A month ago, when I finally got back to Beijing at 18 degrees below after a day of cancelled flights, I had to take an illegal cab to escape the airport as the queues for the bus and taxis at the airport were extortionate. Now, finally, the last of the snow that fell then is finally disappearing as the temperature has occasionally hovered above zero in the last few days during the daytime. But winter lasts another 6-8 weeks more, so no high hopes of taking off the thick winter jacket quite yet.
At that time the UK was running out of grit: something the Chinese don't need too much of because of the armies of helpers who clear the side streets, pavements and pathways within hours of the snow settling.
7-11 only entered China a few years ago but has expanded rapidly with various innovations to meet local tastes; they are very popular at lunch time serving hot food for take away. Recently they went a step too far though. I quite liked their various sushi and salad options and often ate a croissant or sandwhich but their latest sandwhich is strawberries and cream which is very strange.
Another oddity appeared recently, which was the structures built to protect the 15-foot trees where we live which were only planted last Spring. To protect them wooden frames, triangular in shape have been built surround them from three sides from the wind and occasional snow. Meanwhile all, and I do mean all, the small hedges that are planted in the middle of highways and alongside them have also been protected and covered up by wooden frames and cloth.
The big news of the last week or two has been google going off on a strop because one of their founders woke up not liking censorship anymore. Since China has no need for Google with plenty of other local and foreign companies able to provide the same services and rarely changes anything from foreign pressure, it won't bow down, so google will just be withdrawing certain services from a market which already has the world's largest online and mobile markets in the World that is still growing. Could a shareholder sue the founder for being stupid and damaging future shareholder value?
Last weekend, after being told the Killers concert was cancelled and we got our tickets refunded (18 months ago, the same happened with Linkin Park) Andrea and I decided to spend the money (and more) on a netbook. Fantastic value for money that is so quick and with great battery life.
2 weeks to go until I leave for the UK for the first time in almost 2 years, and 2 days to go until Murray might make history!.
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