Hello Beijing!

What can I say...Beijing at this time of year is a huge hulking stink machine. It's enormous, it stinks, you can't see to the next block because of all the pollution and I haven't seen the sun since I've been here. Actually I lie, I saw it, but it was a glowering orange butthole that I could look directly at.

Beijing is interesting and has a buzz about it no question, but it's over 35 degrees here with no breeze, no storm in the afternoon and if you leave your door or window open for air, your house gets covered in Mongolia. (The topsoil from Mongolia blows over Beijing every Summer).

It's a sink or swim kinda place. As a foreigner (called laowai in Mandarin) it doesn't feel like I'm likely to sink, just swim and whinge about it.

Gimme another few weeks and I'll love it, I'm sure.

I've found a great little cafe just near the base of my compound here. Oh here's my compound on a nice day a few months ago.




I live in one of the apartments right up the top on the left. It's pretty sweet but ....y'know.....hot.

The cafe is great, dark and dank which is a nice break from the heat and the sky here (it's white). This cafe has couches so comfy and staff so relaxed you feel like you're doing things a disservice if you spend less than an hour or 3 here. About an hour ago one of the staff, this totally cute Chinese Elvis Costello, brought over a vase with plants in it to my table. I said thanks and he placed it so the fronds of the plants were cascading over the screen of my laptop.

I just got my tuna sandwich. It's quadruple-decker with the crusts cut off.

I've just been settling into daily life here really. Haven't done any of the touristy stuff. This is my 4th time here.

I got a haircut yesterday at Hair Rodeo. It just sounded too much like the Cuttin' Caral so I had to give it a whirl. My hairdresser even had his scissors and combs in a gun holster. If he had spurs it would have been so awesome. For $7.50AUD I came away with a great new look.

It's started to rain here in the afternoons which is a nice break if I wasn't so concerned about acid rain. I was on my way to this cafe because I left one of my computer cables here the other day when it started to sprinkle, then pour. Ordinarily I really like walking in the rain and the rain doesn't fizz when it hits you like I always imagined acid rain would. I'm sure it does something though, maybe it reveales new, younger-looking skin. Assholes back home paying hundreds of Australian dollars for skin peels and I'm getting it all for nuthin.

China 1 : Cosmetics Industry 0

Here is some cheery Beijing.



I've seen some amazing Chinglish of course that is well worth photographing, but I'm still sans technology after having my bag stolen. I promise, it's worth it.

My prediction is that this blog will end up with a lot of Chinglish and pictures of horrible Chinese toilets on it. Wait. Chinglish, toilets, cute girls, ugly guys, boob jokes, ball jokes, Chinglish. That should about cover it.

Always funny.