History lies on the outskirts of a metropolis

In an effort to escape the concrete constraints of the city, a group of workmates and I recently took a trip out to the western Beijing suburb of Mentougou. It proved to be one of the best excursions I have taken since moving to China.

On a cold Beijing morning we piled onto a tour bus and set off for the outskirts of the city.

After 40 minutes of watching the same concrete jungle that had imprisoned me for the past three months pass by outside my window, the monotonous metropolis began thinning. Like gorillas from the mist, mountains soon stumbled out of the haze that sat before us.