Welcome Abroad

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Sitting Pretty

The fourth and final winner of this month’s “Art on the Street” photo competition is Shirley Yeung of Hong Kong, who snapped these funny figures seated above an old red-brick warehouse doorway at the Pier-2 Art District in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. Pier-2 is an urban renewal project that has won praise from around the world for transforming a rundown industrial shipping area into a vibrant, creative centre for modern artists and art lovers.

The theme of April’s photo competition will be “Icons of the City”, so send us your shots of truly iconic things – buildings, structures, vehicles, tradesmen or whatever – that you feel represent the city in which they can be found.

If your entry is chosen, it will be posted here on Welcome Abroad, and you will receive a HK$300 Cathay Pacific Holidays cash voucher.

Read the Rules of Submission, and send your photograph to marketing@cxholidays.com.

If you are unsure about how to resize or optimise your photograph before submitting, please click here to read our simple FAQ.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK:Creative in Kaohsiung

The first winner of our March “Art on the Street” photo competition is Jackie Yan from Hong Kong, who snapped this rather cheeky sculpture on a recent trip to Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan.

Our “Art on the Street” theme will continue throughout March, so send in your photos of any kind of street art, and we’ll choose the funniest, most interesting or most creative. If your entry is chosen, you’ll see it posted it here on Welcome Abroad, and also receive a HK$300 Cathay Pacific Holidays cash voucher.

Read the Rules of Submission, and send your photograph to marketing@cxholidays.com.

If you are unsure about how to resize or optimise your photograph before submitting, please click here to read our simple FAQ.

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IN THE LAP OF LUXURY: Millennium Vee Hotel Taichung

At the new Millennium Vee Hotel Taichung – the first five-star international hotel in Taichung City – every room and suite is equipped with advanced facilities, including cutting-edge 4G WiMAX wireless Internet connectivity and widescreen multimedia TVs. The hotel is also within easy reach of the Taichung High Speed Train Station, shopping malls and cultural attractions.

The outdoor heated swimming pool has bright French windows providing city and garden views, and there’s a high-tech fitness centre, sauna facilities and an Escentika Spa from Thailand.

Stylish restaurants and bars offer a variety of Asian dining choices, as well as prime steak, fresh lobster and seafood, and other international dishes for a first-class dining experience.

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Cathay Holidays is offering a three-day, two-night package to this stylish new property, including daily breakfast and round-trip flights from Hong Kong to Taichung with Dragonair, starting from just HK$2,190.

Please click here for details.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Natural Beauty – Winter in Wulai

Welcome Abroad’s Natural Beauty photography winner for this week is Rosa Wong, who took this picturesque photo from the Lover’s Bridge at Wulai, near Taipei, which is popular for its hot springs, indigenous culture and sightseeing. As Rosa says, “the mountains seem to be in layers in the fog, and the scene looks like a Chinese ink painting.”

Rosa used an Olympus XZ-1 camera to get her shot.

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There’s just one more chance to enter the Natural Beauty category in our Photo of the Week competition. Next month the subject will be “The Changing Face of China”. If your picture is selected, we will publish it right here on Welcome Abroad and you will win a HK$300 Cathay Pacific Holidays cash voucher.

Read the Rules of Submission then send your photograph to marketing@cxholidays.com

If you are unsure about how to resize or optimize your photograph before submitting, please click here to read our simple FAQ.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Natural Beauty – Morning Mist

Our Natural Beauty photography winner for this week is Bo Chan, who took this lovely picture early one morning at the Cingjing Farm near Taichung, Taiwan. “For me,” says Bo, “the reason to travel is to search beautiful scenery.” The camera used here was a Pentax K-r.

If you would like to enter our Photo of the Week competition, this month we are looking for your best “Natural Beauty” shots, and for September, the subject will be “The Changing Face of China”. If your picture is selected, we will publish it right here on Welcome Abroad and you will win a HK$300 Cathay Pacific Holidays cash voucher.

Read the Rules of Submission then send your photograph to marketing@cxholidays.com

If you are unsure about how to resize or optimize your photograph before submitting, please click here to read our simple FAQ.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Natural Beauty – A Changing Landscape

The first winner of August’s Natural Beauty photography category is Kristina Parchomchuk, who took this striking image of natural erosion on Heping Island, off the northern coast of Taiwan near Keelung. Kristina used a Canon 550D camera with a 10-22mm lens. (f/10 @8mm, 1/250 sec, ISO 100).

If you would like to enter our Photo of the Week competition, this month we are looking for your best “Natural Beauty” shots, and for September, the subject will be “The Changing Face of China”. If your picture is selected, we will publish it right here on Welcome Abroad and you will win a HK$300 Cathay Pacific Holidays cash voucher.

Read the Rules of Submission then send your photograph to marketing@cxholidays.com

If you are unsure about how to resize or optimize your photograph before submitting, please click here to read our simple FAQ.

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STORY OF THE MONTH: DigitalRev TV Itinerary

While you are watching the 3 episodes of Taichung Special, you may ask how can they complete the 7-challenges in 3 days?

After the almost-failed-to-complete-all-challenges trip, DigitalRev TV crew came up with the best itinerary which may help you to plan your next photography trip to Taichung

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Day 1

Sunset: Gaomei Wetlands (高美濕地)

Address: Coastal area of Qingshui, Taichung City (台中市清水區大甲溪出海口)

Night: Yi Zhong St night market (一中夜市)

Address: Yucai St., North Dist., Taichung City (台中市北區育才街)

“Where did the crew go for food?”

Modern Toilet Restaurant (2/F, No.101, Yi Zhong St., Taichung City)

便所主題餐廳 (台中市一中街101號2樓)

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Day 2

Morning and afternoon: Sun Moon Lake (日月潭)

Address: No.599, Jhongshan Rd., Yuchih Township, Nantou County(台灣南投縣魚池鄉中山路599號)

Night: Fengjia Night Market (逢甲夜市)

Address: Across Fengjia Road and Fushin Road, Xitun Dist., Taichung City (台中市西屯區逢甲路及福星路)

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Day 3

Morning: Rainbow Military Village (彩虹眷村)

Address: Ln. 56, Chun’an Rd., Nantun Dist., Taichung City(台中市南屯區春安里春安路56巷)

Afternoon: Jing Cheng Streets (精誠街),

Address: West Dist., Taichung City (台中市西區)

OR Taichung National Art Museum (國立臺灣美術館)

Address: No.2, Sec. 1, Wuquan W. Rd., West Dist., Taichung City (台中市西區五權西路一段2號)

“Where did Kai and Alamby have their drinks?”

Mojo Coffee

Address: No.22, Jingcheng 6th St., West Dist., Taichung City (西區精誠六街22號)

Keep this itinerary for your next Taichung photography trip. Click here for detail of Taichung package in Cathay Holidays

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK : Taichung Moments IV

This photograph was taken by the crew of DigitlRev TV. This photo has shown us the difference between to keep and to demolish. Mr. Wong, a Hong Kong-borned retired soldier living in the Rainbow Military Village, started drawing on his own wall from 2008 and later to the other houses in the village. His drawing brings the village colors and changing its fate from being demolished by government.

From Mr Wong’s own blog:

“I wish to preserve the rainbow-liked memory of this little village by this free but priceless method. Welcome to visit the Rainbow Military Village”

To visit the special village, Stay tuned for Friday’s DigitalRev itinerary and to learn more about the crew’s experiences in Taichung

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Want to know more and see the places visited by DigitalRev TV? Simply click here for details.

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Photo of The Week in July : “Wandering Through Europe”
Share your photos with Welcome Abroad and you could win a Cathay Pacific Holidays Cash Voucher! Read the Rules of Submission then send your photograph to marketing@cxholidays.com

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If you are unsure about how to resize or optimize your photograph before submitting, please click here to read our simple FAQ.

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STORY OF THE MONTH: Filming Taichung

I had just visited Taipei (literally means north of Taiwan, capital of Taiwan) one month ago, and almost right after I came back to Hong Kong I learnt from a text message that we’ll go for a shoot at Taichung (literally means the centre of Taiwan) sponsored by Cathay Holidays! I had just came back from Taipei and now I’m going to check out another city of Taiwan too!

Of course I tried not to think of the idea of a “free holiday”. Well, basically it wasn’t. It was an interesting experience, ﬁlming Taichung. As the videographer for DigitalRevTV, I thought I’d talk a little bit about the gear I used.

For the video shooting of course I have the usual 5D Mark III with a 24-105mm f/4L, and Azden wireless mic. This setup works extremely well for us, but besides the planned shooting we will still have a lot of fun and I want to document all of them. That’s why I’ve also picked a Panasonic GH2 with a 7-14mm f/4 lens. GH2 is well known and loved by many videographers. I set it to shoot 1080/24p, but left everything else full auto so I could just pick it up, turn it on and shoot. The built-in mic worked unexpectedly well. Face detection and auto focusing worked well 90% of the time, which is enough for these “candid” behind the scenes style shooting. The 7-14mm lens focus silently, with widest end equivalent to a 14mm in full frame, it is great for shooting anywhere, in the plane, taxi, and even no need to check framing when holding it in one hand and shoot all three of us in those Blade Runner style Taiwan night markets.

I have to say, the GH2 is surprisingly the most exciting and very special shooting experience. 5D is amazing, but capturing those little fun moments won’t be possible when I have to focus manually in tight space and ask everyone to check mic level. With the GH2 I’m able to just pick it up and shoot correctly focus and expose HD video instantly, I’m amazed by the m4/3 concept all over again, since I ﬁrst got my Olympus E-P1. On a holiday, I think it is better to have something that is light and performs well.

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If you want to visit what Lok and his team did, please click here for more detail.

All About Lok
Lok Cheung - aka Lok C - is the cameraman for DigitalRev TV.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK : Taichung Moments III

This photograph was taken by Lok of DigitlRev TV. This picture appeals to us because of the colours, balance and human interest. All good photographs tell a story, and Lok’s image certainly has a tale to tell … bringing to life the dynamic streets and night markets in Taichung.

In Lok’s own words:

“I like this photo because it captures the energy of life in Taichung city.”

Want to know more and see the places visited by Lok? Simply click here for details.

Stay tuned for Friday’s story and to learn more about Lok’s experiences in Taichung

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Photo of The Week in July : “Wandering Through Europe”
Share your photos with Welcome Abroad and you could win a Cathay Pacific Holidays Cash Voucher! Read the Rules of Submission then send your photograph to marketing@cxholidays.com

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If you are unsure about how to resize or optimize your photograph before submitting, please click here to read our simple FAQ.

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