People I met in China - part 2

Business must be good with millions of tired feet, not to mention achy bodies seeking relief after enjoying the sights of Beijing. I too succumbed to all the endless miles covered and treated myself to half an hour of foot massage at the famous Silk Street market. This shop offers pedicure, removal of dead skin on soles, massage of body, shoulder and feet.

A tourist posing with a Muslim at the Nan Dou Ya Mosque in Beijing. The exterior of this mosque looks like another Chinese temple except there's a yellow crescent above the roof top and Arabic writings to indicate you're in another place of worship.

The woman in the white cap was conducting singing practice with a group of women in the park. How nice to hear sweet voices floating in the air, under shady trees.

Poetry in motion - two agile seniors exercising with a yin-yang looking fan and ball. I fell in love with his graceful movements as he caught the ball in his fan with a crouching tai chi stance. Then he swung the fan with the ball under his leg and threw it back to his friend who did the same manoeuvres . Someone offered me the fan. We engaged and oh, how clumsy I was tho I too managed to swing the ball on the fan under my feet ( once) and then it was over!

Chinese kids just wanted to be in the photos encouraged by an adult. Not a bit shy tho the dark haired girl wasn't too sure what was going on!

Let the music play on - expressing their inner souls in the music they enjoy.

How nice to see men and women immersed in craft - making beaded balls. Seems like keeping minds and hands busy is an everyday activity among adults.

This surely beats all - happiness is a pair of knitting needles in the old man's hands. I mustn't say I can't knit anymore!!

With a smile in your heart, your music will be heard. A blind man playing on a traditional musical instrument outside the Summer Palace.

An air of importance -before entering the Forbidden City. Several souvenir stalls line the walkway.