Along the river lies a village where time seems to have stood still. Its stone houses and wooden balconies reflect in the calm water, while the mountains above embrace it with their majestic presence. Everything breathes tranquillity, as if this landscape has existed unhurriedly throughout the centuries.
But those who look up closely will discover the true sentinels of this valley: the towers of the Great Wall of China, standing like crowns on the mountain tops. They recall a past when this place was not only an idyllic refuge, but also a border, a bulwark against invaders. Now they are silent monuments, seemingly fused with the rocks and forests, sentinels of stone that have guarded the horizon for centuries.
Together, the river below and the wall high above form a story of balance: water flowing and walls standing firm, the soft and the hard, the temporary and the eternal. For the traveller standing here, it is as if nature and history are reaching out to each other, together forming a timeless painting.
My name is Marcel Bakker owner and CEO of BAKKM. When I was 8 years old, my father gave me my first (Nikon) Camera. I was immediately sold, my father loved photography and the development process in particular. In our small flat, the bathroom was his darkroom.. Read more…