Eric's Beijing Diary

View from my bedroom window last night at midnight.


New Year's Day. Last night was New Year's Eve, and boy was in noisy! Of course you know I am referring to Chinese New year. Chinese New Year falls on a different day every year, because it is based on the lunar calendar. But it is clearly the biggest celebration of the year, especially for working people who don't have many holidays. I can't say everybody gets Chinese New Year off, because mass transit still runs, although on restricted schedules. But so many of the small businesses that make China such an easy place to live are closed during this time. If you want to go out to eat, you will have to look a little to find something open unless you go to one of those big fancy places. Pray you don't get a flat tire. I am spoiled living in Beijing, because even though all the cafeterias are closed, the coffee bars are always open for at least part of the day.

I'm in Shenzhen now. Flew out of Beijing this morning on Air China. Rates are pretty good if you fly on New Year's Day. But there is another benefit that I didn't think about until I got to the airport. The place was practically empty. Few people and no lines. I might be exaggerating a little bit, because the plane wasn't exactly empty, but there were quite a few vacant seats. I could have had the aisle even if I hadn't reserved it. Took the shuttle downtown from the airport. Linda met me at the bus stop. I didn't want her to come to the airport, because she suffers from motion sickness.