much time taking pictures, especially when there are a lot of people around. That's why my pictures sometimes don't turn out very well.

Christmasland in New Taipei was first opened in 2010, and since then, a lot has changed, with Christmas becoming more popular. The Banqiao station has also become more decorated and attracts more people each year.
This year's Christmasland opened on November 16, 2018, and will last until January 1, 2019. It spans 47 days, the longest duration since it first opened a few years ago. Each year features different themed decorations, and this year's theme revolves around space and planets.

The decorations are divided into four major zones: Santa Galaxy, Symphony Galaxy, Robocar Policy Galaxy, and Circular Galaxy. The "Psychedelic Planet" display, composed of 100,000 lights, occurs every half hour. Visitors can enter the center of the planet and be surrounded by a river of silver and white lights. Another highlight is the 3-D light sculpture projection called "Galaxy Planet Adventure." The showcase lasts for six minutes and plays every half hour from 5:30 PM to 12 AM.
This year's light show is the biggest ever in Taiwan, with 900 LED tubes installed at the square. These lights are capable of displaying 256 different colors in a kaleidoscopic array.

Every week, different programs are organized. For example, on December 1-2, there will be a Child Carnival, followed by a Christmas Market on December 7-9, a Christmas Concert on December 15-16, a Folk Song Concert on December 22, a Classic Taiwanese Song Concert on December 23, and Christmas Eve celebrations on December 24. Finally, on December 29, there will be a Christmas Treasure Hunting event.

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan

christmasland, banqiao, taipei, taiwan