Well, you can guess...
But my SECOND favourite numbers are 798 - at least over here, where I don't get much chance to use the sexual abacus...
798 is a cultural / arts 'quarter' based around a large area of old military buildings & warehouses - perfect for trendy 'urbanised'-style arthouses & shops. There's some 'tat' there, but I love the place - so colourful & vibrant. I went there on Sunday for some last-minute shopping, got a few bits & pieces (I resisted that lovely Marshal amp at 450 quid!!), before going back to Sanlitun (the DVD shop was calling!!!) and a WONDERFUL hot honey & grapefruit drink - what a find. It will become part of my Saturday routine!!
Monday saw me at the airport - one of my guys is leaving us this week, so I thought I should pop over to Kaifeng (???!!) to say "thanks & goodbye" - I'm here now, freezing my tackle off, struggling with the internet & coughing because of the AWFUL smog - by far the worst I've seen, although not as bad in in the throat as the thick stuff in BJ...it's a lot worse than last time I was here (compare the shot from the hotel to an earlier posting) - seems the farmers are burning tons of shite, and construction work is immense...what they will do with all these buildings when they are finished, I don't know. Investors, builders & banks keep rolling 'profit' (over-valuation!) from one project to another...it'll all end in tears!!! When we were landing, I couldn't see the ground until seconds before we touched down. Horrid.
I had to laugh, driving from the airport to my hotel - they sometimes shut the highway if visibility gets too bad - but it didn't stop one woman from stopping her car IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY JUNCTION to let her kid have a wee....
OIC - 'Only in China'...
Back to BJ on Wednesday morning, a day or so in the office (expenses!!!) and to the airport late Friday night to fly back to UK and BJ...there's talk of snow here...please God, no - not until I've left!!!
Hope the suitcase gets through customs...
PS Sorry if some of the photos end up the wrong way round...I do resize them & spin them etc, but they sometimes get screwed up by the farty-about process I have to go through to beat the blog-blocking...
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