Who thanks no to an invitation from China to hold a photo exhibition there in Beijing. It is the fourth time I visit China, and the first time directly by air. A few miles from Beijing, I can see the contours of the mighty Chinese wall. Like a snake, it bends down the mountains. Afterwards it will be flat, yes completely flat! It turns out that Beijing has begun, large plains with oases of drab cities here and there, long alleys and regulated canals emerge.

At the airport I am greeted with service, guided through many unlikely obstacles and passages and truly I am in a car whizzing off through this entire 6 mile long city. In the middle of it is about a mile with skyscrapers and on the other side of town is the place where the Olympics will be held in 2020.

In the Ol area we notice that they try out a number of technical and futuristic vehicles, all without drivers. We are told that the Olympics will take place in the closed iron factory. The largest in the world with its 60,000 workers. Now the entire industrial area is being refurbished and visitors are already coming there, among other things Mercedes Benz had been there and while we were there came a delegation from Toyota. It has become a popular place to meet international relations.

Ms MingMing welcomes us and she is so happy to arrange this, she is proud to have a photographer from Norway have an exhibition here. She says it is also the first event in the arts to be conducted here. She is educated in Germany in the field of health and meditation. She runs several concepts in the field of cultural exchange for youth internationally. She sells “Share China’s story with the world” as a headline. She sponsored the entire trip, the stay and the entire exhibition.

Mr Jonny Wang has worked here on the work and is now in charge of this renovation of the old industrial building, the conversion to conference, shops, cafes, hotels, jumping slopes and other facilities associated with the Olympics.

The photo exhibition was highlighted throughout the area and the audience approached the modern exhibition space in the ironworks. Many avid photographers showed up among the audience and were very eager to have a chat, always exciting to hear what one thinks and thinks from the other side of the globe! Flowers and gifts in the hundreds, from nice people who would like to have contact with people from other continents, people who want to educate themselves and know more about the world. That’s what we experienced. There were many speeches, traditional Chinese dance and music. Held two lectures on photography and Norway. Was interviewed by the second largest TV channel in China. Had 3 themes during the exhibition which had almost a hundred pictures, where a total of 60% of the pictures were sold. The motifs that were sold were mostly from Northern Norway, some ice pictures from Rinna and a few from the forest in Trollheimen.

And not least, all the round tables with good food and nice hosts!