Cycling and sketching in Taipei

I embarked on a brief journey to Taipei, spanning from April 26 to April 29, where I seized the opportunity to indulge in sketching and cycling. Gratitude is owed to Paul Chui and Hughes Lu for generously lending me their Brompton bicycle for the duration of my stay. Although not my inaugural cycling experience in Taiwan, I was once again taken aback by the splendid cycling routes that Taipei City has to offer. The scenery is breathtaking, and navigating the city on a bicycle proved to be both enjoyable and convenient.

Took Flyscoot 889 red eye flight to TPE. Painted this in Changi Airport. I was to arrive in TPE at 5 30 am !!!!

My first stop happened to be the lockers at Taipei Main Station. Had a heavy bag and Hotel check-in time is at 3 pm

Nothing is opened at 7 so I decided to go to Visit Long Shan Temple and be among the earliest to make a wish.  Wish didn't come true..... YET

Then I headed up to Tamsui to meet Hughes. He's super duper nice and loaned me his black Brompton bike that is crazy decked out. Also guided me around and off I went from Tamsui down to Shilin area.

Crazy beautiful weather . I was super lucky.  The cycling route in Taipei is super nice.

Entire cycling path runs along the river. 

After Beitou , I found a spot to paint in the shelter. It was super nice.

Half way there.

Somewhere near Beitou

Then I sneaked out from Yuan Shan area and ride towards Shilin area.

Somewhere near Dadao Cheng Pier. Another great spot to paint

Like Seoul, Plenty of bridges and beautiful scenes. 

It is so so so beautiful at some spots,  I can't believe I was in Taipei.

I spent some time cycling around Dihua Street and thought I may bump into a dear friend there. 

The power towers were interesting enough to earn a page in my sketchbook.

Baopiliao Old Street was quite a nice spot to paint as well. Interesting old buildings well preserved.

I sketched the Brompton in the hotel and gave this sketch to Hughes. Thankful to be able to ride his Brompton in Taipei. It would have been a lot more troublesome to bring mine.

I enjoyed the new Taipei MRT to the airport. Its really comfortable and easy

Flyscoot my way back to Singapore. Taipei will always have a special spot in my heart. 

Finally got up the Mao Kong after numerous failed attempts.  Its quite a sight and I am glad I finally scaled up. 

Thank you, Paul Chui and Hughes Lu from Bike Gang for sharing their Brompton with me.  Super grateful for all your hospitality and I look forward to your visit to Singapore :) 

An old sketch I did of Taipei from a hike up Elephant mountain.

4 days of sketching and cycling Taiwan

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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