Day 11

I had planned to drag Sonny hiking in Yangmingshan National Park on Saturday, followed by some hot springs on Sunday to ease our tired muscles, but on Friday evening he admitted that he was feeling particularly exhausted and wondered if we could take it easy. I guess I understand, before I came to Taiwan he was working 7 days a week, and after I came his weekends and evenings have been full of, as he put it, "lots of walking." So I nixed Yangmingshan (I may still try to go alone this upcoming Thursday or Friday) and decided that a tired and tiny bit cranky husband called for some pampering! Hot springs and sunsets on the ocean sound perfect, so we took the red line of the MRT all the way to the end up north and visited two of the last stops, Beitou and Tamsui. Beitou is first, and we actually had to take a short spur line to Xinbeitou (New Beitou) for the hot springs. The cars were modeled after the traditional Japanese onsen because it was during the Japanese occupation that the hot springs went from being an inhospitable "place of the witches" as the aboriginal tribe who lived in the area named it to a therapeutic escape. As such, the original hot springs bath and several of the newer ones are modeled after Japanese architecture.

Conveniently, all the touristy stuff is located along the hot spring's stream which runs through a park, and has areas where you can get a free foot soak. Navigation is easy as you get out of the MRT and able through the park enjoying the beautiful surroundings and historical buildings. There are public hot spring baths which are very very cheap 40 NT$ but I had read some unfavorable reviews concerning being a foreign female as the baths are co-ed. I asked Sonny if we could find an alternative and he agreed. Most of the other outdoor hot springs are in the traditional Japanese style, which means sexes separated and in the nude. That would have been a nice experience, but we decided to save it for when we are actually in Japan and find an option that would let us be together. We had found a hotel that allowed you to use their hot spring pools on the roof which were co-ed and hopefully less crowded as the cost was more. We decided on that option, but as it was located at the end of the park, we first had to stop and see the museum and the library and do all the touristy stuff.

The library was first, and the reason why a public library was on my tourist agenda (aside from my deep and abiding love of free books) was that it had won several awards for its design - all gorgeous timber, and perfectly situated with huge old trees shading the outdoor reading decks - and for its sustainability (diamond rating!)- solar panels on the roof provide power, a gray-water system recycles water obtained from rainfall, and insulation is provided by soil on the part of the roof not covered by solar panels. Most importantly, it was gorgeous and fit right in to the park like setting.

Continuing farther up the stream we passed by people enjoying the free foot baths until we reached the Hot Springs Museum. This building was the original baths built by the Japanese, and as such you must remove your shoes before you enter. My darling husband was having none of that, and so volunteered to stay outside and watch my things while I went in. The upstairs had a huge tatami mat that was used fro resting in between soaks. Downstairs is where the baths were. The huge one in the photo above was for men only, women were not allowed to come to the onsen except as guests of men and then they were put into a much smaller square bath in a room to the left. Sigh...I am glad I was born in this day and age I tell you. Note the gorgeous stained glass in the windows, and the Roman-esque arched architecture. It would have been a beautiful place to soak once upon a time.

After I put my shoes back on and rejoined Sonny we continued to amble uphill. We passed the public baths which were teeming and stopped by the Plum Garden, the former summer home of the famous Taiwanese calligrapher Yu Youren. It is in the Japanese architectural style, and has lots of gorgeous dark wood, but we were more interested in the information center. If there is one thing New Zealand has taught me, it is that information centers are actually quite useful. Again, I had to take my shoes off, and Sonny again stayed outside, sitting in the sun on a bench next to an old man. I talked to the poor young man inside who spoke only so-so English, and asked his opinion on what hot spring we should visit. He pushed strongly for a private bath at this one hotel, and after a few minutes of that, I finally agreed and he indicated on the map for me where it was, I collected my now more cranky husband, and we set off - finally - for our hot spring!

When we finally arrived at the hotel he had been pushing, it was right next door to the original one I had chosen online! Both Sonny and I were a bit skeptical about his recommendation as we wanted less crowds and his assurance that this is "the place he sends everyone" did not seem to add up to our objective. So, we decided to go with our original idea. All I really wanted was a hot spring soak in semi natural surroundings!

The two hotels, the one he pushed is on the right, the one we chose is one the left and continues back behind

So we go into the hotel, go to the front desk, and Sonny explains to the guy what we want. He immediately points out that for less than the cost of two people to go to their public pools we can get a private pool for 90 minutes, and wouldn't we like to do that instead? By this point I just want to get in the hot water and Sonny's eyelid is twitching so I say "yes, fine." Next thing we know we are given a room key and strict admonishments to not let the tub overflow, and sent on our way. The inside of the hotel was really nicely decorated, with lots of orchids and water fountains. We got to our room, and while it was not the semi-natural setting I had envisioned, it was very nice. Japanese style, with a raised wooden seating platform, complementary tea and tidbits, lots of towels and toiletries. We ran a hot bath and soaked to contentedly until the front desk called to let us know we had ten minutes left. Then it was scramble to clean up and shower leave. We walked out in far, far better moods feeling very nice. 

(One interesting note, the water is quite acidic, the pH can get as low as 1 sometimes (!) and contains a small amount of radium but since so many people were using I figured it was allll good. The acidic waters made the skin on my chest unahppy, but other then that no problem)

Doesn't he look happier?

Refreshed by the hot springs, we were now hungry! So onto Tamsui, the "little beach town" that was supposed to have good seafood. We got back on the MRT and traveled all the way to the end of the line, then emerged in Tamsui. First impression when we emerged from the exit? In NO way is this a "little beach town!" It was crazy! Lots of people, lots of food carts and shops. We grabbed a quick scallion omelet then headed to the riverfront park/boardwalk area because supposedly this is the place in Taipei to photograph the sunset and we wanted to make sure we saw it. The boardwalk area was one of the oddest experiences I've had yet. It felt just like a boardwalk somewhere in the US, there was food on sticks and carnival games and kids eating cotton candy and people on bikes and someone blowing bubbles with a machine and music and buskers and then there would be a temple or the smell of stinky tofu to remind us that we were still in Asia. It was actually a lot of fun, far more than I expected.

"Small beach town"

Beginning of the boardwalk area

The park that ran parallel to the boardwalk. I liked it because it meant you could easily escape the crowds

These crowds

And these crowds

I got a corn dog because we were on a boardwalk! Sonny got a UFO-shaped oyster cake

We watched the sunset, then decided to head back into the town to check out this one busy-looking street for more food. I bought a really cool market bag from a guy that makes them, after Sonny spotted the shop. While I was deciding on the bag, Sonny and the owner had a conversation about my purse as the owner was admiring it. Then we found and ate xiao long bao, fried quail eggs, and 1 L of bubble tea each (we're on vacation!) Stuffed and tired, we climbed back on the MRT and headed home.