The Drum Tower, Beijing China Used to keep the official time prior to modern clocks.
The Drum Tower, Beijing China
Donny atop the Drum Tower overlooking Old Beijing
Atop the Drum Tower
Through the rain clouds you can see Old Beijing - which they are tearing down to make room for new housing. And yes, they give the people who own the land a place to live.
Clearing the way for new housing. Everything is recycled here, they will reuse everything someplace....nothing goes to waste
The Bell Tower
Old Beijing, these houses have neither electricity or gas heat. The families heat with coal burners.
Old Beijing
Bell Tower
The Time Keeper
Watchman would run up the stairs and beat the drums to signal the time every hour.
Here we watch a demonstration of the drums.
Old Chinese Rule: You must run up and down these stairs.
It is almost impossible to run these stairs as it is more like a ladder than a stair. Approx. 69 steps in all.
Leaving the Drum Tower with the Bell Tower in the distance.
Rickshaw
Market
Drum Tower
Parking here is limited so they park on the sidewalks
Street view of the Drum Tower
