Week 6 Gallery: Sanlitun and Chaoyang Park

Boaters on Lotus Lake

My intention was that the gallery would mostly be pictures from in and around the Beijing Worker’s Stadium. I missed out on getting tickets for the match, so had to change my plans ever so slightly.

The weather was actually bearable for most of the weekend. While still relatively high, it wasn’t the sort of scorching heat we’ve had in the previous few weeks. There was a nice breeze, which helped even if marginally.

That gave my wife and I the opportunity to take the kids out to Chaoyang Park and then into Solana Mall. Both places offer very easy backdrops for pictures and places to frame shots. This visit was no different.

Waiting to cross the busy intersection

Later in the evening, I headed west toward Sanlitun and the area around the stadium. I figured if I can’t get into the ground, I can at least snap some photos of the folks around the ground prepping for the match. It doesn’t seem there are any spaces for folks to gather, have a pint, or discuss the upcoming match outside the ground. But I was able to walk among the fans on their way to the stadium.

Outside of the Beijing Guoan fans, the area was bustling with shoppers, night-goers, and families out for the evening. I couldn’t tell if folks were out for the game, because of the weather, or just because this is what they always do on a Sunday night. Regardless, I was able to explore parts of the Soho Mall for the first time. It is just south of the Tai Koo Li Mall–a place I’ve been to a few times.

And I got a few good shots of my favorite intersection where Gongrentiyuchang North Road crosses under the East 3rd Ring Road. It is organized chaos and I love it.

The pictures were taken with my iPhone. The gallery is linked here.