China

In a country with over a billion people, there is no shortage of subjects to be photographed. In fact, I found that I enjoyed taking photographs of the Chinese people more than of the country's admittedly vast collection of other attractions.

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Entering the Temple of Heaven compound.

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Something drew me to this man sitting near to where the above photo was taken. The way he sat calmly and watched everyone pass by. At first I thought he was posing for a picture but then noticed that no one was photographing him. He was just sitting there, lost in his own world. I never saw him move. If he knew I was taking a picture of him, he never gave any indication.

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A Chinese soldier relaxes in a park.

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I love the duality and contrasts in present-day China.
On the left, a guard stands duty in front of Mao's mausoleum.
On the right, a young boy paying homage to a different deity.

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Chairman Mao's presence, larger than life.

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Utopia of the kind that only a totalitarian government can pass with a straight face:
a mural shows people of all of China's minorities united, holding hands, in perfect peace and harmony.

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One of China's most famous attributes: food!

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A couple shots of the dramatic hills of Guilin, thought by many to be the most beautiful place in China.

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Gratuitous tourist shot, me on the Great Wall.