This is where I share a mix of my illustration and a touch of pretty things and places I've discovered in my day.

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Monday, December 10, 2012

Here comes the bride.

It was with great expectation that we got up early on one of our very few public holidays to attend the wedding of a lovely girl called Sandra who was my boyfriends previous manager at his school.
We have heard many mixed opinions about Chinese weddings as they differ greatly from our Western ones and we were keen to experience it.
The couple are Christian so the church seremony was not that different from what we are use to - although it was more informal with less of a church atmosphere. Some people came dressed in hoodies, and there was amusingly a little lap dog being held in the choir.

The bride looked lovely - as brides do - in a big white dress with a long train. After the cermony we were lucky to be driven with the wedding  procession of red mitsubishis to the reception.
Arriving at the recpetion you have to hand over you hong bao (red envelope) first, this is your payment for the wedding. The amount is optional but anything under R300 per person will be frowned upon. The money is unceremoniously taken out of the envelope - counted and the amount is written down in a book. You can then write well wishes and your name on a long red paper wishing the couple a bright future.

After a long wait for the arrival of the couple, the first course of many were served. It arrived with a lighting and music show and electrical torches with quite a fanfare. The wine was opened - there isn't much of a drinking culture with weddings - it's mostly for toasting and after living in Cape Town the quality of the wine makes your toes curl in your shoes. So toast we did - with the bride as they go around to every table for good wishes. My boyfriend was treated to a taste of the bride's glass - fruit juice! Not a chance for a tipsy bride then. With a few dress changes ahead I quess the bride still had quite a day ahead of her.

The next 13 or so courses came in one after the other - it is very different to the usual Taiwanese food - which I really enjoy. There is a lot of Chinese traditional herbs in and it's just not really palatable - Sorry...When the last course - the fruit - hit the table, people start leaving - it's the usual end of the reception. We are greeted by the door by the couple with some candy and a generous gift and off we go home. (Craving a cheese sandwich)

Friday, August 10, 2012

Ons praat Afrikaans op die R62

Ons vertrek die oggend uit Franschoek na 'n wonderlike aand met volstruis fillet, 'n paar bottels Wolftrap,'n klein koue Jägermeister en uitsonderlike geselskap na die R62 via die Theewaterskloofpas. Eers getreat met die uitsig van bo-op die pas oor die hele Franschoek valei, voor mens verdwyn - effe karsiek - om die volgende draai van die kronkelpad.

Ons ry eerste deur Villiersdorp waar 'n paar herinneringe deurskemer van 'n vorige kuier. Dis koud buite maar die dag is pragtig. Sonnig en met lekker tunes in die kar voel dit hemels. Dis landskap slaan keer op keer ons asems weg. Dis OOP en skoon en blou, geel en bruin met highlights van oranje-rooi aalwyne wat vol in blom staan. In ons omgewing waar ons bly in Taiwan bly daar 24000 mense per vierkante km. Hier is jy gelukkig as jy een sien!

Ons eerste stop is by Affieplaas 'n padstal net duskant Robertson. Ons koop geskenkies, padkos en geniet 'n heerlike middagete. Volgende Barrydale - ons ry op en af in die opdraand afdraand strate en gaan krap rond in 'n bric-'n-brac winkeltjie. De Waal koop koeksitsers vir sy pottery master in Danshui en ek 'n ou protea poskaart.
Volgende stop Mcgregor. Ons gaan loer in by Millstone pottery - die potter daar is een van die enigste pottebakkers wat sy ware in houtgevuurde kilns bak in Suid Afrika (nes in Taiwan). Ons besluit om te oornag op Montagu - ek bel 'n paar nommers wat beskikbaar is by die toeriste opsteekbord en besluit op die vriendelikste Afrikaanse tannie. "Kom kyk gerus" sê sy. Ek is oorweldig! Wat 'n pragtige cottage en kamer - die cottage is groter as ons woonstel in Taiwan so "dankie tannie ons sal die kamer vat". "So julle is oorspronklik van Pretoria?" Jô tannie, "op Tukkies geswot?" "Jô Tannie". In ons woongebied is jy bly as iemand 'n woordjie Engels kan uitkry. Hier, praat almal Afrikaans. Ongelooflik hoe jy jou taal waardeer as jy dit vir so lank nie gehoor het nie.

Na 'n Wimpy ontbyt val ons weer in die pad - Montagu was lieflik! Ek sou met graagte langer bly! Ons ry deur Ladismith sien towerkop sy kop uitsteek en stop oor in Calitzdorp vir pannekoek en 'n verrasing geselsie met die chef wat vir 8 jaar in Taiwan gebly het. Interessant hoe vinnig hy opgesom het al die dinge wat mens die meeste grief en meeste plesier gee. Dit laat mens gerus voel! Ons ry vlugtig deur Oudshoorn en tot in Glentana waar ons met ope arms en groot borde kos verwelkom word na die laaste strek van ons wonderlike vakansie.


Friday, July 27, 2012

How I love South Africa!

The good part of being away from home for so long is when coming back you see everything you know so well through new eyes. I have never appreciated things so very much - things we usually take for granted. The space, the silence, the incredibly friendly openhearted people always ready for a chat or a joke, the wonderful produce, the wine, oh the wine, the gardens, the winter sun, the wildlife and then to top it all the loved ones. Dearly missed family and friends.

Thanks for everybody's hospitality and everyone who made an effort to meet up. Wish we could spend more time! Much love xx

Friday, June 8, 2012

Scootering and sketching in and around Taipei.

One of the wonderful things about Tapei is getting out of Taipei! Not far from where we live - between Tucheng and Sanxia - there are wonderful mountains covered in jungle that's a joy too explore by scooter. So of we went with Alex (my awesome new cartoonist friend from snotm). It was great to explore little windy roads, old cemetries, new leaves coming to life and just generally hanging out in the cool darkness of the jungle. We treated ourselves on the way back with a delicious meal at an old school Japanese restaurant in Sanxia. Yum! Salad with lobster and apsaragus, tempura taro and aubergine, barbequed fish, salmon fried rice and plenty more!

Later in the week Alex and I hung out at Taipei Main Station - practising quick gestural drawing and also at Revolver for a life drawing session which I haven't done in ages. All of it was pretty awesome.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Fanzine for sale!



For purchases click here


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Backpacking sketchbook 8: Final stop - Tong Sai

We were so thankful that our last destination ticked all the boxes after a lot of unexpected turns in our holiday. Tong Sai is mainly a rock climber hangout - with its surrounding cliffs it's paradise for those who climb them. We don't, but we enjoyed the vibe. There was a great community atmosphere as well as the spirit of people caring for their surrounding environment. The local people seemed happy too - which was the first time we felt that in Thailand.

We got a lovely wooden bungalow surrounded by beautiful nature and we chilled out. Swimming and reading on the beach, picking up really pretty shells, hanging out on the deck/restaurant/bar with fellow travelers and I was super happy to find a restaurant that stocked some English comics - some good ol' Calvin and Hobbs and others - they lend them to me like a library and I was super happy to disappear inside them for a few days.

We left Ton Sai with a good feeling, rested and happy to return to our little place in Taiwan, looking forward to the efficiency, safety and the routine in our lives as well as new projects and old friends.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Backpacking sketchbook 7: Thailand.

Arriving at Phi Phi Island I immediatly wanted to turn around and go straight back to Laos. We got off the ferry and the walkway led us straight into the crowded town centre that could've been anywhere: It was covered in dive shops filled with working foreigners, very similar looking bars, westernised restaurants and LOADS of tourists wearing the same t-shirts. The rooms were smaller crummier and more expensive and Luang Prabang's beautiful wooden rooms seemed like a dream. After a lot of walking and exploring we did however find a nice little bungalow next to a mosque and a soccer field (lawns are amazing when you live in Taiwan) and we happily settled in.

We were very excited to meet up with some friends from home who had all flown there for a holiday and a wedding. We all went on a day cruise on a yacht - snorkeling, swimming and enjoying the wonders that Thailand's sea has to offer. We had a look and a swim at "The Beach" and enjoyed the company of fellow wedding party quests hanging around in Phi Phi for a few days after which we moved to Railay Bay.

Railay Bay is mostly a resorty stop over with not much local flavour but with a beautiful beach and an ideal wedding setting. Our friends got married late one afternoon and it was great to attend such a special event. The food was wonderful - the company was great, the margeritas went down smoothly and the tequila took care of the entertainment. Unfortunately my boyfriend had a fever I had some weird insane allergy so that dampened our party spirits a little. Such is travelling.

We bid farewell to all the the friends from home - most were suffering by that time too.. and we moved on to our last destination of the trip.


Monday, February 20, 2012

Come meet Alex!

We accidently met Alex. My boyfriend sat next to him in the library and saw his comic sketchbook (he was taking a little nap). So they chatted and we hung out. How very interesting to meet Alex and his girlfriend Iris. He is a cartoonist from Barcelona and she - a Taiwanese girl who grew up in Brazil - is currently working for an ngo as well as drawing comics. They live in Maputo for the time being. Yes Maputo. Have they been to South Africa? Yes to Nelspruit - How unuasual!

Alex's work is really awesome. He is busy working on a book - so we were so fortunate to see the originals that he is working on. He would first plan out all the frames of the story in a seperate book and would then start penciling or sometimes go straight to ink. He captures all the essential elements with his simplified drawings and potrays powerful emotion with great use of composition and line. We also went to the Lin family garden together for some drawing and I loved how Alex draws from life in his simplified comic style.

You can view his work here - I love his very perceptual insights into Taiwan as well as Iris's work here


Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Backpacking sketchbook 6: South - finally!

What a relief to get going. We flew to Pakse, jumped on a songthaew and got out of Pakse as soon as possible. Thank God we weren't stuck there! Our journey to the 4000 islands took a good few hours on the road, it was great to cover some distance and get some clarity and open space.

The 4000 Islands are located on the Mekong river in the South of Laos. There are various islands to visit and we liked the sound of Don Det an Don Khong. A fisherman took us to Don Khong in his longtail boat. It was wonderful to be surrounded by a mass of fast moving fresh water - such a different landscape and energy. We wanted to go to Don Khong because of its traquility and silence - but it was a little bit TOO quiet - with no other diners in any restaurants in sight. It was a strange feeling to order a banana pancake and after waiting 10 minutes you see one of the owners little sons come back with a bag of eggs. Things move slooooow here. We made our move after one night to Don Det more due to lack of time than lack of fast paced life.

Don Det is a typical place for backpackers to get stuck in. It's chilled and quiet but with enough travellers around to have a good time. The perfect place to find some hippies moving around in a world of cherry picking, working in hostels and smoking copious amounts of bamboo bongs. It hasn't been trampled on to a point of aboslute tourist destruction and the basic accomodation keep the lanie's away... for now.

I turned my drawing into a mural at "The Happy bar" and loved it. We savoured the little time we could spend until we had to move on to Ubon Rachatani to catch a flight to Phuket.

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