Back from the Chengde to Beijing! Feels good to be back in a major city. The traffic is a little slow but its much more convenient and filled with modern comforts.

Beijing has a lot of Maoshu trees that drop seeds every year at this time. Its like dandelions but bigger and the seeds float everywhere in the city. It looks magical, but is also a nuisance for the locals since it usually floats straight into your nostrils.

Dashazi, this is where i hung out as a kid.

On the the bus, high school student in the middle

The place where i grew up has turned from a factory to an arts cultural center. Very weird indeed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/798_Art_Zone

I used to come to this area to watch the trains pass by as a kid. I was fascinated by trains, and all their constantly moving mechanical parts. Back then they had steam engines, not diesel powered locomotives. The steam engines had their own mechanical grace, especially with the sounds that they make. I’m glad they decided to keep a portion of a train here, it really brings me back to my childhood.