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Beijing National Day School Mystery
i've actually been to the school a few times for events. there's a small courtyard behind the old auditorium, near the north gate on yuanda road. it's not secret, just overlooked because the main paths don't lead there. a few old locust trees and a stone bench, nothing too dramatic. your friend might be playing it up for the mystery factor.
Lol, your friend's being cagey! Beijing National Day School... sounds like it has some history. There are tons of hidden courtyards and little alleyways tucked away in Beijing; it wouldn't surprise me if one was attached to the school. Probably just some old residential area that got absorbed over the years. Old Beijing is full of surprises like that. Unless your friend's pulling a fast one, of course... good luck with the photo hunt! You might need to do some old map digging online; sometimes historical maps show things not on modern ones.
Yeah, I figured they were being a bit cryptic. It's driving me nuts! Thanks for the tip about the old maps, that's a brilliant idea. I've already started looking at some historical aerial photos, hoping to spot something unusual near the school. Fingers crossed I find something interesting, otherwise I'm gonna have to get creative with this photo hunt... maybe I'll just stage one. Ha!
huh, weird how people get so quiet about a random courtyard. maybe it's not a school thing but a leftover from some old hutong that got demoed and paved over. check satellite mode on baidu maps, sometimes you see weird green patches that don't show on street view
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best photo spots in beijing?
olympic forest park is slept on fr. the linden trees along the main axis go gold in late october and the bird's nest reflection in the lake at sunrise is nuts, barely anyone there on weekdays. also check out 798 art district on a weekday morning, the old factory pipes and graffiti make great contrast shots. tbh bring a wider lens than u think you need, everything in beijing is bigger than it looks in photos
everyone goes for the big landmarks but honestly the best shots i got were from the overpasses on the 3rd ring road at dusk, just traffic light trails with CCTV tower lit up in the background. also guomao at blue hour from the silk street footbridge, the CBD towers all glassy & orange, tripod helps cuz u need a slow shutter. one thing nobody mentions, air quality totally changes your photos so check the AQI app the night before, a clear day after rain is worth waiting for
For sunrise the Temple of Heaven east gate area is underrated, locals doing tai chi around 5:30am with the morning fog, way better than fighting crowds at Tiananmen. For sunset honestly just walk along the canal near Shichahai, the reflections off the water with the Drum Tower behind are hard to beat. Bring a tripod if you can, the good light only lasts like 20 mins this time of year.