Welcome to the year of the Ox

According to one Chinese legend the 12 animals argued as to who would be the first animal in the 12-year cycle. The gods decided to hold a contest in which the animals must cross a river.
The first animal to cross the river would be the first on the chart followed by the other animals according to their finish. The rat was the smallest of the animals and was expected by the other animals to finish last. Quickly the 12 animals jumped into the river but unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped on his back. As the ox was about to jump on the riverbank to claim first place, the rat jumped off his back and won the race. The pig that was very lazy ended up last. As expected, their peers often tease most children who were born in the year of the pig.

People born in the Year of the Ox are patient, quiet yet inspire confidence in others. They are eccentric and temperamental. They speak little but when they do they are quite articulate. Mentally and physically alert, they are generally easy-going but can be very stubborn and they hate to fail or be opposed. They are most compatible with Snake, Rooster, and Rat people. They also love to travel.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

Happy Chinese New Year to all of You.

As usual the "war" broke loose late in the evening on the 25th - after all had their traditional dinner (tun nian fan) with their families.
If You never been in Beijing during Spring Festival you can not imaging what is all about - it is constant thunder during 24hrs. And it is very LOUD.... the louder the better and more impressive. It is almost impossible to sleep during that night.
We are also unlucky to have a "firework stall" just across the street where they sell fireworks. People just walk a few meters away from the stall and set fire........

But this is the way it is here and this will continue for 15 days in Beijing. After that it stops. But after the first night is just allowed to use firework between 7 in the morning and 24 at night - so we will get some sleep -:)

Getting ready for Spring Festival

China is now prepairing for the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and in the end of next week it will be celebrated all over China.
This is the one time per year when all families trying to get together, often in their home town.
Some have already gone home but during end of next week millions of chinese will travel by car, bus, train and airplane across China to reach their home towns. This is a gigantic logistic issue that I think just can be done here in China.

At the Beijing West Railway Station,120 temporary ticket windows is opened near the main ticketing hall. As of Jan 5, 240 ticket windows now serve the large crowds lining up to buy tickets home from Spring Festival. Tickets are sold around the clock.

Also preparation for the big fireworks have started - to soon and illegal in some areas...

Police and firefighters in begiining of the weeks destroyed a huge batch of illegal fireworks that had been confiscated in the lead up to Spring Festival. 3,500 boxes of fireworks valued at around RMB 1.02 million were destroyed. The explosion took place at a reservoir in Daxing District on Monday.

Fake money in China

There are more and more faked money in China.
Last time I was in Zhuhai a taxi driver give me a faked 50 RMB and this fake was not so good.
When I payed my foot-massage they see it direct and showed me how I had been fooled...

If you touch Mao:s hair with your nail, the surface should be "scratched" - not plain.
Also if you touch his collar - this also should have a pattern - not plain.

However, the new faked 100 RMB now circulating in Beijing is made so good that they are difficult to separate from real ones.
An official from the Bank of China has contradicted earlier media reports that the fake RMB 100 notes circulating around the country, were of such good quality that even the official currency detecting machines at banks had difficulty distinguishing the fakes. The official clarified that these notes can be identified and that China’s central bank has begun an investigation into the source of the counterfeit bills.

Zhuhai - my second home

The Fishing girl in Zhuhai

After New year it was time for another business trip to Zhuhai in southern China.
It is some sort of my "second home" since I have spent quite a few times there during the last 6 months.
I like the town more an more for every time I am there and also try to se little of the surrondings when I do not have to work. It is quite beautiful with a lot of trees and flowers and the air is very clean compared to Beijing.

Maybe a place to live in winter when I get retired.....