Beijing, perhaps not what you'd expect from China. I mentioned it previously; the wide streets, modern high rise apartments and gleaming glass might leave you confused as to the country in which you stand. But this is, after all, the political capital of the People's Republic, and receives much of the focus in China's push towards a modern empire. The history of China is one of empires and dynasties. With its intricate temples and massive palaces, you’ll find plenty of evidence that Beijing has been the seat of imperial China since the 13th century. Today, it’s one of the most developed cities in China, becoming one of the first “post industrial” cities in China sometime in the past ten years. It’s one of the fastest growing, too. In ten years, the population nearly doubled, from 12 million to 20 million people. The city has ongoing battles with air and water quality, housing, overcrowding, and challenges associated with massive urban renewal projects. I took about 450 pictures in Beijing, here are 70. Mind the captions if you like, for a bit of insight.