Along the Ferhadija

Just a few (?!) of the sights along the Ferhadija, the main pedestrian street in the old town of Sarajevo....

 

The Call to 2:00 pm prayers

Look at the size of those leeks!

looking towards the old town

packs of wild/abandoned dogs

"Pigeon" Square as Hadži Mehmed-paša Kukavica is also called

Pigeons on the old fountain, Sebilj

shops in the Baščaršija

Turkish Coffee Pots

The street where the coppersmiths are located

chimneys

domes of the Ottoman market, Baščaršijska džamija, built in the 1530s

the old (fleur-de-lis) and the new (stars) flags of BiH

oriental carpet market

prayers at Gazi Huresv-begova Mosque, from the 1530s

shopping bonanza!

houses up in the hills

renovated hotels and shops near the Catholic Cathedral

friends at the Cathedral

bullet holes in the side of the church

Qianmen Emperor's Avenue

South of Tiananmen Square is the Emperor's Avenue-- Quianmen street.  It is one of the oldest shopping streets in Beijing and completely revamped since the days of the Cultural Revolution and before.  A renovation of more than a year occurred before the street was reopened in time for the 2008 Olympics. On the street are traditional Chinese shops as well as international brands, like Starbucks, where we grabbed a cup of tea (and a Western toilet--a welcome break from squatting) and KFC (which I only photographed). After walking down the street, where you can see how hazy it is with the smog and pollution in the area, we wondered into the hutongs again.  These hutongs were more a collection of artists and calligraphers instead of retail shops.  After that walk, we returned to our hotel and finally decided that it was time to walk up to the Bird's Nest.  We were staying right next to it, after all.  

an entrance into the hutongs

candies at one of the shops

looking north towards Tiananman Square-- and one of the original gates of Beijing

KFC

A trolley going up and down the avenue

traditional children's slippers for sale at the shoe shop

A hotel with copper pots for a hot pot meal 

a nearly empty metro train-- a rare occurrance in Beijing. 

The Bird's Nest

The Bubble

Our last dinner in Beijing: a hot pot meal

 South of Tiananmen Square is the Emperor's Avenue-- Quianmen street.  It is one of the oldest shopping streets in Beijing and completely revamped since the days of the Cultural Revolution.