Feel the Burn

That is the theme of the day and I'm not talking about exercise.

The air quality is horrible today. Compare today's picture with Monday's picture. It was suppsed to rain today and I wish it would. Maybe it would clear the air. Everyone on staff here in Beijing talks about how much the air quality has improved. And I have seen it worse. But it is still pretty lousy. My eyes are burning all day long and my nostrils are irritated. They have a long way to go before the Olympics. Feel lthe burn baby.

Again, looks like a petty mundane day at the office. The morning is a presentation on Defects to the staff. Two hours of talking and running demos.

Sogo Food Court has become the lunch place of choice. Today I ask what I am going to eat. I let Lana pick for me every day. Today it is hand made noodles and beef soup. I stand and watch a man create the noodles I will eat in a few minutes. Even with the chopsticks I manage to eat a healthy portion of the bowl of noodles and soup set before me. This is good Chinese food. We again walk after lunch but not nearly as far as Monday.

Back in the office I hold one meeting with Terry and one of his colleagues to discuss a testing issue. Am convinced after the meeting that thisis a case where too many chiefs in Cary (me included) should have let the indinans in Beijing work this issue out. We have to trust these people to do their jobs.

Spend the rest of the afternoon planning, answering email, and getting some catch up work done.

Dinner tonight is at a restaurant know for it's traditional Chinese spicy food called Spice Spirit Here I do well. First they bring me a fork. good news! And too be honest I don't find the food all that hot. One of my hosts is sweating pretty good. I'm not. I feel more burn from the air than from the food.

This food is good. I enjoy it. I think they are surprised.

After dinner two things happen. I play a game of Chinese checkers with Tina and win. Then we go shopping. We are in the Xidan area. A famous shopping area. This is upscale shopping. I don't see bargains here. Prices are as high or higher than US prices. Levi's jeans are around $100 per pair. I bringing a suitcase or jeans next time I come.

What I do see are a bunch of different looking Chinese people. More punk in some cases. More very stylized in others. A case of a very western China.

Back to the hotel to finsih blogging and then to bed.