Saturday, March 17, 2012

Taiwan cycling 2012 Frog Cafe

Speaking to Frogman.  We talked about bicycles, life and changing attitudes to life

art interpretation of Taiwan island

This have to be one of the highlights for the Taiwan cycling trip. Visiting Frog Cafe, soak in the mood and meeting Frogman himself.
Well, what so special about this cafe or guy? It all happen 2+ years ago when I just started cycling and doing the Lovecyclingsg thing. We went to Taipei and was hanging out at Eslite Book shop. My wife's favorite place in Taipei. The books are all in Chinese!!!! but as fate would have it.. I spotted Frogman photobook account of his cycling ride with his buddies around Taiwan. No able to read 100% chinese, I scanned the photos and words... It was readed in quite simple phases... one being day 3.. my ass is painful.. haha.. I can relate to that!
Yes, I bought that book home and read more. It was cycling and viewing things slowing... More importantly also about friendship with buddies. My kind of thing.
2 years passed and we went to Taiwan again... This time, I really wanted to visit the Cafe and meet him. Kim helped to email and up... but no real reply.... But we went anyway. Located in a small side alley, you will definitely miss it if not looking closely. We sat down and had coffee..momo running around making her presence felt. This is a place where ideas and dreams are shared. And then.. Frogman appeared and we chatted about the cycling scene in Singapore. Specifcally LCSG... He was quite surprised and happy to hear that. I can tell our frequency was the same. Later on, he invited us to visit his basement where he was tinkering with stuff. A laser marking printer that was making wooden plague with inspiring messages. One message was " life is like cycling up the mountain... after one.. there is another. And there will always be someone who irritates the hell out of u and say it is not possible"... This is translated literally, chinese version is more elegantly written.
Why this is biggie for me...
Frogman is one of my cycling inspiration as he was the first to share his cycling story. Not the hardest core kind but sharing his country stories, culture using Cycling. He is also one of the pivotal character who helped to shape the Taiwanese cycling movement. Just like what we are helping to shape Singapore with Lovecyclingsg.
Of course, I extended my invitation to him to ride in Singapore. To show him our homeground that is more than Orchard road or Marina bay sands.. He said... someday someday... :)

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