Travel and Landscape Photography blog
The centre of most Chinese cities is taken up with a large city square in front of the main government offices. Anshan city, in Liaoning is no exception. This photo was taken in the winter from one of the many tower blocks that surround the central square area.
Traffic in China is atrocious. Even the shortest of journeys can leave me clinging to the car seat in fear of my life. Pedestrians and cyclists just wander across the road without looking. Taxi drivers constantly swerve left and right. People drive on the wrong side of the road. They ignore traffic lights. Buses just stop wherever they like, even if it’s not near the curb. And one way roads seem to be only a suggestion rather than the law. In all this chaos stands a lone traffic police woman. Smartly dressed, here in winter uniform, and precisely signalling to the traffic. It is a shame they seem to be largely ignored by the drivers.
The winters in the North East of China can be extremely harsh. Temperatures in the Liaoning city of Anshan, where this picture was taken, can fall as low as -22°C before any wind chill has been taken into account. It is a biting cold that quickly attacks any exposed skin, causing your face and hands to become sore and red. The north east of China is also know for it’s heavy industry and grime. The buildings of Anshan usually show that grim industrial landscape well. However, on the day of this photography, it had snowed overnight and the sun was out in a clear blue sky. Just for a minute, it created an image of beauty out of drabness.