Eric's Beijing Diary

Finally moved into my new apartment here in Fragrant Hills.It is very small, but very convenient, and the location is perfect for me. It is a short walk to the mountain trails I spent so much time hiking last spring, and a five minute walk to the bus stop, where I can catch the 331 for a 45 minute ride to Wudaokou.

It is peaceful out here. Quiet at night. The youth culture in Wudaokou would not likely be keen on living way out here, because they would have to give up the night life. Personally, I think it's a fair trade.

I left James' apartment down in the southeast corner of Beijing this morning with my arms loaded--the heavy handmade quilt I bought from a village woman in Shanxi Province, my barley husk pillow, a bunch of clothes, and my computer.

My apartment is basically a studio. No living room to speak of. But right now I don't really need one. I used to have a lot of functions in my apartment at Beihang, but the past couple of years, I haven't been doing that very much. We usually meet in coffee bars. So the smaller accommodation doesn't affect me much. I usually come home to sleep. And this place has a good Internet connection, so I can work here when I need to. It's about 100 US dollars a month. And, again, the location is good--very near the mountain trails, and a five minute walk to the bus yard.