Dashanzi

798 Dashanzi is the Art district of Beijing. Another place where I didn't get to properly while I was in town last summer. One of the pre-Olympic parties was held in one of the buildings there but it was at night, so the rest was closed.

The galleries, studios, design companies, art centres and restuarant/cafes are housed in state-owned factories and as I was there yesterday, it is evident that the work being carried out is to make it more commercial and ultimately, more tourist-friendly. I spent the afternoon there but still didn't see half of it. Nice to mooch around though, watching a model bride and groom posing for photographs. A make-up person and team of photographers suggested they hadn't really just said 'I do' though.

Anyway - it was my last day back in the 'jing. I caught up with a few other people, for lunch, drinks and supper, filling every possible moment of my long weekend, or rather, short week there before getting a flight at midnight back to Kazakhstan.

Am back in my flat blipping this - I slept through the whole flight, from the moment the seatbelt signs went off, to the moment they came back on to land, fortunate to have three seats to lie down on. Even so, I was straight to bed when I arrived back at just gone 5am for a few more hours kip and now it's back to reality and back to work, so I must go!

Anyway - my journey back to Beijing starts here! I had SUCH a good time, visiting what was, my favourite posting to date.