Kinmen, April 11 (CNA) When a thick fog enveloped the offshore Kinmen County earlier this week, it was about to become a dull and disappointing day for the hundreds of passengers stranded at the county's airport.
Among them, however, were Lieyu Township chief Hung Jo-shan (洪若珊) and her entourage, who had other ideas.
As the fog blanketed the area Tuesday, causing the grounding of all planes at the airport, Hung swung into action, dressed in a G.I. Jane camouflage uniform and wielding a replica of rifle, while giving an impromptu presentation of the tourist attractions in her town, a former frontline battlefield.
Alongside her, other members of her entourage joined the "flash mob" performance, which attracted the attention of the hundreds of passengers in the airport's departure area.
Lieyu Township veterinarian Pan Cheng-ju (潘成儒), dressed as fairy, handed out local snacks, while another township official appeared in a purple costume depicting the taro root vegetable.
"I'm your fans," a laughing passenger said, as he scrambled to take selfies with Hung and her delegation, who were scheduled to appear at a press conference at the Tourism Bureau in Taipei later in the day to promote small town tours.
The Lieyu delegation had prepared local delicacies and had packed posters and other promotional material to make their presentation at the press conference, but the trip was canceled due to the foggy conditions, Hung said.
Lieyu Township, spread over several small islands in Kinmen County, was voted as one of the 30 classic small towns in Taiwan, in an online public opinion poll last December.
The township, located less than 1 kilometer from the nearest Chinese territory, was a frontline in the fierce battles between Chiang Kai-shek's troops and the People's Liberation Army in the 1950's.
Its wartime history and natural scenery are among its main tourist attractions.
(By Huang Huei-min and Emerson Lim)Enditem/pc
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