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Topic: Beijing, China Photo Collection |
steve takacs
From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 30 Oct 2008 4:29 pm
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I'd like to share a collection of photos of the city I've lived in the past 12 years. Beijing, China. Some of these are of Chinese friends, others street scenes from the "old Beijing" most of which has nearly been eliminated to make way for the new. I enjoy walking in the remaining old "hutongs" where things are very down to earth.. I'll also include photos eventually of the new, glitzy city. Let me know if there is any aspect of Beijing you'd enjoy seeing.
According to Wikippedia Hutongs (simplified Chinese: ??; traditional Chinese: ??; pinyin: hútòng) are narrow streets or alleys, most commonly associated with Beijing, China. In Beijing, hutongs are alleys formed by lines of siheyuan, traditional courtyard residences. Many neighbourhoods were formed by joining one siheyuan to another to form a hutong, and then joining one hutong to another. The word hutong is also used to refer to such neighbourhoods." Check out the site for more info.
First photo is of a famly I've know for 10 years now. I taught the girls English when thye first arrived. They are now 24 and 23. Their mother, Su, came to Beijing from Anhui province with nothing but determination to help better the lives of her children, which she has done. Here are two from one of our band gigs. Rosalyn, my wife is also in the photo:
Here are the girls again, Huangyan & Huangli:
Now some photos from a hutong area, An Jie Lou Road, 5 minutes by bicycle from my place.. The first is a woman with her two kids selling meat at the local street market.
Finally, a father, daughter & bicycle at the market. I love the threads on the baby.:
Take care, steve t
Last edited by steve takacs on 30 Oct 2008 6:05 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Stu Schulman
From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 30 Oct 2008 4:50 pm
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Steve,Beautiful photos,Thanks for sharing,Stu  _________________ Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Bent Romnes
From: London,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 30 Oct 2008 5:47 pm
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Steve, nice photos! The Chinese are beautiful people and very nice looking in their own special way. I wish I could visit China some day.
Would Beijing be the place to go to for a tourist who has never been in China? Would you recommend any alternatives?
Please, if you could, post some pics of just ordinary streetscapes. Like..just point and shoot.
Do you know how many steel players there are in China?
Maybe just the one?  |
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Gary Stevenson
From: Northern New York,USA
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Posted 31 Oct 2008 4:04 pm
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Great pics Steve: I believe the mother was the lady who came with you to the Nashville bar we were at. Thanks for the reminder of what great people the Chinese are.!!! |
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steve takacs
From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 16 Nov 2008 8:21 am Love & Hope Migrant School Beijing, China
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Stu, Bent, & Gary, glad you enjoyed the photos. Gary, you are correct that Su was at the Nasvhille bar when heard the Chinese band and you sat in on lap steel. By the way, did you post those photos on The Forum? Bent I will get some point & shoot, starting with a non-governmental Saturday morning school for migrant workers children started by, Jenna, a Korean woman.
The "Love & Hope" school also has a boarding facility for about 45 students from poor, migrant familes. They can study computers, music by piano playing, maid work, etc. The idea is to give them a skill they can use to make a living. My wife has brought her high school students students to this school almost weekly for nearly 13 years to teach English. These little kids are a riot & I always end up learning some Chinese when I come here.
Bent, I would definitely suggest Beijing as a place to visit if you have never been to China because there is much to see and enough people speak English. Also, you don't have to go far to see rural China, maybe 40 minutes by taxi. Depending on the amount of time you have, I'd also suggest Guilin, in the south. It's in the area that has those strange looking limestone mountains one sees in Chinese brush paintings.
When My wife & I came here back in 1992 looking for jobs, we intended to see three or four cities but found enough to do in Beijing for two weeks. I suggest April or September for comfortable temperatures unless you like hot. On the other hand it's very green here and the city has many big parks. Beijing is fairly dry but it does tend to rain in the summer months.
The first three photos show children aged five thourugh seven years.
The teacher is Tiantian, a 12th grader at the Beijing International School. Great student & nice kid whose parents are PRC. She will go to University in the USA or Canada.
These kids are ten through 13 years.:

Aneeza, in the back, is our student in grade 11 who is from South Aftica.
Our12 th grader, Catherine, teaching the basics...FOOD (Homer would appreciate this lesson)
Bent, I will get some skyscraper & some crazy looking new building shots for you next time See you later, steve t |
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John Billings
From: Ohio, USA
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Posted 16 Nov 2008 9:27 am
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Great pics and story Steve! Now, where's the pic of you playin' your Kline? |
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Dennis Saydak
From: Manitoba, Canada
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Posted 16 Nov 2008 12:50 pm
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Steve, I understand that many Chinese pet bird owners take their birds to a park. Do you have any photos of that sort of thing? _________________ Dennis
Just when you think you're getting ahead in the rat race, the rats get faster. |
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Frank Freniere
From: The First Coast
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Posted 17 Nov 2008 5:58 pm
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Hi Steve -
Great pictures - you should share more of your story with us sometime. My son is going to Beijing for two weeks this summer. Do you play out anywhere? Is there hillbilly music in Beijing? |
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James Morehead
From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 17 Nov 2008 6:00 pm
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Thankyou for sharing!!  |
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Bent Romnes
From: London,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 17 Nov 2008 7:36 pm
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Steve, great photos! Thanks. I am looking forward to some streetscapes etc etc |
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