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Bei Hai, Beijing
I am in Beijing. The flight to Seoul was long, and I arrived in the dark. The terminal was empty and felt like a ghost town. Bits of trash seemed to blow through the deserted corridors. One area sprung to life as people collected and distributed duty free items in clear plastic bags. They threw them into piles. It could have been trash.
Arriving in Seoul, they took my temperature. A line had formed near the exit as officials checked people's health questionnaires. In Beijing, the process was repeated, though without the digital thermometer. In Beijing, the health counter was larger and more efficient. In Seoul, the officials stood at folding card tables. In Beijing, it was like going through customs.
The city is much as I remember it. The day was clear and relatively cool. I met my parents at the hotel and after showering we took a cab to Ho Hai, to a Yunnanese restaurant recommended by a friend. We had a tasty meal and then walked south through the lake and into Bei Hai. The lake was crowded with boats. We walked along the eastern shore and then circumnavigated the small temple. At one point a man painted willowy figures on the path with water. They faded away as the water evaporated.
We walked further south along the western edge of the Forbiden City, then took a threee wheeled cart to the National Theater. We inquried about tickets, but the prices were high. I was exhausted. We walked back to the hotel and I crashed, foregoing dinner. My parents went out to eat as I slumbered.
I shot the above photo last year in Bei Hai. The calligrapher used a large brush akin to the man described above painting figures. It was fall then, and I went on a weekday. The lake was clear, the park sparsely attendended.
Posted 22 Aug 2009 | Photography + design © Eugene Kuo // 226.
Comments (11)
Where did they place the thermometer : P
Glad you arrived safe and sound. Enjoy.
they had this plastic device they put behind your ear. :p
glad to hear you arrived safely. checking temperatures huh? that's new. enjoy your trip! how long are you there for again?
Nice composition and contrasts.
thanks shan! and yeah. they're really stringent these days with the h1n1 virus.
thanks wolfgang! sometimes i feel i go a bit too dark in the blacks, but it's hard to tell on screen since different machines have their different gammas.
beautiful work!
Your blacks are perfect, Eugene. Just like the beauty shown here. It's great! All the best & safe travels, Fritsch.
These contrasts are amazing, excellent work! Wish I could visit such exotic destinations too!
beautiful shot!
I love the way the light shines of the fresh paint.
Please do bookmark me at Photoblogs.org : )
thanks all!
fritsch: thanks for the vote of confidence.
are kay elle: i trust you can. it's just a matter of a bit of planning. :p
timothy: he's actually writing with water! it's a way to practice calligraphy, i think?
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