Kaohsiung, a City Pulsating with Life (2)

The stadium was the first one in the world to provide power using solar energy. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]

The stadium was semi-shaped and looked like a dragon from a distance. The two mascots, Gao Mei and Syong Ge stood near the entrance. They were named after the host city, Kaohsiung (according to Tongyong Pinyin) and were built to symbolize the friendliness and hospitality of Kaohsiung. I spent a while walking around the stadium and found the entire building to be made of special materials. The stadium was the first in the world to provide its power using solar energy. The solar power generation system, which was planned for a capacity of 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh), is located on the roof of the auditorium.

The 14th Taiwan Open Wooden Ball Championship was underway inside the stadium, in which 190 players from 15 countries participated. Wooden ball is a bit like golf but obviously golf is much more popular! Although it was an international competition, there was a fairly slender audience at the venue.