Beijing is a smoggy place. This is an excepted truth. However I have been to Beijing I think 6 times and each time it has displayed clear blue skies and sparkling prospects.
What does this mean? My experimental data on Beijing gives the result that it is a city of pure air. This underlines the importance of large data sets. I mean if the LHC had only run for a short time the lads may have been tricked into believing that the Higgs had a mass of half a pound of tupenny rice. It is very easy to get things wrong – especially about other countries when travelling.
A little learning is a dangerous thing;
drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
and drinking largely sobers us again.
Hai!!
Anyway a trip to China is always a blast. I do not actually like it there much. In comparison with Japan, the folks are loud, uncouth and lack courtesy. But, and this is a big BUT, they are full of energy, conviction, drive and common identity. I have seen the future and it works.
One day in a life.
Get up real early and catch subway across Beijing. It is rush hour and it is impossible to get on the first 3 trains as they are totally packed. The people standing around get on the train but I do not. Subway travel is a competitive sport in Beijing.
The tube
Although I am not up to the battle, the trains are clean silent and come every minute.
I am the first at the Forbidden City.
Good Morning
Bad smog
Imperial Pussy Cat
Imperial Cherry Blossom
Thing with hole in the middle.
Get to airport, fly to Okinawa and sleep in my own bed.
The Quiet Ripple Defines The Pond 
I want to go there again – severe China withdrawal symptoms! Where did you stay in the end? You still haven’t managed to get to the Tian Tan? The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is spectacular against a blue sky. Off to Scotland tomorrow so hopefully will be able to compare Gigha with Tokyo for floweriness (April in Paris).
Hai!
Scotland!
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,
My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;
Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.
Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,
The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth ;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.
Farewell to the mountains, high-cover’d with snow,
Farewell to the straths and green vallies below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods,
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,
My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;
Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.
Sorry about not going to The Hall of Prayer for something. Didn’t know I was supposed to. Next time.
Have fun in the North and congratulate Bobby and Ann de ma part.
Will share a dram with Bobby for you. Being Bobby that may go beyond the single. Blue sjies may be in short supply Up West sadly.
No pressure re visiting the Tian Tan – just that we’ve previously talked about it so next time the skies blue and you’re in Beijing.
Strange that squid business – I’d somehow not expected them to be around in such shallow water. Jig on, there must be one that’s tired of it’s aquatic existence.