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Finally home in Beijing 北京!

Ni Hao!

After 4 years in Sweden Liping is back at her newly bought home at Dong Yang Wei Jie No 1 in Minan Residential Complex at Dongzhimen Nei Dajie, Dongcheng district, in Beijing 北京. When leaving China in 2003 she lived in Maoer Hutong, Dongcheng district, in Beijing. 15th of April 2007 we started our journey very early in the morning on the first train to Stockholm Airport. We stopped at Heathrow Airport in London for 5 hours waiting for our next flight to Beijing with British Airways. We had time to rest, smoke, visit stores and drink a few english beers before going to the gate for the take off to China! For me this was a hugh challenge as I am a smoker. First nearly three hours with no smoking, only "snus" to use. Then comes a new ten hours bringing the same again, but much longer! I thought it would be a very big trouble for me, but it turned out to be no problem at all! Maybe because I had "snus" and was so excited to visit Beijing and China for the first time in my life. To meet Liping´s family, to meet chinese people when I am the foreigner that does not look the same way and not speak the same language as they do. Now I know not to worry about this! Every person that I met during my 30 days visit in Beijing was friendly, helping a lot and very understanding. I have been visiting many countries in my life, but I think this is the most wonderful people in the world. On second place comes the people in Rhodes, Greece. I have been visiting Rhodes two times for 14 days stay. My first day in Beijing was fantastic. Liping´s son Yan Fan met us at the airport and we went by taxi to Liping´s apartment. We installed us at our Beijing apartment, eat some chinese food, and then went out for a walk in the neighbourhood. I wanted to get to know how to get around in this beautiful and wonderful town. During this walk I took photos and found a good map over Beijing. At this time I found the love of my life, after Liping, the most beautiful and interesting park in Beijing. But first we bought hot grilled lamb meat and cold beer to go with it. Nan Guan Park is an ecological water park showing the nice and slow pulse of Beijing. During my visit I go there every afternoon to relax and enjoy myself. Then I go home to our apartment and eat chinese food. Later at night I go to the local chinese-russian restaurant for some beers in the very hot summer night. Our chinese home is situated near to the Russian Embassy. It is right across the street. Only 8 minutes walk to the restaurant Club 19 passing the embassy on the way. Many people from the west go there. I meet people from Russia, England, Germany, Italy, Spain, USA, Denmark and many from other parts of the world including China! I sit here at night reflecting on my day. I have seen most of Beijings sights and want to think about what I have seen today and what I want to see the next day. I see sometimes two sights the same day, like Beijing Zoo and the Summer Palace. Leaving home at 10 in the morning and coming home at 9 in the night. Very tired but always ready for a new beer at the restaurant! My night at the local restaurant always seemed to start with a chinese draft beer for 5 yuan followed by another one, to be finished with an Heineken for 20 yuan! But one night the waitress told me about their russian strong beer and wanted me to try it. I didn´t! But two nights later I did! It was very strong and no Heineken after the two chinese draft beers! I could find my way home, but was very reliefed when the elevator girl pushed the button for the fifth floor in our house for me. Anyway Beijing is full of elevator girls and guards in the new residential areas. They write up your car number when you come and go. Though walking straight or not is no problem! The guards only look at you wishing they were me! No work, just having fun. Late, late, late..... Just look at me and find out how happy I am with this situation! No work, no work, no work..... Just free to do what I want and when I want to do it. Hello... Where am I? In Beijing in China? To me China is not like communist Eastern Europe. I feel like was in the USA or Sweden. Economy is ruling here. I learn on the chinese news that now more than 50 % of the economy is owned by private companies. And so what? The young people here look like in the west and do the same things as here. I see them sending SMS riding the bicycle while I am worried about crossing the street walking! This is my first blog and I hope you will like it. Thanks for reading it.By the way our apartment is marked on the map of central Beijing with a large red X! You will find it easily as you know that if you click on the pictures they will be shown as large pictures!

Zai jian!

Peter



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