Taipei Side Trip to Tamsui & Hunan Dinner

We took a ride on the MRT north on the red line to check out Tamsui (淡水) towards the end of the day.  Most of this MRT ride is above ground, so this long route to the northernmost point  gives you a great scenic overview of Taipei.  We found ourselves walking along a very long promenade along the water that was lined with food and carnival games and quickly becoming packed with people as the late afternoon gave way to evening since most people.  This place seems to be one of may refuges for those out looking for some fun at the end of their Monday.  Still full from all the eating we’d already done and knowing we only had another large dinner waiting for us, we could do little more than stare helplessly at the food available. There were tiny quail eggs grilled in little molds and skewered for easy transport, salted/pickled plums lacquered red with sugar like candy apples, beautifully grilled squids pressed flat on skewers, little bowls of fish balls swimming in broth, and promises of very large soft serve ice cream cones towering a foot tall in a variety of mystery pastel flavors.

Also, there were plenty of carnival games where you could win giant inflatable bottles and cans of beer along with other silly inflatables or fluffy animals.  There were plenty of machines packed down with piles of cute toys all in this box for you to try to win as well.