夜遊耶誕城 / A Night Stroll at Christmasland

因為我家住的距離板橋有段距離，加上，常常聽人說，只要新北耶誕城一開放，附近周邊道路都是人潮，雖然我也沒有在怕的，但是潛意識還是會避免去那一帶，但是，耶誕城會有那麼多人潮是有它的原因的，因為，那一帶以其燦爛的燈飾與歡樂的氛圍，每一年總是吸引無數遊客慕名前去，我也常聽我住在板橋一帶的朋友抱怨，人潮影響當地人的生活品質，所以，基本上，我並不會想去。

然而，擇期不如撞日，趁著和朋友聚會的機會，原本不想去湊熱鬧的我，也有動力去板橋了，而正好趁著夜晚造訪這座聞名已久的耶誕城，聽說那裏越夜越美麗，華麗的旋轉木馬，一向都是小朋友的最愛，看著木馬緩緩轉動，優雅的音樂也隨著木馬的轉動而流動，好一個令人感動的瞬間，魔幻熱氣球是另一項熱門遊樂設施，其實它的本體就是很多遊樂園都有的旋轉咖啡杯，只是把咖啡杯換成熱氣球的形式，當音樂聲響起，人們就可以在熱氣球內體驗那種離開地球的快感，這兩項是小朋友們最愛的遊樂設施。

我逛著逛著，就逛到環狀線南廣場，遠遠就看到一座長16公尺、高達6公尺，密密麻麻的燈飾結合冷色調燈光的大型裝置藝術作品，那不就是我在電視新聞提到過的暮光之城嗎？從藍色冷光的雪花入口進入，就看到滿滿的人在這裡拍照打卡，剛好，這裡有一個達人秀選拔比賽，震耳欲聾的音樂聲，讓這裡更形的熱鬧，此外，人潮就是錢潮，這裡有個一個小市集，販賣著各式應景特色小吃，讓來往的遊客們可以邊吃邊看表演，在這樣冷冷的天，但是吃得飽、穿得暖。

而市民廣場周邊，分別有四條祈福廊道，分別用不同的LED妝點不同的主題，分別是無敵幸運星、幻夢槲寄生、魔幻星河及奇願大道，走在這些閃著五顏六色的廊道內，頓時有著滿滿的儀式感，看著來往行人紛紛在這些廊道內，駐足擺出最帥或最美的姿勢拍照留影，為了收集這四條廊道，我就繞了市民廣場一週，大概二十分鐘，說長不長，倒也說短不短，我真是瘋了！其中，我覺得幻夢槲寄生廊道的呈現，是四條廊道中最夢幻及美麗的。

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Since my home is quite far from Banqiao, and I often hear people say that once the New Taipei Christmasland opens, the nearby roads are always crowded with people, I subconsciously avoid going there, even though I’m not exactly scared of crowds. I've also heard my friends living in Banqiao complain about how the influx of people affects their quality of life. So, generally speaking, I wouldn’t really think about visiting.

However, as the saying goes, “There's no time like the present.” Taking the chance of meeting up with friends, I finally had the motivation to head to Banqiao, even though I didn’t originally plan to join the hustle and bustle. I decided to visit the famous Christmasland at night, which I heard is even more beautiful after dark. The luxurious carousel, a favorite for kids, caught my eye. Watching the horses spin slowly to the sound of elegant music created such a touching moment. Another popular attraction was the magical hot air balloons. These are essentially the spinning teacup rides found in many amusement parks, but instead of teacups, they’re designed as hot air balloons. As the music played, people could hop inside and feel the thrill of being “lifted off the ground.” These two rides are definitely a hit with the kids.

As I wandered, I eventually reached the Circular Line’s South Plaza. From a distance, I spotted a massive art installation: 16 meters long and 6 meters high, covered in intricate lighting with cool blue tones. This must be the “Twilight City”. I’d seen on the news! Entering through the glowing snowflake archway, I was greeted by a sea of people taking photos and checking in on social media. Right nearby, a talent show competition was underway, with deafening music adding to the lively atmosphere. Of course, where there are crowds, there’s business. A small market nearby sold all sorts of festive snacks, letting visitors enjoy tasty treats while watching the performances. Despite the chilly weather, being well-fed and warmly dressed made everything more enjoyable.

Around the Civic Plaza, there were four different “Blessing Corridors”, each adorned with unique LED lights to match its theme: Lucky Star, Dreamy Mistletoe, Magical Galaxy, and Wish Avenue. Walking through these brightly lit corridors gave off a strong sense of ritual and festivity. Many passersby stopped to strike their best poses for photos. Determined to visit all four corridors, I walked a full circle around the Civic Plaza, which took about 20 minutes—not too long, but not super short either. I must’ve gone crazy! Out of the four, I thought the Dreamy Mistletoe Corridor was the most enchanting and beautiful.

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