Super Size

In a country like China, with the number of people living here, we can expect some things to be larger. For example, the train station where we left for Xian, the Beijing West Train station,  was BIG.

The new airport is MASSIVE (the world's biggest after Dubai's). 

(Thanks Mr Foster for the photos).

The streets are super LARGE

and the interchanges and overpasses are super HIGH and OVERSIZED.  

Maybe they expect them to be filled by people and cars in a few years?
At other times, I find myself in places where I am just truly surprise by the scale of things. The other day, I went to the bank to change a few dollars, at the branch of the China Merchant Bank, on Chaowai Street. Usually I go in our compound, where we have 3 tellers and no line up. In the Chaowai branch, the place was so large it felt like being in a bus terminal. There were lots of screens above our heads, telling us who they were serving. Numbers were constantly called to the cashiers, which were well over 30 in numbers. I pulled a number from the machine when I entered, and looked up. One hundred persons (or numbers) were in front of me. I sat in a chair, pulled my computer, and got ready to wait for a while.
I only got so far writing this post as I was probably in a fast lane for privilege foreigners changing currencies...

(The photo shows only half the waiting area.)

Living on the Edge

As our ears have buzzed quite a bit from the Swine Flu media reports, and you may have understood how seriously China is tackling the situation here. Mexicans have been quarantined, and repatriated by their own government. Some Canadians and a few Americans also have been given a "special treatment" despite showing no symptoms.
Since our return from Hong Kong, we have been dealing with the implementation of various measures to prevent the spread of the disease. Since last week, when dropping Noam at the kindergarten I can no longer enter in the school building. His teachers welcome him in the outdoor play area, while his temperature is measured before letting him in. At the hospital, any person walking in has his temperature taken. In the airport, when we returned from Hong Kong, detectors were taking readings of every passengers while they were heading to the customs desk, and questionnaires had to be filled. And while enjoying our last day in Hong Kong, the day after Asia Case No 1 was found in Hong Kong, we saw the visible aspects of the Flu Scare. We were fortunate enough to have landed in the right hotel, avoiding a forced quarantine for residents who happened to stay in the hotel where the first Asian case lodged for one night. White masks started appearing around us, and by our departure time, the entire staff at the hotel (and many people on the streets) were wearing them. Hong Kong remembered SARS. China decided to take measures to prevent the spread of the disease, China way.

Whether we agree or not with their methods, or whether or not we really can talk about a pandemic is not for me to say (even if I have my own opinion). However, yesterday Pauli came home after being more than a week out of the country on business, and I had my own Mini-Swine-Scare. He called me as he just had landed in Beijing Capital Airport. He told me (with what I perceived as a white voice) that he was not sure of what was going on... The entire flight was held by the airport, with all passengers in the cabin, after their temperature had been taken and questionnaires had been filled. While waiting in the idle plane, filled with other passengers, no information was given to them. And there I was, at the other end of the phone, fearing the worst: that they could be quarantined, that he would have to stay away from us, in Beijing! Detained. Hostages of a paranoid government (oops, I said it!).
Fortunately, after an hour or so, he called me back to tell me they just had been "released", after a few men dressed in white space suits came in and took away one passenger - probably someone who had fever. Pffew! My Pauli got to come home!

So now we are awaiting the visit of Pauli's parents, on Friday, landing from Israel (another country touched by the Flu)... 

Hong Kong Buzz

We headed to Hong Kong for a few days. It is May First in China, a long weekend, and Paul will be flying from here to go to a work training in Cambridge. And in the meantime, I could get some medical tests that cannot be done in Beijing (nothing to worry about). So Hong Kong, Here We Are! We landed with more than 3 hours of delay, and althougth I am not sure how this happened, our heads hit the pillows at 4 in the morning. Noam was a really good boy during the flight, thanks to Annie Brocoli. (For all those who vouched to have a TV free kid, please hear the plea of those who travel too late by plane).
Our hotel, the Regal, is quite central. Our first day was occupied with the appointment, so our exploration of the city was minimal. Even so, the buzz and the flavor of the city comes strongly to our senses. The narrow streets are filled with people, stores are crowded, signs are competing one another, food smells and emerging for numerous eateries and fancy restaurants. Narrow street trams are passing us and the green lights ticks to tell us it is ok to cross, its fast beat giving me the sense of a febrile city pulse, a city vibrant and lively. In comparison, Beijing feels so sleepy!



Day Two is spent traveling the city by tram, to the pleasure of Noam's eyes. We head to the Peak to get a view, walk around Hollywood Road in search of good antiques and some carpets. Later in the day we scout some store to find some deals on clothings, and some dim sums (various dumplings, a speciality of the city) in a local eatery. Here, as much the clothing is cheap, as much the food is expensive.