Staying in the Chaoyang District, near the CCTV building I thought I would start with some modern and usual pictures of Beijing
I arrived jet-lagged, took a cab to the hotel to check in, had a bath and nap before going out for supper.
WOW, bleary eyed from the fatigue; here I stand in front of this giant 250 x 30m; yes Metres LED screen. It is simply called "The Place".
Oh YES, China does like it bigger and better nowadays.
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| The Place shopping centre near the CCTV building |
The next day, we stayed in the surreal spirit of Modern Beijing and dined at the "All happening" restaurant LAN Club.
It was designed by Philippe Stark and described by some as David Lynch's worst nightmare.
The food was very refined but the whole place pretty empty.
You will find some pictures of the food in my future post "Foodie Beijing"
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| LAN Club - Restaurant lounge designed by Philippe Stark |
And last but not least, some art-pieces from 798 Art district.
This used to be the industrial district of Beijing, largely funded by the Soviet Union and East Germany in the 50's.
By the late 80's, early 90's Government funding was tighter, production decreased and 60% of the workforce was laid off.
Now an artist quarter, hosting some of the most controversial Chinese Artists of the moment.
Even Damien Hurst had an exhibition there last Summer !
There are plenty of small galleries to look at and buy from, many street vendors, a few cafes and coffee shops and a mix of offices and BoBo (Bohemian Bourgeois) dwellings.
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| Various art-pieces in the 798 District |
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