A Fluffy season

The spring is almost over now in Bejing and we are heading for summer. The cherry trees blossom and it is lovely to walk in the parks and watch all these lovely red and pink.














Another not at all so nice thing is that the season of fluff is upon us again. Beijing's numerous poplar and willow trees have begun releasing great tracts of fluffy pollen into the air. The pollen is a minor distraction to most of us, but can clog up the air conditioning systems of cars and buses and cause breathing difficulties for those with allergies. The pollen seems to be especially dense along the Eastern 4th and 5th Ring Roads and also by the Airport Expressway.

In an attempt to reduce the amount of springtime fluff (only the female trees release pollen), the city last year started a huge "sex-change city's 300.000 poplars trees. But, it seems that there's just as much pollen floating around this year as there was last year.
We can expect the fluff to continue getting caught in your hair and flying into your mouth until the end of the month. Only a heavy rain can make the life a little easier for people with allergies.



















Fluff gets into your eyes

Still standing...

The worlds tallest (?) building, 101, is still standing. It is three years since I was here last time but now I am back in Taipei, Taiwan again.

Is here for a short business trip having some training in Sony Ericsson office here. Back to Beijing again on Wednesday but I hope I have time for a "pineapple shrimp" with my friend Magnus and "en lille en" with Steen before I go back.

A new favorite

There is a lot of good restaurants in Beijing and we have 10-15 that we normal circulate. From time to time you get borred going to the same restaurant to often and we try to find new ones.
After going regular to Wasabi we found a new and better japanese restaurant, Matsuko, we visit quite often.

Another of our new favorites is "Uomo Teppanyaki Show Bar" in Lucky Street. Here You have good teppanyaki and other japanese food for a low price. You have t teheppanyaki buffet for just 158 RMB, incl free drinking.
Teppanyaki is a good way of eating since it takes a little time, it is a little show over the cooking and You really have time relax and to enjoy the food. Just one problem, You eat too much....

NO SMOKING

At first I did not believe it when I read the news on "The Beijinger" - the website for us foreigners in Beijing.
Chinese Government are planning to make a new No Smoking law come into effect on May 31.
The details of the new laws still remain vague, as lawmakers are still deciding on how exactly to broaden the ban on smoking to the city's hazy hotels, Internet cafes and restaurants. Draft for the law suggests that smoking will still be allowed in restaurants and other venues but restricted to well ventilated areas that are no bigger than 30% of the entire area of the restaurant. Other reports have claimed that the new law will only restrict smoking around the service counter of the restaurant.



















Another aspect to the new regulations that is still under discussion is the fining of individuals as opposed to the authority responsible for each venue.
A spokesperson from the Legislative Affairs Office has announced that individuals will not be fined for smoking but that restaurant owners will be held accountable for smoking taking place on their premises and are liable for fines of between RMB 1000-5000.

We'll just have to wait and see what Beijing lawmakers finally agree on, however, one thing is for sure, smoking in and around Olympic venues and facilities is going to be strictly monitored.
This new smoking ban would affect at least 4 million smokers in Beijing and it will help to save a lot of money for the country.
Today there are about 2000 smoking-related deaths per day in China.

The Olympic torch has arrived to Beijing

This morning when I went to work the traffic jam was worse than normal and when we came to Airport Expressway this was closed in south direction - from airport into the city. So we did not meet any traffic until exit 4 and I now I found out why it was closed.
The Olympic torch had arrived to Beijing and at exit 4 we met the wan carrying the torch to Tiananmen Square where there should be a ceremony. Many big black cars and police cars escorted the wan.
















The Olympic hurdler and star of a million advertisements Liu Xiang will carry the torch across Jinshui Qiao (the small bridge that straddles the moat that runs between the Tiananmen Gate and the square) to light the torch in the square later today.
Festivities have already got under way with a lot of plate spinning and fandancing going on at the square, but, details about the ceremony have been kept secret and security is tight. This morning I think there was some demonstrations on the square because I was looking att CNN news and they had a report about the square and suddenly the TV screen was black...
Road blocks have been set up to prevent traffic and pedestrians getting too close to the square, and buses going along Chang'an Dajie as well as trains on the line 1 subway line, are not stopping at the Tiananmen East or West stations.

Keep the Beijing Olympic slogan in mind: "One world - One dream"....