4ever Discovering

After a long week of work (and maybe a late Saturday night out), what better way to spend your Sunday afternoon than relaxing on a beach?  Our thoughts exactly.  On a beautiful, sunny Sunday, Emily and I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous November weather and make our way to a new beach.  We need to get as much vitamin D as we can before ‘winter’ comes here!  At this rate, I don’t think we will be experiencing any winter-like weather until February (but I’m not complaining).  I would take a beach day over a snow day anytime.

 

Living in Taipei, there are plenty of beaches accessible around the North coast.  The only slight problem we’ve encountered is the amount of time it takes to get there.  Taking public transit can be quite time consuming; we usually have to give ourselves about 1.5-2 hours commute to make it to any beach.  It’s all fine and dandy; we just need to make sure we leave early enough so we don’t spend most of the sunny day on the train or bus.

 

Getting to Qianshuiwan is pretty straight forward; however, it takes about 2 hours between all of the public transit.  You take the red MRT line north, all the way to the last stop, Tamsui.  Once you get off of the MRT, you can catch a bus to take you along the coast and drop you off when you see water.  The ride itself is very scenic, so make sure you get a seat by the window to take in the views.  Looking at the ocean never gets old, no matter how many times you take the trip.

 

Emily and I first heard of Qianshuiwan beach by a Facebook event; there was a restaurant near the water that was hosting live music all afternoon.  We were looking for a pub-style restaurant to listen to music, so when we saw this event, we were sold.  It also helped that it was right by the water and they served British fish and chips!  It was really a no-brainer.

 

The beach itself is really clean and not very busy.  Maybe it’s because it is November and not a lot of people go swimming except for the crazy Canadians.  When people ask us if we’re cold, we give them a crazy look and tell them we have snow at home.  This weather is like summer for us!  The beach is small and is filled with golden sand.  It is a great area to catch some rays, read your book, and take a little snooze (I’m guilty of all three).  There’s something about lying in the sand that always make me tired, even if I don’t realize it until after I wake up.

 

The vibe at Qianshuiwan is very relaxed; the restaurant Dazzler’s is right by the water, so if you’re laying on the beach, you can hear the music playing while watching the waves roll in.  The fish and chips were a great reminder of what food we are missing at home; nothing like a little fried batter and fresh-cut fries to make you miss home a little.  This meal is paired great with a nice, cold beverage.  I would recommend one of the many flavours of ciders Dazzler’s offers (the pear is great!).  Let’s be honest, nothing beats sitting in the sand, having a bevvie, and thinking about what an awesome adventure life is.

 

The live music at Dazzler’s was a lot of local musicians, jamming by the ocean.  It was more of an open-mic style event; there wasn’t a set list of bands.  If you wanted to go up and play a little something for the crowd, you were more than welcomed to.  I decided to spare the audience their ears and save my karaoke for the private rooms.  I don’t think it mattered how much they were drinking, I don’t think they would appreciate my singing act.  Maybe if I had Emily dancing in the background we would get a little more stage credit.  We’ll work on it and let you know how it goes.

 

We decided to take a little break from our napping and relaxing, and took a stroll down the beach to see what else was around there.  We ran into a lot of little shops and cafes that look like a great place to spend a weekend.  There was even a small hotel with an outdoor pool to stay at if you’re really interested.  The whole atmosphere of Qianshuiwan screamed ‘BEACH BUM’ to me.  The only thing I need to retire here is a gravity chair, a cooler, and a whole lot of books to keep me busy.  Talk about a happy life.

 

This beach is the place to go if you are looking for a quiet day, some live music, and some good comfort food.  Dazzler’s restaurant does not have a lot of seating, so be prepared to eat on the beach.  We started on the beach, then were offered two seats at the table near the bar.  It seemed like a good idea at time, but then realized we were sharing a table with a couple of day-drinking men.  Tequila was the cheapest drink on the menu, and they were not taking no for an answer when the rounds kept coming to the table.  We made sure to eat our food quickly to avoid any shots on a Sunday afternoon.  That’s the reality of the real world, I guess; no more Sunday Funday like in university!  Welcome to adulting.