Beijing Roundup

Beijing surprised me...
Not because of the soaring skyscrapers with their neon lights and musical fountains, nor because of the narrow winding dynasty-styled Hutongs filled with lively comings and goings of daily life, but because of the way the two merged, on one hand jutting up against each other, on the other seamlessly flowing together. As they did so demonstrating clearly that Beijing is changing daily as it jostles to find its identity in a developing China. 

The traffic is as thick and fast as any western capital you could care to name (a short bike ride taught us that) and the subway is world beating, but duck into a smaller lane, away from the main flow of traffic and you won't be far from open kitchens and fresh kebabs, sometimes cooked part by hairdryer.

The true charm of Beijing isn't found in six lane highways or wide trains, it's not in world renowned tourist sites or even at lesser know lakes, it's found at dusk. When office hours finish and the temperature cools a little, every corner, every green space comes alive. For old and young there's something for everyone; dance lessons and roller skating, dog walkers and card games, even the odd saxophone players duetting in the glow of modern shopping complexes. It's here that social activity peaks, where you cant fail to feel the community spirit which seems to exist. Away from the tourists and the guidebooks, this the real charm of the city, at least as far as we're concerned.