Danger Zone

Tamsui is the most dangerous location that I have been to since arriving in Taipei. It is also the most beautiful. It is a district right off of the Danshui river. There is a broad pathway that is lined with buildings and shops on one side and slopes downward toward the river on the other. This meandering path is teeming with people who zigzag back and forth between both sides alternately visiting the shops and stopping to take in this breathtaking view:

"But wait", you say, "I thought that you said this place was dangerous? How could such a beautiful location be dangerous?" This, my friends, is why:

These are candied nuts

cool little wire sculptures

clay flowers

this is the shopping area

some kind of food

Freaking Gigantic Ice Cream
 (yes, that is the technical term)

red bean stuffed waffle cakes 

more stores

Wicked awesome wooden figures

Jelly Tea

candy covered fruit

This is a store that looked somewhat like Ripley's Believe it or Not

tiny fried bird's eggs

more candied nuts

little silk purses

caramelized fruits

Cherry tomatoes that were so sweet that I didn't believe that they actually were tomatoes

some kind of crunchy cracker thing
it is hard to describe, but it was very good

miniature cooked fish

 

little balls made of fish

This was kind of like gummy candy

this is Taiwanese candy...

...it is made from pulled sugar

some thing chewy and sweet

Those Archimedes-esque spirals are potatoes

packaged goodies

squid

fruit

a stand selling iron eggs

pickled fruit

a stand selling sweet waffles

rings and braclets

tiny figurines

pin ball

this is a toy store that sold traditional Taiwanese toys

they also sold candy

these boxes are for Chinese New Year

They are kind of like the Easter Baskets that stores have filled with toys and candy

the store also had these cool little metal models

more figurines 

Chinese opera masks

Taiwanese style bakery

a shop selling Taiwan tee-shirts

more food

mantou and bouzi 

homemade soaps

nougat bars

they also had bikes and segways for rent

this is sugar cane juice

fruit stand

roasted corn

fried fish

sweet buns

stinky tofu 

cream filled waffle cakes

this shop sold traditional wooden sandals 

these are caramelized sweet potatoes

So, now, you understand why this place is so dangerous. It is dangerous for your waistline, dangerous for your pocket book, and dangerous for your poor suitcase, which suddenly looks way too small. A lot of the food places offered free samples, so, luckily, I could try small amounts of the different foods without having to buy it. It was also a very good thing that I have been following my uncle's advice to not buy anything upon the first visit. If I had been intending to buy things today then I think this picture aptly sums up the level of craziness that would have ensued: 

                                           
                                                  

As it is, I am planning to return to that toy store, I happen to know two little kids who would really enjoy some of those toys. It should be less hazardous once it is no longer a novelty, or at least that's what I keep telling myself. We will see how that goes. Until next time adventurers.