As promised, a few photos from my trip to Beijing.
The air quality is much as advertised, though the composition seems to be about 1/3 pollutants, 1/3 blowing dirt, and 1/3 poplar fuzz. In an effort to green up the city, the government – in the words of my host – “picked the wrong trees”.
| The most common sight in Beijing – there are thousands of construction cranes in operation everywhere you go. |  |
One really has to see the monster from street level to get a sense of how weird-ass the weird-ass CCTV building is. (Taken through the rainy car window – sorry.)
I announced it will fall down. My host disagreed, and explained that it would be “the most famous building in the world”. “Yes,” I agreed. “Most famous when it falls down”.
| In fact, much of the modern architecture in Beijing is reminiscent of a Star Trek movie. This is a downtown rail stop. |  |
Dog shows look pretty much the same everywhere.
A downtown food market booth. Thanks, but no thanks.
(Incidentally, among the few “fat” people I saw in China were the guys scavenging food out of the garbage barrels at this market.)
| Speaking of which – I discovered the reason behind the world-wide food shortage. Her name is Tiffany. This was the lunch she ordered for three. | 
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The main gate at the Forbidden City.
Lion guard thingies.
Obligatory images from the Great Wall.
Uh oh. Don’t tell you-know-who…
There are others in this directory, though they’re rather mundane.
Very interesting! Welcome back.
With regards to the CCTV building, sometimes you get the impression that the government in China is trying a little too hard. You know, sort of the way the unpopular kid in highschool who just wants to be liked, but the character thing gets in the way.
Nice holiday snaps Kate!
HU did you go with and WEN would you visit again?
I wasn’t aware Buddhists had National Socialist inclinations, but I’m sure the CHRC would like to investigate this connection!
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht BGS, PDP, CFP
Commander in Chief
Frankenstein Battalion
2nd Squadron: Ulanen-(Lancers) Regiment Großherzog Friedrich von Baden(Rheinisches) Nr.7(Saarbrucken)
Knecht Rupprecht Division
Hans Corps
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
Hi Kate, nice photos!
What make/model camera do you use? Thanks!
Yes, thanks for the peak behind the curtain.
‘peek’, that is.
The Nazi symbol on the reclining figure (last pic) what’s that about?
How long did it take Warren to chisel that?
So, how many preconceived western stereotypes did you get to explode…any? 🙂
I particularly like the statuary “Westerner in the M.E.” in the upper left of warren’s grafitti picture…
Very cool Kate, I’m jealous. I’m reading the recent article on China in National Geographic magazine — very informative and interesting. I’d love to go there sometime.
“The Nazi symbol on the reclining figure (last pic) what’s that about?”
Thats the Hindu Swastika, a symbol thats about 4000 years old. HItler adopted it because it is an Aryan symbol. 88% of the population of India is Aryan, as is the population of Iran. Not quite the blonde-haired blue-eyed type, but Aryans all the same.
It’s an HP PhotoSmart 315
“The government picked the wrong trees”.
LOL – warmed my libertarian heart that one!
There was a joke when I grew up. A boy is eating his lunch, his mom says to him: “Johnny, look at you, you’re wasting your food, and there are fifty million kids who are starving in China at this very moment.” Johnny thinks for a moment and says, “Oh yeah, well name three!!”
My Dad always told me “when you see a chinese person throw something out… you know it’s bad.”
Great pic’s Kate
Dog show in China? Do they serve the winner in oyster sauce?
phil: suggest you do some research. It’s not necessarily a “nazi” symbol.
Thanks for the photo tour.Glad you are home safe and sound.
Does anyone know if the architect of the W-A CCTV building is the same one as the ROM Bomb in Toronto?
Thanks Kate, I appreciate the photographs of your trip, not to mention the comments.
Thanks,
Pat
Not aimed at Phil, but the Rom has seen fit to print on a sign beneath their big Bhudda figure that the swastika on the chest is ancient and not related to National Socialism or Hitler.
They do this because even in multi culti Canada, most people are deemed too stupid to know any of this.Evidently we do not learn much about other cultures in this great diverse land.Who knew?Usually the swastika is backwards.
Those were fascinating photos – thanks Kate!
Kursk: I agree the cross orientation is interesting. Perhaps the figure was manufactured in India, or the developer accidentally flipped the negative 😉
Anyways, thanks for the photos.
One thing I have learned from Chinese immigrants here in Vancouver is how keen so many of them are, now that they are in a free and rich and house-roomy country, to own a dog, as a pet. Until recently, it was illegal or impossible in Chinese cities. So, I bet a dog show means a lot to lots of people over there.
Another quake today in China…CTV.ca
I’ll bet that red stuff oozing off the tray is an acquired taste.
Good to have you back safe and sound as ever. Did you not want to try some of that weird stuff? I would not be able to pass up a try …About the swastika,I was informed a long time ago,by a very creative ‘manwoman’ with about 300 swastikas tattooed on his body,that the swastika originated as a peace symbol.
Thanks for showing us the redneck tourist pictures. 😉
I’m sure that you will be getting a call from some group or kangaroo court for showing those pig truck pictures. Lucy surely must be offended and is even now drying out some toilet paper in order to submit a HRC grievance.
Is that Mao’s portrait at the official entrance to the forbidden city? I thought he was well discredited there.
Through cyclones, earthquakes or other stuff…Kate(PBUK))rules!
Yes, that’s Mao. I still regret not picking up a couple of posters for friends back home…
Cool pics, Kate.
China Kennel Club? So they’re not under FCI rules?
Thats the Hindu Swastika, a symbol thats about 4000 years old. HItler adopted it because it is an Aryan symbol. 88% of the population of India is Aryan, as is the population of Iran. Not quite the blonde-haired blue-eyed type, but Aryans all the same.
When Hitler adopted the symbol, he also shifted it (45 degrees I think, I suck at math) so that it appeared squared as opposed to diamond shaped. Outside of the west, the symbol (in it’s original form) is still looked upon favourably. It’s my opinion that our PC gut reaction tends to colour how we react to the symbol when we see it in it’s natural habitat (i.e. on street signs in India or on religious icons in Asia).
You had me worried Kate, when you wrote about dog shows in China and the next photo was of a food market . . .
Just thought I’d add that the Beijing international airport is the worst I’ve ever been at for international transfers. Next to impossible to find the signs (and one I saw was pointing in the wrong direction), you have to leave the secure area and go through customs again, and the folks at the information desk don’t seem to know what’s going on. I was there for three hours once, and nearly missed my flight trying to figure out where I was supposed to go. Feh!
she, I think you have the configurations backwards. The sign on the statue is ‘squared’ to its shoulders; the Nazis had it oriented ‘diamond’-style.