Charleson: Tamsui 淡水

City to the north of Taipei

We arrive Taipei 臺北 late at night around 2300 so we go to Shihlin night market 士林夜市 expecting it to open till late midnight. Since we had not book our hostel tonight we though that we might hang out at Shihlin till around 0200 ++. But to our dissapointment when we arrive there by MRT, the vendor had start cleaning and closing their stalls!

So we wonder what should we do till tomorrow. Luckily there is a McDonald nearby which operates 24hours, so we went in to the upstair and rest for the night.

The next morning the weather is freezing cold with wind and rain. We have no choice but to take MRT to Tamsui. The rain getting much heavier as we arrive Tamsui so we walk to Starbuck and take shelter.
p/s : take MRT Danshui (Red) Line to its northern end of Danshui Station

By 1100 the rain start to subside so we head out along the riverside walkway toward hilltop where most of the attraction located.

First we went to Hongmao Castle (Fort San Domingo) 紅毛城, it was constructed by the Dutch as 'Fort Anthonio' in 1641. The compound also served as the British Consulate in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Entrance into Fort San Domingo

Hongmao Castle

View from upstair and overlook Bali 巴里

The interior of the fort

Then we walk into Aletheia University 真理大學 compound.
Tamsui Oxford (University) College founded by George Leslie Mackay

Octogonal tower entrance

Octogonal tower was completed in 1925 to provide more spaces for the growing number of student of Tamkang Middle High School.

Mackay Family Cemetery 馬偕家族墓園

Tamsui Customs Officer's Residence ( Little white house )

The residence of Reverends

The residence of Misses

The Residence of Mackay 馬偕故居

Mackay Memorial Hospital - 馬偕紀念醫院

Tamsui Church, Mackay St. 淡水禮拜堂

The statue of Mackay

Tamshui Ferry Terminal

MRT station of Tamsui

After done visiting all the attraction and its around 1630 so we decide to drop by Beitou 北投 since its on the way back to city center.
p/s : MRT red (Xindian-Danshui/Nanshijiao-Beitou) lines both stop at Beitou MRT station. From Beitou station a one-station branch line runs to Xin Beitou station, which is near the hot springs area.

So we went for hot spring. Since none of us bring any swimtrunk nor shower cap and we gentlement doesn't want to expose ourself. We went for private hotspring bathtub which cost 100NTD/45mins. The hotspring is good and not very strong sulfur smell.