Participated in Taiwan's Brompton World Championship racing event last weekend at Chang Hua and decided to extend my stay for a few days, indulging in some sketching and cycling adventures.
Tools of the Trade:
1) My Brompton
2) A pocket sized Accordion Moleskine.
3) Clutch Pencil, Kneaded eraser and a sharpener
Day 1:
Commenced my journey from the hotel near Taipei Main Station to Dihua Street with the intention of sketching the beautiful buildings. However, I found myself cycling aimlessly until I stumbled upon a stunningly lit building.
The lights falling off this building and trees caught my attention.
Sketch of a Street Scene near Dihua Street.
Rode up north and cycled along the river near Shilin.
Saw a dead bird when I cycle back to Taipei Main Station.
Made a pit stop at Yuan Shan to participate in a figure drawing session. The model seamlessly transitioned between poses every 5 minutes, revealing a distinctive Taiwanese feature that intrigued me.
Visited CCH Studio for another figure drawing session, enjoying a lively atmosphere and friendly fellow artists, including a retiree. The studio was packed, and the instructor's warm welcome made the experience memorable
Day 2 : Early morning cycling along Tamshui and exploring the market.
My Sketching Companion & Tools
Stopped by Jian Tan and noticed the evolution of shops, including new bicycle stores and the addition of a Louisa Coffee Cafe.
Day 3:
With a slight drizzle in Taipei, I decided to escape to Taichung via HSR. After reassembling my bicycle, I enjoyed some local Milk Tea at an 85c Cafe. Sketched scooters before embarking on a cycling journey to Taichung Confucius Temple, capturing the scene in just 30 minutes.
Taiwan's national commute = The Scooters. Their daily dosage of hugs and snuggles.
Got to rest early before I take part in the cycling race tomorrow at Chang Hua
Gotta look sharp when riding a bicycle in Taiwan.
Day 4: Brompton World Championship day at Chang Hua
Didn't bring a cover and was hoping to not get caught in the Train.. hehe lucked out
Woke up early to take the local train to Taichung HSR but mistakenly hopped on an express train, traveling beyond my intended destination to Zuoying. Embracing the unexpected, I jumped on the next train north, reaching the race on time. Surprisingly, no extra charges were incurred—an unintentional round-island adventure on the HSR.
I made it to the race on time, after all !
Race of 12 Km and the fastest guy finished in about 19 minutes.
My entire trip in a piece :)
In summary, a fantastic trip filled with gratitude to all my Taiwanese friends who joined me and made the experience memorable