Pollution

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The pollution in Beijing is chronic. A low smog lies over the city incessantly. We saww a patch of blue sky the day we arrived but this is a rarity. They are trying to claen up the city in time for the Olympics with many factories being relocated outside. It is truly a metropolis with a population of 15 million people and over 100 hundred flyovers. Am surprised more people don't wear face masks. I was even tempted to invest but could only find the green surgical ones so decided to try breathing thru my nose more. One theory for the spitting epidemic is the pollution. There is nothing like it - deep phlegmy emphysematous hocks everywhere - no wonder SARs spread. There are attempts to curb it with signs saying 'No Spitting' in T.S and fines in place. Apparently there are also queueing lessons for the chinese in time for 2008!!

Any public places are a nightmare. When a bus comes there is a mad scramble to rush on. At the train it's a stampede when the gate opens eventho seats are assigned!!! When we arrived in Beijing we were in a taxi q(!!?) and quickly realised there was no point as people were pushing forth from all directions down to the cabs.

The only well organised q I saw was at Mao's mausoleum which is very strictly controlled, and moved along rapidly so you actually only have a few secs walking past his waxen body (if it even is)

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