The China File
It begins…
The first thing that struck me like a board on the head, and which may seem dumb to say, but there are a TON of people in Beijing. Within hours of arriving, I met up with a classmate, Frances, to show me around a bit and get some grub.
One slightly eerie thing I’ve noticed is the distinct lack of any sort of characteristic sky. Maybe I shouldn’t judge on only two days observation, but there has not been a single shaped could in the air and the skyline is just a hazy bluish gray color. When one is in Tiananmen Square or the Forbidden City where everything is paved with asphalt or stone, everything just seems hot and gray without much to distinguish the foreground from the stale air. With the announcement of the city hosting the 2008 Olympics, I know that officials have tried hard to implement policies to clean up the air and clean up the city in general–which should no doubt be applauded. I hope that eventually their goals can be met! I do have to say how remarkably clean the whole place is though and wondered why until I noticed that every trash can is being scoured by one or two people sifting the recyclables (presumably to sell off) and leaving only true trash in the bin, carrying the rest of their winnings to sell. I’m truly impressed as well how much is recycled, with bins for paper, plastic, etc everywhere. I guess after being in Britain these past few months, I may have forgotten the whole concept of recycling waste.
In any case, so far it has been excellent and the great size of Beijing and its grand (and traffic-clogged) boulevards are certainly giving me a workout. With that being said, I am looking forward to moving on to the next location which will be Yunnan province in the Southwest of China on the border of Southeast Asia.
Hey Noel….. great pics, but was the food really as good as it looks ! must be dirt cheap ! Dont go running intoany TANKS !
have fun and have a noodle on me !