Photo Friday: Exercise

I have to say I get kind of excited when I realize it's Friday and remember that I have to check out the latest Photo Friday challenge... and it is always a little disappointing when there is a theme that I can't find a picture for (like last week's "Old Fashioned")... and this week my initial reaction to "Exercise" was that it was going to be another submission-less week. 

Fortunately it didn't take me too long to remember (more than likely after a few swigs of coffee) that I did have a good candidate, actually a few pictures of Beijing-ers doing their morning exercises at the Temple of Heaven park.  I submitted this one:

While we have a lot of memories of incredible things, I dare say that smaller moments like this one will very likely stay in our memories just as much as the Forbidden City or the Great Wall. 

When we learned we were going to the Temple of Heaven park, my expectation didn't go far beyond seeing some architecture (pretty much the hall/temple that was in all the guide books) and/or learning a bit of history.   So it was quite the surprise when we walked through the entrance and we greeted by the blare of music and people doing all kinds of morning exercises - and all in groups.   There were women whirling colorful ribbons on sticks (that whole rhythmic gymnastics "apparatus"), men and women moving this ball around a racket (as seen above) - and even a couple pretty much doing a dance to it, passing the ball quite elegantly from one to another - and folks doing what I can only call some Chinese version of hackey-sack (it was more like a badminton "birdie).

At the time, I was worried that I may have not been able to capture photographs of it, as my camera lens immediately fogged up when I took off the lens at the park, but fortunately - after a quick wipe with lens tissue - it adjusted to humid conditions.  I can almost feel the sweat dripping down by back and legs, just thinking about it. 

It was really a wonderful sight.  I am finding that some of the best moments, particularly on these trips to foreign countries, is when you stumble onto something authentic and/or just everyday life.   While I found Beijing to be just as crazy (okay, maybe crazier) than other big cities I have visited, how nice it was to experience, albeit very briefly, this "locals" escape from city life. 

Comments

[Beth]

Not going to plug our W&C great guy, but this photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edzaf/2778491713/

Looks great at an 11x14! And I'll plug Adorama too, as they have a sale going on until 8/31: http://www.adoramapix.com/?sid=1219677665242679

Ed, Thanks for sharing that great photo.

[Scot]

When you say "crazy (okay, maybe crazier)" I'm wondering if you're talking about that woman's pants! origional size - all the way to the left - WHOA! I know I said I wanted to see some local color but dude...

Beth is right....that really is an incredible picture, my favorite of your China pictures.