Moving

Back from Sweden we got quite busy because we had to move to another apartment before July 1.
We have been living at Park Avenue 4:2 16 D now for one year but our landlord did not extend the lease for another year.

This because her parents should move to Beijing and live in this apartment. It was originally bought for her parents but her mother did not like to move here because of the pollution. Since they now live in Sichuan province and was affected by the earthquake they were afraid to stay in that province and now want to move to Beijing.

We rather quick found a new apartment (maybe not so good as our old one) and was moving out on June 30. The apartment is in the same house in Park Avenue but now entrance 4:1 and apartment 11 C.

Will be more info here as soon as we get settled...

Back in Beijing with less traffic, less people

After vacation in Sweden we are now back in Beijing and again at work.
We quick noticed that something had changed in the city. Not so many people and less trafiic on the streets.
"Cleaning up" before the Olympics, all people not having resident paper from the police allowing them to stay in Beijing have been forced to move out of town. Many this poor people been living in cellars, in the shops and in offices must now go back to their home towns where they are registred.

Because in China you are registred where you live. Every time I get a new VISA I have to go to the local police and update my residential papers and lately they have also been knocking doors in our apartment area to check that all people living here are registred.

Also a clean-up in the traffic have been done. All old cars (exspecially trucks) not following the pollution standards have been banned inside 5th ring road and the fine for breaking this law is high. So, now it is a little bit smoother to get to the office in the morning and back in the evening.

Beijing also this week get their first "hybrid-taxi" that can take wheel-chairs. 50 of these cars is now in service in Beijing.

Vacation in Sweden

We have been on vacation in Sweden now for two weeks and have still one week to do before returning to Beijing. Spending most of the time seeing friends and family and just relaxing enjoying the clean air and the birdsong...

Staying in my daughters apartment at Fågelhundsvägen in Lund.

The second day in Sweden we joined the "Studentparty" for my youngest son, Mats.
He just graduated from "Filmgymnasiet" in Visby and we had a party for him with friends and family at his mothers home.

Beginning of this week we went to Stockholm for some "instant tourism"...

The Royal Castle is a "must" and also the "Old City" (Gamla stan) with it's small streets and alleys. So we spent the first evening walking around enjoying this part of Stockholm.

Second day we started by taking the Djurgårds-ferry to Skansen.

This is an "Outdoor museum" with a nice collection of Swedish history, culture and animals. It is another of those places the you must visit when you are in Stockholm.

And after ending the day with "Regalskeppet Wasa" in the Wasa museum we where quite tired.

Our last day in Stockholm we spent by doing a cruise in the archepelago of Stockholm, going out to Sandhamn. A really nice day crusising around among some of the 24 000 islands in the archepelago - must be one of the most beautiful in the world.

Beijing's petrol and energy prices go up - and maybe cabs?

There were long lines at Beijing's gas stations last night as cab drivers and other motorists rushed to fill up the tank before a 16% increase in fuel prices came into effect at midnight.
The price hike, which was decided upon by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and announced by Xinhua at about 7pm last night, will see the price of the regular #93 fuel increase from the current RMB 5.34 to RMB 6.2 a liter.
Energy prices will also go up as of July 1.
This is the first price rise since last October when prices rose 10% from RMB 4.9 to 5.34 a liter. To that we're not sure of is how this will affect taxi prices in the capital. Last year's price hike was accompanied by an increase in the subsidy paid out to cabbies, rising to RMB 780 a month, but, as of this morning, no announcement has been made about changes to subsidies.

The Beijing News quote a driver as saying that "without increased subsidies, it will become very difficult for Beijing's taxi drivers to endure the price rise." At the time of last year's price rise, People's Daily quoted the municipal development and reform commission as saying it does not plan to raise the taxi fares before the gasoline price hits 6.1 yuan per liter - they've just hit 6.2.

A week that we will never forget

Last week, a week after the earthquake is a week I think that all of us living here in China will never forget! Every day we see horrible pictures on TV where the army and rescueteams struggle to dig out as many people as possible.
We see pictures of schools that have caved in and a lot of small school children laying dead on the ground, side by side.
From time to time we see heroic rescuepeople dig out someone still alive after almost a week. We see crying mothers still looking for their children. We see small children that have lost all their family.
This pictures I belive will always be etched into our minds.

This pictures and text below was sent to me and others by my colleague Lilian. They are strong but I like to share them with You















I do not know how deep you know this disaster
But I know You will be deeply shocked

















I don't know how many towns were distroyed
But I know many people have lost their homes
















I don't know how this house look like before
But I know the old is not able to rebuild by himself















I don't know how many schools collapsed
But I know at that time many classrooms were full of students





















I don't know why here is a schoolbag
But I know it must belong to one child
















I don't know whether this mother saw her child still alive finally
But I know the child is the treasure of every family






















I don't know when was this child found already dead
But I know this mother already been crying here for a long time
















I don't know how many people are still under the ruins
But I know most of them will not survive
















I don't know under the ruins the hand belongs to a girl or boy
But I know the hands are eager to touch her or his parents again






















I don't know what the time is now
But I know it is a horrible time
















I don't know the exact reason why they embraced tightly
But I know there must be a reason





















I don't know what this man is looking for
But I know the possibility is quite low















I don't know why they are crying
But I know the tears is from their heart

















I don't know if this child can survive or not
But I know in her little heart there's already a deep slot

I don't know how long this man already been under the ruins
But I know he is already very lucky in the earth quake

I don't know what did the finger language means by this nurse
But I know it doesn't mean "victory"

I don't know where they are all marching to
But I know where they are coming from - home
















I don't know whether they can have a good sleep here or not
But I know they don't have any other choice just now

I don't know how many people that are here
But I know big trouble will happen if no water and food supply
















I don't know how this man have escaped from the collapse
But I know it is not an easy way now and in the future

I don't know what is the destination for them
But I know at this time only they can help themselves
















I don't know where here is
But I know this is not their home

I don't know whether these babies can realize the tough situation
But I know when they grow up thier parents (if they still have any) will tell them the story

I don't know what tey are thinking about
But I know in their mind there is still hope