Crossing the Courtyard

This image was taken at the Summer Palace, the former retreat for Chinese rulers and one of UNESCO's world heritage sites. The building that dominates the back right of the photo is the stage where entertainers would perform. The stage features trap doors, an overhead pulley system to allow actors to "fly" and a system that uses water to project music/voices so they can be heard by the audience.

Date: July 25, 2008
Camera: Nikon D70
Lens: 18-200 AF-S DX
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/200
ISO: 200
Focal length: 32mm (48mm equiv.)
Format: NEF

Sitting Man in Beijing Alley

While Beijing has certainly changed and modernized over the last 25 years, there are still parts of the city which have managed to escape the cranes and developers, giving passer-bys a glimpse into a parallel place.

Date: July 24, 2008
Camera: Nikon D70
Lens: 18-200 AF-S DX VR
Aperture: f/8
Shutter speed: 1/160
ISO: 200
Focal length: 75mm (150mm equiv.)
Format: JPEG

Hutongs

Wikipedia describes "hutongs" as being "narrow streets or alleys, most commonly associated with Beijing, China."

Having now arrived in Beijing for one week now, I thought it would be best to begin a blog to record my adventures, to post my photos and to share with those that are far away a little of what life is like here in the Middle Kingdom.

G