Sightseeing in the Freezing Cold

So this past weekend I saw some parts of Beijing I hadn't seen yet. Saturday morning checked at this open market called 潘家园 (Panjiayuan); the vendors there mostly sell art stuff and small nick knacks. It would have been more fun if it hadn't been outside in the 20 degree weather. After lunch I hopped on the subway again with my friend Kaitlin and we walked around Olympic Park, which is now completely open to the public, unlike In the summer, where everything was fenced off. It was a little weird to see the little man-made creek that goes by the Bird's Nest completely frozen, a complete contrast to the humid heat of the summer. We paid the 50 RMB (7 bucks) entrance fee to walk inside the Bird's Nest. It was pretty surreal walking on the track and the middle, remembering the crazy Opening Ceremonies and the athletes and the gold medals won and, well, just everything.












Sunday after church I went with some friends to Beijing's 798 Art District, about 20 minutes outside the main part of the city. This district was originally an factory grounds built in the 1950's or '60's, not really sure what they produced. Anyway, about 6 years ago it started getting converted into a place for contemporary art galleries and other random sculptures and graffiti art and stuff like that. It hasn't lost it's originally "industrial feel" though, and the random sculptures and other art that dot the grounds just make it that much cooler. It's getting pretty commercialized with big sponsors like Christian Dior and Nike putting money in there, but still interesting nevertheless. Nike converted a whole building as an live exhibit/shrine to basketball/LeBron James.





So that was the past weekend. I have about nine or ten days left here in China and only three finals next week are keeping me from the States. As I hear of all my other friends studying abroad going back home it only makes me more excited. But I know I got some studying to do before I get to that point, so I better get on that.

I'll try to write one or two more posts before I head back home.