798 Beijing

Although the flight to Beijing was easy, on this occasion the thought of contending with the Chinese girls at the Silk Market and their bargining dramatics was too much to bare. I opted instead to spend my 31 hours doing some research for next year's 'Grand Plan' and thought I'd find out what Beijing had in the way of artistic spaces.

798 District quickly presented itself in most searches, and with websites comparing the area to Soho and Greenwich Village, it sounded promising.

According to the concierge, 798 was just ten minutes from the hotel by taxi, so I grabbed my camera and decided to take my research on the road. 

I was so glad I did! The area is comprised of old military factories and power plants now converted into innumerable art galleries, restaurants, cafes and quirky shops.

The little streets, in the shadows of these warehouses, were a hum of activity. Artists were busy sketching profiles for tourists and teams of photographers were shooting made-up models in costumes.
The random sculptures that were dotted everywhere had a steady entourage of tourists posing for photos, and the outdoor cafes were buzzing with lively chatter and coffee. So my type of place!

I strolled between many of the exhibitions and admired much of the avant-garde art and architecture - I would never have thought that Beijing would be so inspiring.

I 'm glad it was though, as I have another Beijing trip in two days and now have the 798 District to happily revisit.

(Aug, 2011)