I'm liking Beijing much better than Shanghai already. People seem nicer and more polite and less frantic, there's a bit more space (though still not very walkable as things are very spread out).. not to mention that by now the weather is not as bitterly cold as when I was in Shanghai, though still far from balmy by my standards. It's big, and takes a while to get to know, though the basics of the city layout are easy enough to understand.

In a way, I'm really tired from the past 40(!) days so I'm thinking I should to take it easy, esp considering I have almost 2 weeks here before I leave for Shantou. Also, a bit sick of touristy sights, so I will just see the must-sees (Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Tiannanmen Square, a less developed stretch of the Great Wall, maybe the Ming Tombs? and a couple of museums), then spend the rest of the time walking ard hutongs and going to art galleries...

also, I desperately need to get new shoes (the current pair did not stand up well to the constant rain and scruffs, and walking around the whole day in pointy spiky heels is not fun for the feet) and a haircut (now that it's getting warmer and I no longer need to go around looking like a Neanderthal in order to keep myself a fraction of a degree warmer =P). So far, I have not been to the cheap(er) places and while I don't want to scrimp on shoes, 990RMB is too much to pay for simple ballet flats (and those were the only ones I saw that I sort of like..). Sigh.. I think I am already looking forward to a higher standard of living than I have been experiencing for the past month...

went to walk in Tiannanmen Square yesterday evening, but got there too late to go into any place other than the shopping malls nearby =P It's been raining the past 2 days so I have not really experienced the famed pollution, though the city is now one big construction site (but all must be finished/stopped by July). It's also very convenient to have someone who knows the hutongs and how to find a nice bar or restaurant in the middle of all the dark alleys =)