A brief sample of Beijing contrasts

I am now back in London en route to the Euromar meeting in Frankfurt with just enough time to make a brief posting with some images: Robin Dykstra and John Zhen from Magritek, looking in on an NMR logging tool factory, a tricycle taxi outside our hotel in Changping, the giant 7500 square metre overhead electronic display at "The Place" mall (at that moment showing text messages which anyone could send to the device), and, part of the foyer of the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

This NCPA centre contains 20 separate theatres, and runs simultaneous concert, opera and drama performances. The architecture, like so much of Beijing, is simply breathtaking. On our last night in Beijing, Miang and I were guests of Professor Lizhi Xiao in the concert hall, to experience 7 master concert pianists from all over the world perform in succession.

This morning, we got up early and took the subway to East Tian'anmen, to join people in the Palace Gardens practising Taiji. After visiting Tian'anmen Gate we wandered across Tian'anmen Square, amid the tight security that this place now features. By 8 am thousands were queuing to see the embalmed Mao in his Mausoleum. China is deeply paradoxical.