Yesterday (Oct. 1) China turned 60 years old. “Wait a minute,” you say, “I thought China was the oldest civilization on earth?”
Good point. Let me explain.
In 1949 Mao Zedong declared China to officially be the People’s Republic of China and that is when today’s communist China officially began. So on October 1 China celebrates her birthday as the PRC.
So… how did i celebrate??
I thought you’d never ask.
I had a few friends over to my apartment. We had both Chinese friends and foreign friends. We watched the much-anticipated parade on television, ate snacks, and hung out together. It turned out to be a beautiful day in Beijing so after the parade we went to play ultimate frisbee in a big field. Then, i went to dinner with some great friends and watched a movie late last night. That’s what i call a relaxing and fun holiday.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to get anywhere near the parade. The only people able to watch the parade in person were there by special invite. So if you were wondering why i sat at home and watched it on tv, well, that’s my answer.
This morning i ran across a great collection of photos from the day. These photos will help you get a grasp of what i mean when i use words like “parade” and “celebrate.” Have a look at these photos. (picture #29 is the same room where i had my banquet earlier this week)
Also, definitely check out this spectacular video by Dan Chung.
China’s 60th Anniversary national day - timelapse and slow motion - 7D and 5DmkII from Dan Chung on Vimeo.
Mom
October 1st, 2009
All I can is WOW!! That was massive and absolutely beautiful- like the Olympics all over again. The aerial shots are phenominal.
Sanne
October 6th, 2009
Wow! I can’t imagine what it took to organize everything so precisely! Everybody’s walking and doing their things simultaneously. Bizarre…