Ramblers at the Yilan Green Expo

Put on your best flip-flops and grab your douli! (That's the local name for the type of straw hat worn by the guy planting rice seedlings  in the photograph below). The Ramblers are heading to Yilan this Wednesday, May 1, 2013.

We'll be playing at the Wulaokeng Scenic Area (武荖坑風景區) in Yilan County. We will not be performing informally on the sidewalk, as we occasionally do in our own  backyard at the legendary Bitan riverside in Xindian, however.

photo by Eva P

Instead, we’re appearing at the 2013 Yilan Green Expo (宜蘭綠色博覽會), where this year’s theme is Return to Forest. You'll find the address at the bottom of this post. Sure, the Taipei Times was just a little snarky when it commented on the Green Expo back in March,

Finding a sustainable solution to preserving our modern lifestyles and conserving Taiwan’s increasingly threatened natural habitat tops the agenda, though you probably wouldn’t guess it from the host of fun activities, lucky draws, performances and DIY workshops to be found there.

but a tour agency (whose copywriter had obviously studied a press release carefully, but translated it rather carelessly) was much more positive when describing the expo on its website, 

Due to the trend of eco-conscious, Yilan hold a green expo annually to encourage the public to join such environmental protecting activities such as planting and recycling during their daily lives and nature power....visitors will gain more info of sustainable ecology, environmental protection education, green lifestyle and their combinations through 12 exhibits and hands-on experience zones, such as Ecology Hall, Flower Hall, Fishing Hall, Farming Hall, Atayal Native Hall, Shrimp Hall, Charcoal Hall and so on.

There's no telling which hall we'll find ourselves in, but it won't matter much (as long as we've got a roof -- Ilan is so very green for a reason). We're looking forward to the nature power; it's supposed to be even better for you than a forest shower!

We’re definitely ready to play for an audience, as the long days we’re putting in at Soundkiss as we record our second CD don’t offer much positive feedback. Sure, Alex and Crystal are appreciative of our efforts, but they don’t break out in dance when we play, nor do they project the innocent curiosity that the very young and the very old do when first listening to us raise a ruckus.

We’ll be playing two shows, at 11:30 A.M. and 3:30 P.M, so we’re going to have double the fun. Leaving Taipei at 7 A.M., so we can be on hand for a 9 A.M. sound check, won’t be quite so amusing, but the thought of an impending Yilan ramble will no doubt rouse us all from our dreams. Whether your day starts early or late, you'll have plenty of time to make it for at least one of the shows.

Wednesday’s a holiday, Labor Day, so most of you in Taiwan will have the day off. It’s easy to drive to Yilan, at least from Taipei, and Wulaokeng is near the end of Highway 5, not far from the Suaoxin (New Suao) Train Station. You could also take the train or a bus to Suao and take a taxi up to Wulaokeng. See? There's really no excuse not to come along.

The Wulaokeng Scenic Area (武荖坑風景區) is located at 75 Wulaokeng Rd, Suao Township, Yilan County (宜蘭縣蘇澳鎮武荖坑路75號). You can use the map above (zoom in to see more detail) to find your way, however you choose to travel.

Admission to the Green Expo is NT$250 for adults and NT$200 for children 7 to 12 years of age. It's for a good cause -- Nature Power!