The Streets of Beijing. Everywhere we traveled was by tour bus. Our Viking Tour Escort, Tom (his English name), was always ready to share with us informative stories about the ancient and modern history of China. Since Mao's death, China has made tremendous progress. We saw construction everywhere, especially high rise condos. Only the very rich live in single family homes. Probably a good way to get rich is to own an air conditioning business, they are outside the buildings everywhere. Probably the best way to get injured or killed is having to work on the air conditioning units. Look at the photos. Our guide said they often hang out of the window to make repairs. And yes, there are Wal-Marts in China.
For best viewing, use an iPad or larger monitor. Click on each picture or use the SLIDESHOW feature. If you would like to download any of the images, contact me here.