It was in 1998 when I visited Beijing for the first time. Back then, you had a dome of smok over the city. Beijing was polluted, yet full of bicycles. A huge influx of people from the provinces let the city grow rapidly as those were looking for their personal fortune in the capital. It was messy. There were no sidewalks to talk of. These paths, lined with carts where people sold foods (one wouldn't want to try). To get some decent cheese was a drama. We remember Marcel trying to bring 20 Kg of fresh cheeses into the country!
At that time, there were fewer cars, hardly any public transport one could navigate and overall, it was a dirty place as people just littered everywhere. Fascinating artifacts and sights though, such as the Great Wall of China, the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City.
Cut to today: Beijing is CLEAN. There wasn't any rubbish I could see strewn around. Clear blue skies (maybe just lucky, but this stood out). Great service in the hotel I stayed. The bicycles have been replaced by cars and buses. It is less chaotic as people now move using the underground. Overall, the city seems to be much more organised. Food options have expanded into offerings that could be called "Western". Meanwhile, everyone is zipping around on electric scooters. Buses and many of the cars are electric, which could explain the cleaner air.
Would have liked to explore the local restaurant scene, however the schedule did not permit that. Sadly, the Hard Rock Cafe, last visited in 1998, had been shut following some scandal involving staff not getting paid.
No comments:
Post a Comment