The Musical Charms of the Love River / 愛河畔 咖啡．音樂．書香
Walking in the brilliant sunshine and comfortable breeze on a relaxed afternoon, you can almost taste the smell of coffee in the air while appreciating the beauty of the Love River from its bridges. Besides the Love Boat that sails in the evening, the "Love River Art Triangle" offers a good opportunity for the tourist to experience the city's cultural features.
Known as the " Ocean Capital", Kaohsiung city offers the visitor unique mountain, rangers, rivers, the ocean, a port and a coastline, which spans 100 kilometers. The city government has been working on the creation of an unique waterfront metropolis in recent years.Above all, the Love River takes the lead role.
Due to the city government's reconstruction and planning, the Love River has become a charming, waterfront resting space for citizens and visitors alike: the tourist information center was opened on Hesi Road in August, which is to be found along the Love River between Wufu Bridge and Jianguo Bridge. The Kaohsiung Municipal Film Archive held the Kaohsiung International Film Festival in September. Furthermore, for the first time ever in Taiwan, a book vendor, together with newsstand, was set up on Hesi Road in October. All such places attract the tourist's interest in the newly arisen and artistic and cultural activities along the Love River.
The Learning Center of the Ocarina
With the opening of the Friendly City Guide Center, the Learning Center of the Ocarina has also been established. The city government has chosen the ocarina as a suitable musical instrument for instruction in order to popularize its primitive, elegant tone and simple scale. Its shape resembles the island of Taiwan, and it is also easy to learn and carry.
In order to train selected players for the Thousands of People Piping the "Taiwan" Ocarina, to be listed in the Guinness World Records, there are free ocarina classes from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day. Sitting on the banks of the Love River, you can hear the dulcet sound of the ocarina. The air is full of music. If you are interested in taking part in this activity and to be listed in the Guinness World on December 18th, please contact the Learning Center of the Ocarina.
Along the Love River, the unique Kaohsiung Municipal Film Archive held the "2004 Kaohsiung International Film Festival." In addition to showing famous, archive movies related to Kaohsiung, a film festival celebrating ocean cities was also held, showing movies from such cities as Rotterdam, Sydney, etc. Six series were included. The film, " Hello! Ocean creatures: playing with the motion pictures", is another activity that allows parents and children to have fun together.
The Newsstand & Book Vendor
The news stand and book vendor, designed by Hobby Company, situated in front of the outdoor cafe' on the west bank of the Love River, will be in operation from October 15th for two years. It provides people with information on all the local cultural industries, it including a performance guide. So, be sure to give your mind and brain a treat by paying it a visit in order to enjoy a feast of culture.
悠閒的午後，漫步在和煦的陽光下，時而輕風拂面，空氣中瀰漫著濃郁的咖啡香，倚著愛河畔的橋墩，凝視著河面波光瀲灩，在這裡除了傍晚啟航的愛之船外，兩岸還有新興的藝文活動構築「愛河藝文金三角」，讓遊客細細品味城市文化特色。
有「海洋首都」之稱的高雄市，擁有獨特的山、河、海、港及一百多公里的水岸線，市府儘速營造「都會水岸」的特色路線，其中，愛河是主宰高雄命脈的河川，這幾年在市府整頓與規劃下，結合週邊自然生態環境，打造為極具人文歷史和親水的休憩空間，重現愛河璀燦風華的魅力。
從五福橋至建國橋沿著愛河畔，八月起河西路的「友善城市導覽中心」開張、九月電影圖書館推出高雄國際電影節、十月河西路設置全國第一座文化書報攤，在在都令遊客對愛河畔新興的藝文活動感到新鮮感十足。
陶笛育成教室
隨著友善城市導覽中心的啟用，連帶催生「陶笛育成中心」，市府選擇音質古樸、優美，且音階簡單、易學，還輕巧好帶的台灣陶笛做為音樂推廣的樂器，為締造「台灣陶笛萬人吹奏」締造金氏世界紀錄而培訓陶笛種子，在這裡每天安排晚間七點到九點都有免費的陶笛吹奏技巧教學，坐在愛河畔遠眺璀燦美景，就能聽到陣陣悅耳的陶笛聲，讓愛河畔樂音滿滿。有興趣參與12月18日「台灣陶笛萬人吹奏」締造金氏世界紀錄的民眾，可至陶笛育成教室報名。
而一旁南台灣唯一的高雄市電影圖書館，推出「2004高雄國際電影節」，除放映與高雄相關的知名懷舊電影外，今年以「海洋城市影展─海洋之城‧世界之眼」為主題，集結世界海洋城市影片，如鹿特丹、雪梨等，分為「心動時刻、情慾飛舞、驚心動魄、新勞動力、親情無價、短片集錦」等六大系列，更推出「HELLO！海洋生物─動手玩動畫」，親子手繪海洋生物，讓品味藝文活動的民眾笑聲滿滿。
文化書報攤
愛河西岸露天咖啡座前的文化書報攤，從10月15日起，試辦二年，由河邊有限公司出資、規劃、設計，以公共空間動線規劃與公共藝術手法，製作出街道藝術造形書報攤，提供高雄市民文化書香、在地文化產業與藝術表演訊息，來到書報攤前，信手拿起一本好書，讓腦中知識充電滿滿。