Eric's Beijing Diary

I was walking along the road today, when a PLA soldier picked me up in his jeep. The PLA must have something similar to the Corps of Engineers, because there is a lot going on here. New roads everywhere. It's frustrating. One day I am climbing up a moutain trail, a few days later, I climb the same trail, lose my way because a road has been bulldozed into the mountain. The roads that are already here all seem to lead to fire towers. If they're just trying to put in a few more fire towers, maybe I can live with that. But I am afraid there will be more and more people moving out this way. Slowly the city inches toward the countryside, like a great blob, swallowing everything in its path.