Trendy Youth Tiananmen Square

These two were peddling amongst the throngs during rush hour along Tiananmen Square. Most everyone was riding a sturdy one speed.

Youthful trendiness made this pair stand out from the crowd. The majority of cyclists looked like weary commuters on their way home after a long day at work.

Despite statistics citing 1,000 new cars hitting the street every day bicycles are still a major mode of transport in Beijing.

This photo has been published in a book on teens in China and in a consumer magazine in Germany.

Street Scenes: Hutong Beijing

Life spills out onto the pavement in Beijing’s Hutongs (alleys). Outside storefronts and homes people sit on chairs and doorsteps working and chatting.

This corner grocer and food stand was no exception. Notice how the man and woman are wearing red arm bands. This was to commemorate National Day, when this photograph was taken.

City Icons: Beijing China

Beijing’s icons have stood for centuries.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the center of attention in the Temple of Heaven complex. Built in the 1400s it burned to the ground in the 1880s and was rebuilt soon after.

Not touted in local tourist literature like the Temple of Heaven but perhaps most recognizable to people around the world is Tiananmen Gate, with its portrait of Chairman Mao. Located at the north end of the massive Tiananmen Square the Forbidden City lies just beyond it on the other side.

The Beijing Summer Olympics has created a new crop of icons. Most notable is the ultra modern National Stadium, fondly referred to as the Bird’s Nest. I wonder if it will endure the centuries as well as its elder counterparts.

Beijing Summer Olympics

This post went live just as the opening ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics began.

In honor of the Summer Games posts for the next week or so will feature different aspects of Beijing. Meanwhile here are some highlights from the past year.

Door To Door Makeover Forbidden City
Hutongs
Liulichang Street
Tiantan Park
Lama Temple
Coal Vendor
Sidewalk Calligraphy

Have a great weekend!

Portraits: Healer Djemma el Fna Marrakesh

He was set up in a relatively quiet section of Djemma el Fna in Marrakesh. In front of him herbs, antlers, ostrich eggs and items I could not identify in glass jars were spread out on a blanket. They were the potions of this traditional healer.

Based on his dress he appears to be Tuareg, a nomadic people of the Sahara. He noticed my curiosity and motioned for me to take a look. He did not ask for money after I took his portrait, which is typically the custom for those photographed in Marrakesh’s famed square.

When I showed him this image he smiled and seemed pleased with the results.

Tokyo And A Tale Of Man’s Best Friend

Outside of Tokyo’s busy Shibuya Station is a life size bronze statue of an Akita. Several dozen people stand nearby waiting for someone. Tourists take turns having their photos taken next to it before heading across the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing.

The Hachiko Statue represents the extreme of man’s best friend and loyalty and is Tokyo’s most famous meeting spot.

In the 1920s the faithful canine Hachiko would accompany his owner, a professor, to Shibuya Station every morning. At the end of the workday the professor would return to find the dog waiting for him. This routine continued for a few years until the professor died. But his dog continued to wait every day for 10 years until his own death.

People were so touched that a statue was erected in the dog’s honor in the 1930s. The original statue was melted down during World War II but a few years after the war ended a new one was erected.