Flying over and then driving into Beijing all I could see was grey: grey buildings, grey people, grey covered trees and grey air. The atmosphere was thick and I felt my lungs protest. I arrived through a traffic jam of bicycles in a dusty grey alley or hutong where my guesthouse, Red Lantern, was located. Inside it was like another world, a pretty little courtyard laid out with seats and tables, running water and plants. Around the edge were two floors of rooms with veranda and balcony. I decided to wander the local streets to get my bearings and an initial feel for being in China. Road signs were luckily in both English and Chinese but very little else was. The shops were full of modern skirts and tops but few people seemed to wear modern
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