[hkskyline]

1. My visit to Beijing in the winter cold was quite fruitful, as I saw a lot of new and interesting things from the Olympic Games. Let's start with the new subway line.

6. It's a short ride to the Olympic site, but getting to this subway line takes a few changes from the city centre.

7. Start saying WOW!

10. Now I start my snapshot spree of the Bird's Nest.

15. It's a hefty price to get in. In fact, it's more costly than the Forbidden City, which is a bit of an atrocity given this is only one building. But there was no shortage of visitors. The Olympic factor is still strong and drawing the crowds. I will post the interiors in the next part of my Beijing series.

19. Beijing also has a lot of old buildings. The hutongs are interesting to explore, but the reality is, many of these homes lack even the most basic necessities. Renovating them and adapting them for modern use is not always possible. Some may be worth preserving, but I think the vast majority simply cannot be upgraded for today's expectations.

31. There are a couple of historic sights that offer a view. The Bell and Drum Towers were on my to-visit list last time (in 2007), but I never got a chance to climb them until this visit.

40. Unfortunately, there was a bit of smog as well.

 

[UD2]

how did you manage to shoot the crappiest parts of Beijing and missed all the good ones?

BTW where did you shoot your pictures? you look like you were pretty far out. I've tried finding areas like this when I was there and failed miseriably.

 

[Conrad Black]

Thanks for the photos.

 

[hkskyline]

how did you manage to shoot the crappiest parts of Beijing and missed all the good ones?

BTW where did you shoot your pictures? you look like you were pretty far out. I've tried finding areas like this when I was there and failed miseriably.

I've been to Beijing a few times, so I avoided the key tourist traps this time and went for the hutongs before they disappear for good.

Here's Part 2 :

1. The exterior is surely impressive. Now it's time to make best use of my expensive admission ticket and venture inside the National Stadium.

3. The interior looks like a typical stadium. It's big, but nothing too special to the eye.

10. Luckily, despite the crowds, the huge space meant people were spread around, so there weren't many roadblocks along the way as I snapped pictures relentlessly.

15. The press gallery

19. Take a seat and feel the Olympic spirit.

20. Let's change gears and head back into the city. Qianmen used to be a major market street in Old Beijing. When I first came by this area in 2007, all the buildings were boarded up and there was a lot of traffic along the actual street. I was quite surprised the boards had renderings of what the future would look like, and it was impressive they had these boards all along both sides of the street for as far as the eye can see. Well, it's now done, although still awaiting tenants to move in, and it's quite impressive.

21. They even reproduced the old tram, although a bit clunky like an ironclad on rails.

.

25. There were a lot of people strolling along this newly-pedestrianized street. But most of these buildings are actually empty. Not many people have moved in. So a lot of lookers than shoppers and diners.

34. Remember, they rebuilt this street. All these are new buildings in the old style. Back in imperial times, commoners could not use the bright red colours on their buildings. Those were reserved for the royal clan.

40. 2 years ago this was a boarded-up street.

46. Towards the end of the street, the crowds got thinner. It was a cold day, and I couldn't believe I lasted so long out there. But then, I haven't endured the -30C Canadian winters for a few years, so now my ability to withstand real cold has decreased.

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[Urban Shocker]

Remember, they rebuilt this street. All these are new buildings in the old style. Back in imperial times, commoners could not use the bright red colours on their buildings. Those were reserved for the royal clan.

How sensible the imperial Chinese were. The employment of bright colours in architecture should always be restricted to trained professionals.

 

[Long Island Mike]

The New and old of Beijing...

HK: Good pics all from Beijing! You captured a little of the new,old and much in between and I like those aerial pics and the ones of the Olympic Stadium.
Good tour! LI MIKE

 

[junctionist]

How sensible the imperial Chinese were. The employment of bright colours in architecture should always be restricted to trained professionals.

That tidbit implied that commoners couldn't have their architects employ bright red. So it's not as sensible as you may assume.

 

[Urban Shocker]

The use of certain pigments was reserved for the Imperial household and the trained artists they employed. As the photos show, grey was a lovely 'fitting in' colour available to everyone else - a sensible colour-use cordon sanitaire was placed around the masses to prevent crimes of excessive chroma from breaking out. While I don't support the concept of Forbidden Colours - since it is occasionally used against that most colourful of colours, grey, itself - there was a status-based reason for it in Imperial China with, for instance, certain colours in clothing reserved for certain ranks. And the restrictions on colour use by no means restricted the possibility of creating handsome buildings - grey can be used to beautiful effect.

Access to the entire spectrum of hues for everyone with a paint roller doesn't guarantee a better world ... as our garishly-daubed contemporary streetscapes show. I have sympathy for today's condo board gauleiters and their stern dictats about how their buildings present themselves to the world - but I think there's a difference between personal self-expression regarding the colour of your drapes and what you choose to put on your balcony and the obligation of architects to set up a neutral mise-en-scene for that self-expression when they design those buildings; we've all seen people who look as if their clothes are wearing them - rather than the other way around - and there's an unfortunate equivalent effect with visually loud buildings.

 

[waterloowarrior]

great thread hk.. I enjoyed the pictures of the fixed up street, looked very nice.

 

[hkskyline]

Part 3

1. Can't believe it has been a year since the opening ceremonies ... to celebrate the occasion, I start with the National Aquatics Center , also known as the Water Cube, with its bubble structure quite unique and interesting to look at.

8. The interior look is a bit disappointing. For some reason the bubbles are quite dirty!

9. Upon entering the facilities area, it became very bright and much more appeasing.

14. After visiting the National Stadium as well, I walked along Olympic Park and then headed back to the city.

15. The Guomao area has seen some major changes, most notably the completion of CCTV's new headquarters. These were taken before the fire.

21. World Trade Center III is also done.

27. A few more monuments and historic buildings near the Forbidden City ...