老外看台灣／台中知名地標空蕩蕩 老外驚呼：媲美哈利波特場景

【看CP學英文】新型冠狀病毒疫情持續蔓延重創觀光旅遊業，然而台灣一家店卻因遞減的遊客量反而吸引到更多外國人的注意，引老外熱烈討論。

As the COVID-19 pandemic takes a toll on the tourism industry, one place in Taiwan has managed to attract the attention of foreigners and it’s all because of its sudden emptiness.

近期，一位外國網友在美版PTT論壇Reddit上分享自己到台中宮原眼科冰淇淋店卻發現原本熱鬧的知名台中景點空空如也。

A Reddit user recently visited the Miyahara Ice Cream store in Taichung, only to find that the once-packed tourist hotspot was nearly completely empty.

這位網友因此將畫面捕捉下來，並在下方著名：「從未看過這個地方沒人的樣子。」貼文一發出意外地吸引許多外國人在留言區詢問這棟建築的地點和歷史。

The social media user then posted the photo with a comment, “Never seen this place so empty,” surprisingly leading many other foreigners to enquire after the location and the building’s history.

少了遊客的冰淇淋店，大家終於可以一眼望盡建築物漂亮的設計。其中一名網友更大讚彷彿看到哈利波特系列電影的霍格華滋場景，也有另一位表示裝潢讓他們想到電影裡的古靈閣巫師銀行。

With the ice cream shop’s vast interior and intricate designs in full view, one Reddit user asked if the picture was a scene from Hogwarts, while another seconded the comment, replying that it reminded him of “Gringotts”, the wizard bank in the Harry Potter universe.

許多外國人更在討論區中分享自己過去前往的經驗，如一位表示「上次我去的時候人多到完全不可能拍出上面這樣的畫面。超多人！樓梯上也站滿有預約餐廳座位的旅客，而三樓是完全封閉的。害我超失望的。」

Many foreigners in the discussion forum also recalled their previous experiences in the store with one commenting: “Last time I went it was so crowded this shot would have been impossible. So many people, the stairs above were blocked off unless you had a reservation for the restaurant, and the 3rd floor was closed. Talk about disappointed.”

留言區也有一位網友指出自己從來沒有好好欣賞過裡面的裝潢，引來另一位沒到過台中的網友大讚他原先以為照片是一家書店，因為沒辦法想像冰淇淋店可以蓋得如此典雅。

Another marveled at the photograph as they had never seen the entirety of the ice cream shop before, as it was always packed, while a subsequent commenter stated that they thought it was a bookstore at first, as they couldn’t imagine an ice cream store looking this regal.

宮原冰淇淋原為一家眼科，於1930年日本統治時期建造。

Miyahara Ice Cream, once an optometry store, was built in the 1930s during the Japanese occupation era in Taiwan.

台灣光復後，創辦人宮原武雄遣返日本，建築也因此落入台中政府資產。

When Taiwan came under the KMT government’s rule, the eye doctor and founder returned back to Japan, and thus, the building was seized by Taichung city authorities.

宮原眼科於2010翻修後開始販售鳳梨酥等台灣名產，也逐漸引來大量人潮，成今天知名冰淇淋店。

Miyahara building was later renovated in 2010 and began attracting more people after it began selling pineapple cakes and other Taiwanese delicacies, becoming the popular must-visit spot it is today.