Besides the historic sites there are many other cool things to do in Beijing.
The weather was hazy / foggy and it was tough to get any decent long shots. I had to punch-up the contrast in Photoshop to make the outer hills visible. I had been to the wall ten years earlier and it was crystal clear, but I only brought a point-and-shoot camera.
We found a small alley just off a main shopping district that I began calling “Scorpion Alley” because of one of the treats served there.
Peking Duck (now Beijing Duck) is an experience, not a meal. We went to DaDong (translation: “Tall Mr. Dong”. No joke.), which is apparently the number two duck restaurant in Beijing. It was only two blocks from the hotel and was so incredible we went there for dinner two nights in a row.
If St. Mark’s Square is the “Living Room” of Venice, then Tienanmen Square is the living room of Beijing. Security is very tight, as evidenced by the hundreds of surveillance camera and dozens of police men & soldiers.
I’m not much of a nature photographer. I prefer people & places more than flowers and birds, but there were a few good nature shots from Beijing that came out nice.
Beautiful architecture that’s still timeless. The care-and-feeding of the buildings could be improved to prolong their life span. The crowds are gone and now the Olympic Park is a curiosity for a few visitors.
I went prowling around the village last night with a fast 35mm f1.8 lens to test the low light capabilities of the D3100. Not bad. Some of these shots look like they were taken in the middle of the day because of the amount of lighting in the village and the fast lens.
Some shots from 29 stories above Wan Chai looking towards North Point on the island. The stormy weather was interesting to photograph, then it all blew away a few hours later for a beautiful afternoon.
Everyone’s doing it!! Line dancing at night on the basketball courts and in public squares.