China

I didn’t really visit China. Instead I visited Beijing. Although technically in China, I’m pretty sure that the vast majority of the country is not like this place. Beijing was actually just a rest stop before beginning my Trans-Mongolian Railway trip. So rather than exploring the rural villages and trying to dive into Chinese culture, I hung around a hostel, went to some tourist destinations, and ate a lot of Western fast-food while reading overpriced English language periodicals.

Stories

Favorite Photographs

Beijing, Forbidden City

It’s big, it’s confusing, it’s exceptionally old, and it’s perhaps the largest tourist destination in all of China. The Forbidden City lies at the heart of Beijing and was the home of royalty until royalty was overthrown and outlawed a few hundred years ago. However it’s a very interesting place to photograph, especially if you like the color red.

Visits

Beijing, Summer Palace

Where royalty spent their vacation time, and a welcome respite to the rest of Beijing’s grey concrete.

Beijing, Tianamen Square

This is the place I spent most of my Beijing stay exploring. It’s a facinating place, especially for someone like myself wh does not really understand it’s historical and political importance. It is a great place to see tens of thousands of Chinese people spending their time talking, gawking, courting, and playing. I also enjoyed the novelty of being one of the tallest people amongst the hoardes. During three visits I estimate I was asked to join ninety or so family portraits at the Square. Simply standing in one place usually drew a crowd of curious people, and each time I went someone adopted me and spent an hour or so asking me in broken english about life around the world. It was my most enjoyable time in the city.

Beijing, Around Town

Beijing is a very large city, nearly 20 kilometers across. That does not make it a very walkable place, my usual mode of transportation upon arriving at a new destination. There are 12 million people in Beijing, and the city is a center of new construction, smoke-spewing vehicles and bicycles. 

Great Wall of China, Simitar

When United States President Richard M. Nixon made his groundbreaking visit to China in the early 1970’s he commented upon visiting the Great Wall this way, “It truly is a great wall.” I begrudgingly agree. Over four hours spent trapsing up a kilometer-long segment made me wonder about such a huge fear of invasion existing, that a culture could expend the amount of money, blood, sweat and intense human suffering the wall represents. Maybe I was just pissed off that it was a cloudy day and my photographs largely sucked.

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