We have a new travel partner today– Acer! We were classmates in college and now he’s continuing his education in Taiwan to become a doctor. He will be taking me around Tamsui today and joining my family as we eat our way through Shilin’s Night Market in the evening.

Tamsui (Danshui 淡水)

To get here, we met up at Shilin Station and took the MRT Red Line toward Tamsui (the last stop). It has been 3 years since we last saw each other so there was a lot of catching up to do: how’s life? The question could be as simple or as complicated as you wanted it to be. Ummm, where should I start? For one, I am temporarily escaping reality (work) by going on short vacations every other month. That’s how stressed I am.

Tamsui, or Danshui, is located in the northern region of Taiwan and is easily accessible as a day trip. This sea-side district is known for it’s beautiful water views (some come see the sunset) and yummy street food. Popular tourist destinations in Tamsui are: Fort Santo Domingo, Aletheia University, and Tamsui Old Street.

As we exit the train station, we arrive at, what seems to be a waterfront, called Jinse Shuian 金色水岸. You could rent a bike nearby and leisurely bike your way through Tamsui.

We decided to walk. Since we arrived relatively early (12pm), most of the stalls by the waterfront were not operating yet. It seems that in Asia, night life is extremely prevalent, as stores open after 4pm until 1-2am. Hence, we continued on our journey to explore the touristy spots of Tamsui.

Ah-gei 阿给老店

Acer said this was one of the famous eateries in Tamsui, famous for their dish ‘ah-gei’. This dish is basically glass noodles wrapped in a fried tofu. The sauce on the outside is on the sweeter side. I can only describe it as I didn’t take any pictures.

At this restaurant, it is self-service. So let me walk you through it if you don’t know Chinese.

1. Walk into restaurant & find available seat
2. Order items on the pink paper slip (inside the cup on the table)
3. Give order and money to employee
4. When your number is called, go pick up order by the food lift (if you’re upstairs)

However, even if you can’t speak Chinese, you shouldn’t worry. Since Tamsui is a tourist spot, there are many English speaking locals. Language is not a barrier here.

Ah-Po Tiedan 阿婆铁蛋 (Iron Eggs)

Across from Ah-gei is a store that sells Taiwan’s specialty eggs- iron eggs. This store, called ‘Grandma’s Iron Eggs’ is THE original and sells the best ones. Toward the evening, as more stores and stalls began to open, we noticed a lot of other brands of iron eggs that were far cheaper. However, if you’re going to try Taiwan’s specialty, you need to try the original. These eggs are high in nutrition and have a nice crunch to it. It’s chewy and flavorful. Quite a delicacy if you ask me. After you open the bag, you need to store it in the fridge because it is perishable.

Hobe Mackay Hospital

When talking about Tamsui, the famous person you would hear about is George Leslie Mackay, the first Presbyterian missionary to step foot in Taiwan. He built a hospital, church, and school. The hospital and church as located on Mackay Street while the Oxford College is located inside another university.

Tamsui Church

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Oxford University College

The Oxford College is located inside the Aletheia University campus. Inside the campus, you can take a tour of the original Oxford College.

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Fort San Domingo 淡水红毛城

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Tamsui Old Street 淡水老街

Along Zhongzheng street, you will find many interesting snacks to eat to your hearts content. However, we had another stop to head to before going to the Shilin Night Market. We had to save our stomach…or we can snack until then..

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3D Stair Art 意象彩绘阶梯

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NEXT STOP? SHILIN NIGHT MARKET
→ in the next post.