A little creative romance for a Taichung Valentine's Day

Words and translated by Audrey Liu

This year, Valentine's Day falls right at the end of the Chinese New Year holiday. To mark this occasion, many businesses--notably restaurants and hotels--are providing special offers for those wanting to mark this occasion, filled with sweet expressions of happy romance. Although most people are unaware of the origins of this day, they are happy to celebrate it anyway. Women usually look forward to February 14 with anticipation, wondering and imagining what the men in their lives have planned. At the same time, their male companions are pondering what special plans they can make.

This year's Valentine's Day also falls on a Sunday, good news for couples wanting to enjoy an especially wonderful and romantic weekend for themselves! So, what are some ideas for this special occasion in Taichung? Following are some ideas to consider.

First of all, enjoying a great meal together is a must (see "What's Cooking" on pg. 14-15). That means reserving as early as possible to avoid the risk of booked-up restaurants, which would be very disappointing. One good website, Eztable, helps diners reserve restaurants in advance online and is available 24 hours a day, making it very convenient. In addition, it is cooperating with restaurants providing special Valentine's Day activities and offers. As you have an entire weekend this year, perhaps you might want to consider savoring more than one Valentine's meal, choosing different restaurants for a variety of culinary surprises!

website: Eztable- http://www.eztable.com/

In addition to a broad range of excellent hotels of all sizes and styles, Taichung's motels are also very famous, with a wide variety room types and themes to choose from. After a busy week, escaping to a luxurious hotel or motel room for a relaxing Valentine's weekend night is a fantastic idea. Together, you can enjoy a movie or spa, take a swim, and sing karaoke songs. Many hotels are providing special Valentine's Day offers (see pg. 42) and, given the recent cold weather, local hot springs hotels are yet another great option. Once again, just remember to register for a room in advance.

website:
TravelKing- http://travel.network.com.tw/valentine/
Agoda- http://www.agoda.com/zh-tw/city/taichung-tw.html

Villa Spa Motel

Couples who decide they want to catch a movie together on Valentine's Day can consider paying a bit more to sit in the luxury of Vieshow's Gold Class theater, which provides a whole new experience and level of service. Due to the limited number of seats in this theater, remember to reserve earlier as well.

website: http://www.vscinemas.com.tw/

After a meal or movie, lovers can enjoy each other's company exploring Greater Taichung. The possibilities are almost unlimited--Sun Moon Lake, Summit Resort and other sightseeing in the Xinshe area, museums, the seaside, or hot springs areas are all good places to go. In February, you can also take in the dinosaur exhibition at the Taichung City Trade Center (see pg. 38). Moreover, if the weather is good you can jump on a couple of bikes and ride around the city and/or it's bike trails. The website below provides some travel routes for you to consider.

website: http://travel.network.com.tw/valentine/tour.asp

As most "Taichungers" are aware, there are so many good places to enjoy night views of the city, often while savoring a cup of coffee. The following website was created by several engineers and introduces 15 great places for wonderful night views in Taichung, offering yet another very useful source of Valentine's Day destinations.

website: http://kikinote.net/article/72094.html

Besides Valentine's Day activities, everything is a bit sweeter if you go take the extra step of preparing something special for your loved one, whether that's flowers or homemade chocolates. A very big Internet flower shop offers personalized flower gifts that can be sent to the desired location within the same day at 6 p.m. if you place your order before 2 p.m. Besides flowers, special chocolates are another favorite way to express affection on this occasion. Taichung has many chocolate shops and a several new do-it-yourself baking courses, which are all offering Valentine's special chocolates and DIY courses for those who would like to prepare a special hand-made gift for their loved ones.

website:
http://www.flowerdj.com/
http://www.coconia-chocolate.com/
http://www.mucha.com.tw/

Some final tips: During Valentine's Day weekend in 2016, Taichung's roads will be filled with people and vehicles so don't forget to get earlier-than-usual starts to avoid being late for your plans. Although it is very common to email or text messages, nothing is more romantic than creating a homemade Valentine's Day card and expressing your feelings to your loved one in your own handwriting. In the end, if you decide that you don't want to mix with the big crowds, then staying home, preparing a nice meal together and enjoying a wonderful, sweet evening together isn't a bad idea, either!

Happy Valentine's Day!