Beating Beijing Blues

Returning from a green, lush and sunny island to Beijing is not a simple thing. Waking up to a view of sad greys from our 14th floor windows; concrete, buildings, sky, even the garden below. Layers are put back on, even if the winter has lost some of its bite now. Massive food shopping is an obligation, in order to stock up our empty fridges (note the plural here, since we have two). And resumption of the 中文课 (Zhong Wen Ke), Chinese lessons, where I concluded that my "tuned ears" were lost in less than 2 weeks. Read: from slightly uncomfortable to increasingly unpleasant. Beijing Blues are on.

To beat the blues, strong measure are to be taken: 

First: hang out with cool friends. REPEAT.

Second: go to the Blue Zoo.

Third: shuffle your furniture around, put new images on your walls.

Fourth: enjoy vicariously the party while it still goes on. 

Indeed, (and I did not expect it), fireworks are still lit all over town, making Beijing sound like a Beirut under attack (or maybe Gaza to be more d'actualité). Off course, it is even more fun when neighbours light them up right below our windows, notwithstanding the noise. Read my friend's Paige account of the whole affair here.