Yamay Discovery World Amusement Park in Taiwan (Lihpao Land)

Each of Taiwan's major amusement parks tries to have something unique. Yamay Discovery World boasts a coaster style I had never seen before this trip. But first, you walk down a large walkway to the entrance.

 I bet this place looked great when the paint was fresh. It seems like fading is a bit of an issue here. Actually, the stores that line the entrance way just inside the gates feel kind of empty. Perhaps it was because it was low season, but this portion of the park was a little creepy.

 But go around the corner, and you come to this coaster. It's called Gravity Max. Notice how the track just ends? Well, the train rolls to the end of the tracks...

 Then that portion of the track swings down 90 degrees, attaches to the vertical portion of the track, and off you go! That part of the ride is pretty fun, but after that the coaster isn't anything special.

 The theming was pretty nice throughout the park. Some rides were inside pavilions which helped keep things cool. And I never saw it, but I think a teen stunt show could be worth watching.

 More great theming for a trick art photo thing and a burger restaurant.

 One ride that seems to be pretty popular in Asia is the Top Spin. That's okay because I love Top Spins!

 Discovery World at Yamay Resort has its own cactus garden.

 Melody Maker is just like the Disney teacups.

 For an Asian Ferris wheel, this one is kind of small.

 There's another coaster! While Taiwan's amusement parks have a good selection of rides for kids, they lack in rides which provide a thrill but can be ridden over and over. And lots of coasters.

 I found a castle!

 I swear Taiwan's amusement parks are themed based on the Roller Coaster Tycoon game, and this calm ride would fit right in.

 There's a nice river or lake in the middle of the park.

 Gravity Max is up near the front, and a train is about to go down the first drop!

 I don't know what this industrial complex thing was. It appeared to have no purpose.

 A popular pirate ship is positioned over the lake. Why are those things so popular?

 I like this shot. In front of Gravity Max is a swings-like ride that spins around; you move a joystick back and forth to make your seat swing in and out. If you know how to time things properly you can get some good swinging action going.

Well, that's it for Yamay. It's a fun park, but I realized I had done everything within an hour or two of arriving. I was able to have fun riding some attractions multiple times, but as you can see from the shadows (or lack of them) that I left early in the afternoon. There are a lot of smaller attractions that I probably shoulda-coulda rode to draw out my visit.

Discovery World at Yamay Resort - now apparently called Lihpao Land - is located near Taichung; take the train to Houli Station. There is supposedly a free shuttle bus now, but last year (when it was Discovery World) I just grabbed a taxi to get to the park. There also appears to be a bus (#155) from Taichung that leaves every 30 minutes, so you might want to ask at their visitor's center. And if you're really interested in a long bus trip, there seems to be a bus from Taipei. Admission is NT$800, but a special price that is given to foreigners might be NT$590. Actually that happened at a lot of parks in Taiwan; don't be surprised to get a discount if you're obviously a westerner! The park opens at 9:00 and closes at 5:30 (later in summer and during Chinese new year). The park's English website is located here; it has good basic information but the Chinese-language site has bus timetables as well as a list of attractions that are scheduled to be closed during the day (even for an hour or so).

I should mention that while the park appears to have been rebranded this year, it doesn't have any new rides listed and all the rides I remember being there are still on the website.

Taichung National Museum of Natural Science in Taiwan

This is my 200th post! It look me long enough (about a year and nine months) but I've finally reached another milestone. There's nothing special going on today, just another post as I try to finish up my Taiwan trip from over a year ago...

 Let's go to a museum! Taichung is very proud of its science museum, and for those interested in science or for families with children, it's a good place to spend an afternoon.

 You get there by following a long path through a park-like setting. Be sure to look at the path itself, as it shows the natural history of the world.

 The large building across the street from the walkway is the museum. Be careful when crossing the street.

 Once inside, there are a ton of exhibits to look at. Be aware that there is a lot of Chinese, but English support is available.

 Taiwan loves models. There are plenty here! Natural science includes human interactions with nature.

 Don't worry. You can see animals too.

 Kangaroo-looking giant rat things and porcupines? Awesome.

 Dinosaurs are big here, and I don't just mean size. They're all over the place.

 Giant flying bugs! It's like I'm back in Texas!

 Giant leaping dinosaurs! It's like I'm back in... hmm.

 Down in the dinosaur exhibit, you can see a giant T-Rex and the little one move around a bit. They kind of rock back and forth.

 They have that sailboat dinosaur, too. I always liked these.

 Hmm. Natural science? It turns out that the museum looks at technology a lot too, so the name is a little misleading. Here you can read about some developments of old scientists.

 I don't remember what this was, but it's pretty cool.

 Architecture and design is fun, and a science. Naturally.

 Closed to the public when I visited, there was a pyramid built in the middle of the central courtyard.

 It turns out the museum looks not only at animals, but technology, human life, and cultures. This is a collection of brains. I think they're just models.

 In an integration of technology and life sciences, there was mention of a future suit that would be able to help paraplegics walk.

 I wish I remember what this did. But there he/she is.

 This looked fun, even though it's just a static display on computing technology.

 There was a stand-in-a-bubble station. Lots of interactive things were found together but that part was packed with kids. The bubble thing was the most popular, of course.

 Sharknado in 3D!

 Which way is up?

 Trick houses and trick art are really popular in Asia. Japan has a bunch of trick art photo museums, and they're pretty expensive for empty rooms with large printed stickers on the floors and wall. I saw two of these "size" rooms in Taiwan, where it looks like you're growing as you walk to the back of the room.

The museum was pretty fun for me, as a science teacher, and the children seemed to all be enjoying themselves. I recommend it only if you're a science geek or carrying kids; there are other museums in Taichung for adults without kids.

The Taichung National Museum of Natural Science is open 9AM to 5PM Tuesday through Sunday. There are additional sites that belong to the museum, including an earthquake memorial and botanical garden. Several buses go to the museum from the train station. Once arriving at the museum, ask to "rent" an English language headset, which will help you translate the permanent exhibits. The headset is free for the first two hours, so be sure to return it before you get charged (NT$100/hour after the first two).

Baseball in Taiwan: A CPBL Game in Taichung

 My first look at the CPBL involved a game in Tainan, and I had a really good time. I was welcomed to the park, the (free) food was great, and the atmosphere was as exciting as it could be for a game with such a low attendance. Everyone was involved, and cheering was a big part of the fan experience.

 Taichung's stadium is a little more open and newer, and similar to most US minor league stadiums. Plenty of seating is available on one level between the foul poles, but the only overhang was behind home plate. The bullpens are found down the lines, and it's possible to walk anywhere in the seating bowl.

 The views down the lines show that the action is pretty close to the field. I ended up camping down the right field line and enjoying the game separated from the rest of the crowd this time.

 Again, the outfield had seating as well, but again I didn't venture into that territory.

 I should mention that Taichung has two baseball stadiums; they play at the older one. If you see the stadium above, located far away from everything else, you're at the wrong place.

 Anyway, I arrived at the correct stadium and saw the team buses.

 It seems that the teams travel in style; given the number of different stadiums each team calls "home" over the course of a season, they probably put a lot of miles on the road and having some comfort is important.

 Similar to the Tainan game, each team had a separate fan table outside the stadium selling stuff. The souvenir selection seemed to be a little better with these two teams, including official game balls (though they were very expensive). If I can return to Taiwan, I want to see a game in Taipei and hopefully find a better selection of souvenirs. I don't need much, though I'd probably have to shell out big bucks for a uniform and/or hat, and a game ball.

Food here was decent though selection was limited. Sausages (on a stick!) are an important part of the Taiwanese diet, and I think I had three of them. They were grilled to perfection and quite delicious.

Sitting away from the fans, I noticed that the cheering sections didn't seem to be as energetic, though they were just as involved. Perhaps it was the lack of instruments and a microphone. Or maybe they just do things differently in Taichung - it is a smaller town after all. I had a great time, and tried to talk a little bit with the locals, but English is a rarity in these parts. It always seems when something goes well, though, they want to involve me in the celebrations with high fives or cheers!