Letter from Beijing

Beijing: not a pedestrian friendly city - the traffic has almost doubled over the last five years. Photograph: Guardian Photograph: Guardian

Checking the headlines, at a shopping centre in Beijing. Although smartphones make it easier to keep track of the news, many websites are blocked in China, as are social media sites such as Twitter. Photograph: Guardian Photograph: Guardian

Shopping at a food market in Chaoyang, Beijing. China has had numerous food scares but Sanyuanli market has a good reputation locally. Photograph: Guardian Photograph: Guardian

Making the most of mangosteen season, at a fruit stall in Sanyuanli food market in Chaoyang district, Beijing. Photograph: Guardian Photograph: Guardian

Beijing is a city of construction workers: even after the Olympics boom, buildings are still being torn down and replaced by new ones at a rapid rate. Photograph: Guardian Photograph: Guardian

Inspecting the latest in Beijing's dog fashion. This time: bootees on a poodle. Dogs are increasingly popular among the middle classes but those kept in the centre of the capital must be under 37.5cm tall. Photograph: Guardian Photograph: Guardian