Taiwan is hosting the international flora exposition in Taipei till April 25 2011. Even if you’re not that much into flowers, this is one event that you won’t want to miss. Taipei has done an extremely good job with this one, combining four big parks with some really terrific exhibitions and dedicated pavilions.
Of all that’s there for you to enjoy perhaps the most popular pavilion is the “Pavilion of Dreams”. The demand for this pavilion is so high that people line up very early in the morning just so that when the park opens up at 9 they’ll be among the lucky few to go inside.
Here’s a sneak peak of the main entrance hall to the Pavilion of Dreams.
What’s so special about his pavilion, you might ask… The official Taipei International Flora Exhibition writes:
Pavilion of Dreams is situated in Taipei City’s Xinsheng Park. Comprised of 14 exhibition halls, the structure is filled with fun and surprises, and houses some of Taiwan’s most advanced technology. Upon entering the building, visitors are presented with a technology dream bracelet that projects a virtual flower in front of them as they move about. A kaleidoscope of 3D effects awaits audiences in the first hall. No special glasses are required to enjoy the stunning collision between the real and virtual worlds. In the second hall, visitors are transformed into beetles as they weave their way through and around a maze of flower petals, experience the life cycle, and explore the natural world. In the third hall, which is a circle-vision theater, audiences find themselves racing through a sea of clouds and mist at breakneck speeds. The respiratory and heart rates of the audience interact with space as they use their breaths to help a flower bud grow and blossom. At the Pavilion of Dreams, visitors will experience a sensory whirlwind and delight in the wonders and surprises of the virtual world.
While it’s suppose to be about flowers, this pavilion takes it into the technological extreme of trying to bring people to interact with “nature” by some impressive technological displays.
Here’s a video capture of the entrance…
The 360degree experience room…
The dancing tech flowers…
To get more about the background for the expo and this specific pavilion, NTD Television has a good intro to the exhibition and the Pavilion of Dreams:
So, how did I get inside? yep, I lined up. I woke up at 4:30am, and was there by 5 something am. Slowly slowly, people made it there, till around 6am when the whole parking lot was filled up and people where no longer allowed in. 3 hours before the expo opens up, we were there waiting. Me? I just laid down and took a nap…
So? was it worth it? now that it’s behind me, I’d have to say yes to save face, though I’m not sure everyone would agree. Still, it was an interesting experience, and the pavilion is very nice. I just wish they would have found a way to do this waiting online somehow or make the pavilion bigger to accommodate more people. Atleast, the people waiting with me there were not as loud, rude and aggressive as the horrible Shanghai Expo 2010 experience I had a few months back (and, as you might have noticed, I didn’t even take the time to summarize on this blog).
So, welcome to the Pavilion of Dreams. Find me in this next photo…
This is what they give you after you select between 5 categories of something like – family, fortune, emotion and two more I can’t remember. Don’t ask why, I chose emotions, and so the following exhibits were suppose to interact with me using that theme.
There were some dynamic 3D displays that didn’t require 3D glasses…
Lots of colorful multimedia shows…
Most of the exhibits were interacting with people and inviting them to play or touch…
It was all quite beautiful…
At the end, everyone receives his own flower analysis. This is what mine turned out to be…
Definitely go and see the expo. If you don’t mind the crazy waiting, go and catch the Pavilion of Dreams.
Related links of interest:
- Travel: Flora Expo, Taipei ROC
- 2010 Taipei Flora Expo: Part I of II
- 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition
- Taipei Day 4 – Flora Expo Part 1
- Taipei Day 4 – Flora Expo Part 2
- Taipei Flora Expo
- Taipei Floral Expo
- Taipei Flora Expo (Xinsheng Park)