(Yilan, reported by Liu, Pei-Chien)

The 2015 Navy’s visiting fleet open house had its grade opening at Suao yesterday. In addition to the display of artifacts and weapons displayed on board, there was the performance of Navy Academy Marching Band, Navy Marching Band, Marine Corps Taekwondo team and the Rock-n-roll Club and Dance Club of Lan Yang Institute of Technology, a true demonstration of passion and energy on a day like this.

The weather condition was poor the previous day and prevented the first of open house. Yesterday morning as the dawn broke, there was a long line of people waiting at the gate to Suao Harbor, not wanting to miss any part of a great event. The performance put up by Navy boys and girls were applauded by the audience no matter it was the Navy Academy Student Marching Band, the Navy Marching or the Marine Corps Taekwondo team. In addition, the dynamic dancing of the Armed Force inflatable dolls attracted kids to dance and have photos with them. Also, not wanting to be left out, students of Lan Yang Institute of Technology brought their own version of Santaizi dance. The hot singing and dancing of students from Rock-n-roll Club and Dance Club really heated up the scene in the attempt to pray for a peaceful year and cheer for the soldiers of the fleet.

One thing worth mentioning was “Ching-An Temple,” a Mazu temple within the premises of the Navy harbor at Suao and the only temple that the Navy establishes a management board to look after. This Mazu is nicknamed the “Navy’s Mazu” and the temple is open to local people for worshiping. For people in Yilan, military or civilian, the “Navy’s Mazu” is not only the belief of local people, but also the guardian of all Navy ships and soldiers at the Suao Navy Harbor. Yesterday, the fleet soldiers and students from Navy Academy and Fu Hsing Kang college paid their tribune at the Mazu temple, praying for a safe journey and another mission completed.

The fleet ended its yesterday’s mission at Suao and is sailing to Huanlien, the last leg of the journey, for today and tomorrow’s event. For those who have yet to board a Navy ship for a visit, this is the last chance to witness what the Navy is trained and prepared for.