peking man

zhoukoutian site of peking man, dates to about half a million years ago, and was occupied by people until 1000,000 years BP, potassium argon dating is suggesting occupation of the site maybe as much as a million years ago, museum full of treasures.

on a clear day......?

smooooog!

south of qian [south] men [gate]

here is the real beijing, the dirt, dung, cuisine and the haggling, the old silk markets where marco polo bought his first chinese silk for trade to venice in the 1300's!

tian an men square

the largest public square in the world but hard to convey from the ground, many wonderful statues and buildings

baihei lake and hutongs

baihei lake park is in the heart of beijing, like most of the parks it is full of temples and boating spots and places for contemplation and peace, the chinese are so unhurried even though there are millions of them in the capital
the hutong is part of the old quarter of beijing, north of the forbidden city - a palace in the middle of beijing - here there are hundreds of buildings from six hundred years ago with tiny laneways and businesses of all descriptions, here is where most of the servants and management for the emperors lived and worked, we travelled by rickshaw with a chinese whose favourite word is "OK"

capital paradise

some fotos of the accommodations at capital paradise beijing, a european enclave where teachers and expatriate workers mostly from US, Australia and UK are able to lead closeted lives sheltered from the rigours of chinese unhurried living

great wall

our day at the mutianyu section of the great wall with cathryn greg claudia and the kids

lions at the gate

238 individual carved lions

visiting the marco polo bridge the auty ford clan find time for some silliness on a hand carved wagon and at the cannon by the west gate. the bridge has 238 individually carved lions guarding the west gate to beijing

Departures

itinerary: melbourne-beijing 7th sept; forbidden city and many temples, markets, gardens, foods, smells, sights sounds; birthday beijing 11th sept.; beijing-london 18th sept. new house, new world, school, work, play, visiting and networks. photos to follow

then there's the gorgeous kids - merric and lainie

merric at five wiff cake and face scratch from girlfriend?; lainie at the party, not to be outdone, wiff art work

moggy as cute and cuddly two year old - where the good looks come from