This is one of the many auto events all around beijing. Dealers are spending a lots of money staging such weekend events to attracts the wealthy chinese.
A renovated courtyard house.
Themed restaurant.
One of the most important meeting point in Hutongs. Public toilets are hard to find in these Hutongs. This is also the rubbish collection point.
Themed pub.
Old tailor shop.
Unfurnished courtyard entrance. A few families live here.
Confucian Temple.
Took some friends for a brunch in the eastern parts of downtown beijing somewhere along the 2nd ring road. One of the oldest neighbourhood where many old courtyard houses are transformed into themed restaurant, pub and shops. Throught the years, many younger residents had moved out as living conditions are pretty tough and perfer much smaller but more comfortable living conditions in newer developed areas. The older folks still occupied most of these houses, goes on with their daily chores and ways of life, sitting under the old tree with small tiny wooden stools talking about the old days or taking a nap after a game of chess. As it is a sunday, their grandchildrens are seen running up and down the street playing with their guns and swords made from cardboards and newspaper. It is far too expensive to re-renovate these old courtyard houses and very soon one by one theses houses are slowly transform for commercial use. One of my friend said it will costs between 10 to 20 million reminbi to purchase a reasonable size courtyard house in Guozijian street. After a good brunch at this restaurant called The VineYard, we went for a stroll down the famous old street.
Beijing natives love their parks and one of the most popular one is the ChaoYang Park www.beijingguide2008.com/chaoyang_sun_park_beijing/chaoyang_park_beijing.html
We went to the park last weekend together with my brother in law and his family. This is the first time I have been inside the park and realised how big the place was ! covering 3,000 square kilometers, its has huge amusement parks, sport stadium, beach volley ball (used by the 2008 olympic games) soccer field, basket ball court, swimming pools,lakes and even a nature reserve !
It was early summer time in beijing so the weather is pretty humid and I was sketching this beautiful carousel under the shade.
Located in Huairou County about 45 miles from Beijing, Mutianyu Great Wall enjoys a long history and is part of the glorious culture of China. It connects Juyongguan Pass in the west and Gubeikou Great Wall in the east.
Mutianyu Great Wall winds 1.4 miles through lofty mountains and high ridg
es, many sections of which are made of granite.
I brought my sister-in-laws for a weekend visit and as usual since I was up there so many times, I decided to wait the the carpark at the foot of themountain sketching this piece.
