Spring is the most favorable time for outdoors. The Information Department of Taichung City Government specifically prepared a cover story for its March-April Issue of the “GLAT” Magazine on “10 Attractions of Dajia River”. The distinctive feature of each of the attractions has been fully brought to you. You may check out every attraction by cycling and appreciate the sights on both sides of the trail. Or, you may elect to shed light on the blooming cheery blossoms and the fords that strive to capture your eyesight. You may also take a closer look at Dajia River, which is known as the “Mother River” that contributed to the civilization of Taichung City. In so doing, you will find out the symbiotic relation between nature and mankind.

Last September, Taichung City Government held the “Online Poll for Choosing the Top 10 at Dajia River”, which attracted 300,000 ballots from all over Taiwan. The poll indicated that Kao Mei Marshland, Wu Ling Farm, Dong Feng-Hou Feng Bicycle Trail, Dajia Chen Lan Temple, Guguan Conservation Zone, Dasyueshan Forest Recreation Areas, Lishan Scenic Zone, Tai An Railway Station Cultural District, Shigang Dam, and Xinshe Bailenchuan are on the list of Top 10 attractions. The stories in this issue will guide the readers to further explore the multiple faces of Dajia River.

Why do not come to Dajia River for hiking in such a glamorous season! People who prefer things a bit sportive could ride on bicycles to travel along the bicycle trail from Houfeng to Dongfeng and end at Donshi Forest Garden. You can work out while seeing the sights along Dajia River. People who love floral plantations could start from Wulin Farm at the upper course of the river, and pass by Fushoushan Farm, and Xinshe, Dongshi Forest Park, Zheongshe Floral Market at Houli and Tai An at the middle course of the river, then ends at the Wangyou Valley at Waipu. This route allows you to embrace the sea of cherry blossoms, a distinctive scene in Taichung, and also floral field and the April snow trail of Taichung. For more excitement, please look into the cover story of this issue.

The “2018 Taichung World Floral Expo” will be held at the end of next year. Preparation is in progress. In the column of this issue, the “Floral Expo APP”, details will be provided on the event. In early March of this year, Mayor Lin Chia-Lung and the team of Taichung City Government took a trip to Japan for holding a press conference for the promotion of the event. They wish to invite the friends in Japan and other parts of the world to Taichung for the floral expo. They also promoted the specialties of Taichung, Wenxin Orchid and Lily. Currently, Wenxin Orchid is the number one sales item in the floral market of Japan. The export sale of lilies started just a few years ago. It has attracted quite a number of people due to its superb quality and better sale is expected.

A new column, “Exotic Taste of Taichung”, was introduced to the magazine. Food connoisseur and humanity writer Chiao Tung will tell us the origin of the mixed vegetables soup, an exotic taste of old Taiwan. Readers are suggested to get a real taste of the food as recommended. Furthermore, foods for different solar terms such as the Wakeup of insects, and Spring Equinox, Clear and Bright, and Grain Rain, in the Lunar Calendar will also be introduced so that people know what to eat and what not to eat, and the kind of suitable physical exercise in these terms. Such practices are the harmonious mingling between people and nature that people will feel healthy and happy.

The March-April Issue of “GLAT” has been released to different location for pickup. Clinics and hair parlors are encouraged to provide information such as the names of the shops and mailing address of the customers to the competent authority of “GLAT”, the Information Department of the Taichung City Government for circulation to these customers. The locations for a free copy are shown in https://goo.gl/YiggPY. Readers may also effect postal remittance for delivery by mail to your door. For online viewing of the current issue of “GLAT”, visit http://goo.gl/cvOvOK. For mobile device, visit https://goo.gl/xnvbJt.