What better way to take advantage of the respite in crazy heat here in Taipei than travel to the old fishing town of Danshui, which means “fresh water.” Once a major fishing and trade port, it is now more of a tourist center. It reminded me a bit of Venice Beach in LA without the eccentricity; a Taiwanese version of Venice Beach, I suppose. Located a little over an hour away by public transportation, we timed our day excursion just right to explore the town a bit before enjoying the famous sunset that Danshui is known for.
We strolled along old Danshui St, taking in some of the specialities of the area like the Jumbo Ice Cream Cone, shaved ice with dried osmanthus flowers and lychees and baked quail eggs encased in tiny, white fish with a sweet soy sauce brushed on top.
We took a 10 minute refreshing ferry ride north for a look see at Fisherman’s Wharf and the beautiful Lover’s Bridge, designed to look like the mast and rigging of a sailboat. What puzzled us to no end was the fact that no bar/restaurant/cafe has set up shop so that it faces the sun while it sets over the Taiwan Strait. I had a made-for-movies image in my head of drinking an ice cold beer while relaxing in a lounge chair watching the sun go down. But then again, this image didn’t include having a 7 year old in tow, so so much for that. Needless to say, the wheels were turning in my head, coming up with a retirement business plan, which involves opening up a bar next to the ocean facing the sunset. To be continued…
