Extra Beijing Pictures

Part of the skyline, though Beijing doesn't seem to have one central area where most of the high rises are located. Rather, this is pretty much the view 360 degrees around.



Below, a panda at the Beijing Zoo. Though it was cool to see the pandas, it was depressing to see them in their tiny cages. As one travel guide put it, if zoos are normally animal prisons, "the Beijing Zoo is death row." The panda's "habitat" was considered the nicest, but it consisted almost entirely of concrete, while those of other animals were much smaller and little more than holding cells.


Below, Beijing traffic starting to build up. At rush hour, it is nearly impossible to travel in the city. You can cram yourself into the metro cars for 3 yuan, but taxis are basically worthless, and costly, often 50 yuan or more.


One of the many Chinese flags displayed proudly on National Day.