My better half has a thing about looking back. The key component to this “thing” is basically, don’t. At least, not on her blog. I don’t have such qualms. What I do have, is a slew of photos I took while we were in Beijing burning a hole in my hard drive, begging to be let out so friends and strangers can tell me how wonderful and interesting my life is (I’m deeply approval driven).

Not long before we fled Beijing’s harsh winter, we took a stroll up the street from our apartment to visit the 798 Art Zone, an artist’ haven in the Chaoyang District of the city.

Beijing, China, 798 Art Zone, district

Beijing, China, 798 Art Zone, district

The above photo is my favorite from the day. The crazy thing about this space is that artwork is just everywhere. Wherever it can be placed, people put their work. This statue was up against a building where cars were parked all around it, as you can sort of see from this image. The statues ranged from stately to grotesque, with at least one statue  being insanely racist. I didn’t get a picture of that one, sadly. I was sort of in shock and sort of in baby wrangling mode at the time.

 

Beijing, China, 798 Art Zone, district

Beijing, China, 798 Art Zone, district

Beijing, China, 798 Art Zone, district

We were able to get Cole clothed for this – not an easy task putting a toddler who wants to be naked into several layers of clothes. As has been our experience throughout Asia, Cole gets the rock star treatment. China has been somewhat less receptive to Cole than we have experienced in South East Asia, but something about the free artistic spirit running through this neighborhood got everyone VERY excited about seeing a Laowei toddler running around.

Beijing, China, 798 Art Zone, district

Beijing, China, 798 Art Zone, district

Eventually Cole helped fend off some wolves.

Beijing, China, 798 Art Zone, district

Cole, wondering what the hell these ladies are looking at up there.