10th February, 2001.
Children In Beijing In The Grand View Gardens. Chubby Chinese Boy Inspects His Friend's Lunch. Baby Sleeps In Bamboo Pushchair
Children in Beijing have many wonderful places to explore, and one of them is The Grand View Gardens. The layout of the gardens is based on a Chinese Classic tale named, "The Dream Of Red Mansions" and is always worth a visit, whatever the time of the year.
 Although there is a restaurant in the gardens and plenty of stalls selling snacks and drinks, the wise Chinese families usually take a packed lunch with them, particularly on a visit with children. These two youngsters were enjoying their snack in the shade of a rock, with the chubby boy being very interested in what his friend was eating. At the time, there were many chubby children to be found in Beijing; being an only child, parents and grand-parents tended to provide snacks and goodies for their precious one, almost to excess. Eventually, the Chinese Government recognised the problem and launched an educational program to warn parents of the dangers of overfeeding.
 The galleries or covered walk ways in the gardens are very similar to the Long Gallery at the Summer Palace, although on a smaller scale. The flat topped side rails of the galleries are often used as seats, to have a rest or to eat some lunch, but one young boy decided to be more adventurous by walking on them. Had he fallen into the gallery then he would not have come to too much harm, but falling outwards would have caused some injury from the rocks below. He survived his daring act, and then proudly rejoined his family.
 In the many lakes and ponds of the gardens, the shoals of goldfish have learned that where there are people, these is also food. They are fascinating to watch even as an adult, and one can only imagine what was going on in the mind of this young baby as she gazed at them, safely held by the hands of her grandma. The youngest children in China
 are invariably cared for by grand-parents, while parents are at work, and are part of the extended families so common in the country, being less so in the Western world. They are undoubtedly proud of the part they play in bringing up a child, and one day, having made a visit to the local fruit and vegetable market, we were using an overpass to cross the road to get back to our hotel, when I noticed a grandpa showing his young grandchild to a group of pedicab drivers taking a lunch break. I could not understand the conversation but the young baby in its bamboo pram was certainly the center of attraction.
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